The nuclear activity of the actin-binding Moesin protein is necessary for gene expression in Drosophila

Csaba Bajusz, Ildikó Kristó, Csilla Abonyi, Tomáš Venit, Viktor Vedelek, Tamás Lukácsovich, Attila Farkas, Péter Borkúti, Zoltán Kovács, Izabella Bajusz, Annamária Marton, Csaba Vizler, Zoltán Lipinszki, Rita Sinka, Piergiorgio Percipalle, Péter Vilmos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Ezrin–Radixin–Moesin (ERM) proteins play an essential role in the cytoplasm by cross-linking actin filaments with plasma membrane proteins. Research has identified the nuclear localization of ERMs, as well as the involvement of a single Drosophila ERM protein, Moesin, in nuclear mRNA exports. However, the question of how important the nuclear activity of ERM proteins are for the life of an organism has so far not been explored. Here, we present the first attempt to reveal the in vivo relevance of nuclear localization of Moesin in Drosophila. With the help of a nuclear export signal, we decreased the amount of Moesin in the nuclei of the animals. Furthermore, we observed various developmental defects, demonstrating the importance of ERM function in the nucleus for the first time. Transcriptome analysis of the mutant flies revealed that the lack of nuclear Moesin function leads to expression changes in nearly 700 genes, among them heat-shock genes. This result together with additional findings revealed that in Drosophila the expression of protein chaperones requires the nuclear functions of Moesin. Database: GEO accession number: GSE155778.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4812-4832
Number of pages21
JournalFEBS Journal
Volume288
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2021

Keywords

  • Drosophila
  • Hsp
  • Moesin
  • nucleus
  • transcription

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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