Association of a 66 kDa homolog of Chlamydomonas DC2, a subunit of the outer arm docking complex, with outer arm dynein of sperm flagella in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis

Zoolog Sci. 2006 Aug;23(8):679-87. doi: 10.2108/zsj.23.679.

Abstract

We previously identified a 66 kDa axonemal protein (Ci-Axp66.0) in sperm of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Here we found that Ci-Axp66.0 shows sequence similarity to the DC2 subunit of the Chlamydomonas outer arm docking complex. Analysis of secondary structure of Ci-Axp66.0 suggested that the N-terminal two-thirds of the molecule is rich in coiled coil structure, as in Chlamydomonas DC2. Immunogold localization revealed that it is located in the vicinity of outer arm dynein. Ci-Axp66.0 was partly extracted from the axonemes by a high salt solution and co-purified with outer arm dynein. This co-purification was not affected by the absence of Mg(2+) in isolation buffer, indicating that Ci-Axp66.0 is associated with outer arm dynein. These results suggest that Ci-Axp66.0 is a component of the outer arm dynein docking complex in the axonemes of Ciona sperm.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Chlamydomonas / metabolism
  • Ciona intestinalis / chemistry*
  • Dyneins / analysis*
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Weight
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Species Specificity
  • Sperm Motility
  • Sperm Tail / chemistry*
  • Spermatozoa / enzymology*

Substances

  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Dyneins