Rhabdomere biogenesis in Drosophila photoreceptors is acutely sensitive to phosphatidic acid levels

• Published in: The Journal of cell biology 2009-04, Vol.185 (1), p.129-145
• Main Authors: Raghu, Padinjat, Coessens, Elise, Manifava, Maria, Georgiev, Plamen, Pettitt, Trevor, Wood, Eleanor, Garcia-Murillas, Isaac, Okkenhaug, Hanneke, Trivedi, Deepti, Zhang, Qifeng, Razzaq, Azam, Zaid, Ola, Wakelam, Michael, O'Kane, Cahir J, Ktistakis, Nicholas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase - antagonists & inhibitors; 1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase - physiology; Adaptor Protein Complex alpha Subunits - antagonists & inhibitors; Adaptor Protein Complex alpha Subunits - physiology; ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1 - physiology; ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6; ADP-Ribosylation Factors - physiology; Animals; Cell cycle; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Membrane - ultrastructure; Cell membranes; Cells; Diacylglycerol Cholinephosphotransferase - genetics; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development; Drosophila melanogaster - ultrastructure; Drosophila Proteins - genetics; Drosophila Proteins - metabolism; Drosophila Proteins - physiology; Dynamins - genetics; Dynamins - metabolism; Dynamins - physiology; Gene expression regulation; Genotypes; Insects; Intracellular membranes; Kinases; Lipids; Membrane Lipids - metabolism; Membranes; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Neurons; P branes; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Phosphatidate Phosphatase - genetics; Phosphatidate Phosphatase - metabolism; Phosphatidic Acids - metabolism; Phospholipase D - metabolism; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) - genetics; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) - metabolism; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) - physiology; Photoreceptor Cells - metabolism; Photoreceptor Cells - physiology; Photoreceptor Cells - ultrastructure; Photoreceptors; RNA Interference
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1540-8140
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200807027

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is postulated to have both structural and signaling functions during membrane dynamics in animal cells. In this study, we show that before a critical time period during rhabdomere biogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptors, elevated levels of PA disrupt membrane transport to the apical domain. Lipidomic analysis shows that this effect is associated with an increase in the abundance of a single, relatively minor molecular species of PA. These transport defects are dependent on the activation state of Arf1. Transport defects via PA generated by phospholipase D require the activity of type I phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4 phosphate 5 kinase, are phenocopied by knockdown of PI 4 kinase, and are associated with normal endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi transport. We propose that PA levels are critical for apical membrane transport events required for rhabdomere biogenesis.