Differential role of Rab proteins in ciliary trafficking: Rab23 regulates Smoothened levels
07.04.2010
Boehlke C, Bashkurov M, Buescher A, Krick T, John AK, Nitschke R, Walz G, Kuehn EW.
J Cell Sci. 123(Pt 9):1460-7
Protein transport to the cilium involves Rab GTPases. Loss of Rab23 in mice recapitulates the HH phenotype, but its function in HH signalling is unknown. Here we establish a novel protocol, based on fluorescence recovery after photo-bleaching (FRAP), allowing the quantitative analysis of protein transport into the cilium. We compare the effect of Rab8, Rab5, and Rab23 on the ciliary transport of Smoothened, EB1, and Kim1. Depletion of Rab23 decreases the ciliary steady state specifically of Smoothened but not EB1 or Kim1, suggesting a role of Rab23 in protein turnover in the cilium.
