Centrioles are highly elaborate microtubule-based structures responsible for the formation of centrosomes and cilia. Despite considerable variation across species and tissues, within any given tissue their size is essentially constant [1,2]. While the diameter of the centriole cylinder is set by the dimensions of the inner scaffolding structure of the cartwheel [3], how centriole length is set so precisely and stably maintained over many cell divisions is not well understood. Cep97 and CP110 are conserved proteins that localize to the distal end of centrioles and have been reported to limit centriole elongation in vertebrates [4,5]. Here, we examine Cep97 function in Drosophila melanogaster. We show that Cep97 is essential for formation of full-length centrioles in multiple tissues of the fly. We further identify the microtubule deacetylase Sirt2 as a Cep97 proximity interactor. Deletion of Sirt2 likewise affects centriole size. Interestingly, so does deletion of the acetylase Atat1, indicating that loss of stabilizing acetyl marks impairs centriole integrity. Cep97 and CP110 were originally identified as inhibitors of cilia formation in vertebrate cultured cells [6] and loss of CP110 is a widely used marker of basal body maturation. In contrast, in Drosophila Cep97 is only transiently removed from basal bodies and loss of Cep97 strongly impairs ciliogenesis.Collectively, our results support a model whereby Cep97 functions as part of a protective cap that acts together with the microtubule acetylation machinery to maintain centriole stability, essential for proper function in cilium biogenesis. Dobbelaere et al., page 3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONCentrioles generally assemble adjacent to pre-existing parental centrioles in a series of steps which have been extensively studied in a range of experimental models. First, PLK4/Sak/ZYG-1 is recruited to the vicinity of the mother centriole where it concentrates into a single focus that marks the site of daughter centriole assembly. PLK4 then recruits and phosphorylates STIL/Ana2/SAS-5 as well as SAS-6, which oligomerizes to form the huband-spoke structure of the cartwheel. Finally, CPAP/SAS-4 along with g-tubulin directs the assembly of the microtubule-based centriole wall, aided in some species by CEP135/Bld10[7]. Overexpression of CPAP as well as its interacting proteins CEP120 and SPICE1 is known to result in over-elongation of centrioles [4,5,[8][9][10] and recent studies have demonstrated that CPAP plays a key role in imparting slow, processive growth on centriolar microtubules [11,12]. The distal (plus) ends of centriolar microtubules are bound by a complex of Cep97 and CP110 [6,13,14]. In vertebrates, this complex is thought to counteract CPAP activity, as loss of either component results in over-elongated centrioles, while overexpression of CP110 can suppress the effect of excess CPAP [4,5]. Cep97 and CP110 have been shown to interact with the depolymerizing kinesin KIF24, which specifically acts on centriolar, but not cytoplasmic microtubules to limit centriole...