Bardet-biedl syndrome-associated small GTPase ARL6 (BBS3) functions at or near the ciliary gate and modulates Wnt signaling

Cheryl J. Wiens, Yufeng Tong, Muneer A. Esmail, Edwin Oh, Jantje M. Gerdes, Jihong Wang, Wolfram Tempel, Jerome B. Rattner, Elias Nicholas Katsanis, Hee Won Park, Michel R. Leroux

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

96 Scopus citations

Abstract

The expansive family of metazoan ADP-ribosylation factor and ADP-ribosylation factor-like small GTPases is known to play essential roles in modulating membrane trafficking and cytoskeletal functions. Here, we present the crystal structure of ARL6, mutations in which cause Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS3), and reveal its unique ring-like localization at the distal end of basal bodies, in proximity to the so-called ciliary gate where vesicles carrying ciliary cargo fuse with the membrane. Overproduction of GDP- or GTP-locked variants of ARL6/BBS3 in vivo influences primary cilium length and abundance. ARL6/ BBS3 also modulates Wnt signaling, a signal transduction pathway whose association with cilia in vertebrates is just emerging. Importantly, this signaling function is lost in ARL6 variants containing BBS-associated point mutations. By determining the structure of GTP-bound ARL6/BBS3, coupled with functional assays, we provide a mechanistic explanation for such pathogenic alterations, namely altered nucleotide binding. Our findings therefore establish a previously unknown role for ARL6/ BBS3 in mammalian ciliary (dis)assembly and Wnt signaling and provide the first structural information for a BBS protein.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)16218-16230
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume285
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - May 21 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology

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