Dynamics of the IFT machinery at the ciliary tip

Alexander Chien, Sheng Min Shih, Raqual Bower, Douglas Tritschler, Mary E. Porter, Ahmet Yildiz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

105 Scopus citations

Abstract

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is essential for the elongation and maintenance of eukaryotic cilia and flagella. Due to the traffic jam of multiple trains at the ciliary tip, how IFT trains are remodeled in these turnaround zones cannot be determined by conventional imaging. Using PhotoGate, we visualized the full range of movement of single IFT trains and motors in Chlamydomonas flagella. Anterograde trains split apart and IFT complexes mix wiTheach other at the tip to assemble retrograde trains. Dynein-1b is carried to the tip by kinesin-II as inactive cargo on anterograde trains. Unlike dynein-1b, kinesin-II detaches from IFT trains at the tip and diffuses in flagella. As the flagellum grows longer, diffusion delays return of kinesin-II to the basal body, depleting kinesin-II available for anterograde transport. Our results suggest that dissociation of kinesin-II from IFT trains serves as a negative feedback mechanism that facilitates flagellar length control in Chlamydomonas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere28606
JournaleLife
Volume6
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 20 2017

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to thank K Augsperger for assistance with the isolation and screening of the D1bLIC-Cherry KAP-GFP tagged strains, V Belyy, J Bandaria, and P Qin for technical assistance, and W F Marshall and N L Hendel for sharing results prior to publication. This work has been supported by NIH (GM094522, GM116204 (AY), GM055667 (MEP)), and NSF (MCB-1055017 and MCB-1617028 (AY)).

Publisher Copyright:
© Chien et al.

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