Identification and characterization of PlAlix, the Alix homologue from the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. (10th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Romancino, Daniele P.; Anello, Letizia; Morici, Giovanni; d'Azzo, Alessandra; Bongiovanni, Antonella; Di Bernardo, Maria
• Is Part Of: Development growth and differentiation. Volume 55:Number 2(2013)
• Page Start: 237
• Page End: 246
• Publication Date: 2013-01-10
• Subjects: Embryology -- Periodicals; Developmental biology -- Periodicals; Growth -- Periodicals; 574.3
• DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0012-1592

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="dgd12023-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The sea urchin provides a relatively simple and tractable system for analyzing the early stages of embryo development. Here, we use the sea urchin species, <italic>Paracentrotus lividus</italic>, to investigate the role of Alix in key stages of embryogenesis, namely the egg fertilization and the first cleavage division. Alix is a multifunctional protein involved in different cellular processes including endocytic membrane trafficking, filamentous (F)‐actin remodeling, and cytokinesis. Alix homologues have been identified in different metazoans; in these organisms, Alix is involved in oogenesis and in determination/differentiation events during embryo development. Herein, we describe the identification of the sea urchin homologue of Alix, <italic>Pl</italic>Alix. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that Alix is highly conserved in sea urchins. Accordingly, we detect the <italic>Pl</italic>Alix protein cross‐reacting with monoclonal Alix antibodies in extracts from <italic>P. lividus</italic>, at different developmental stages. Focusing on the role of <italic>Pl</italic>Alix during early embryogenesis we found that <italic>Pl</italic>Alix is a maternal protein that is expressed at increasingly higher levels from fertilization to the 2‐cell stage embryo. In sea urchin eggs, <italic>Pl</italic>Alix localizes throughout the cytoplasm with a punctuated pattern and, soon after fertilization, accumulates in larger puncta in the cytosol, and in microvilli‐like protrusions. Together our data show that <italic>Pl</italic>Alix is structurally conserved from sea urchin to mammals and may open new lines of inquiry into the role of Alix during the early stages of embryo development.</p> </abstract>