Identification of genes required for apical protein trafficking in Drosophila photoreceptor cells

Abstract

Drosophila photoreceptor cells (PRCs) are highly polarized epithelial cells. Their apical membrane is further subdivided into the stalk membrane and the light-sensing rhabdomere. The photo-pigment Rhodopsin1 (Rh1) localizes to the rhabdomere, whereas the apical determinant Crumbs (Crb) is enriched at the stalk membrane. The proteoglycan Eyes shut (Eys) is secreted through the apical membrane into an inter-rhabdomeral space. Rh1, Crb, and Eys are essential for PRC development, normal vision, and PRC survival. Human orthologs of all three proteins have been linked to retinal degenerative diseases. Here, we describe an RNAi-based screen examining the importance of approximately 240 trafficking-related genes in apical trafficking of Eys, Rh1, and Crb. We found 28 genes that have an effect on the localization and/or levels of these apical proteins and analyzed several factors in more detail. We show that the Arf GEF protein Sec71 is required for biosynthetic traffic of both apical and basolateral proteins, that the exocyst complex and the microtubule-based motor proteins dynein and kinesin promote the secretion of Eys and Rh1, and that Syntaxin 7/Avalanche controls the endocytosis of Rh1, Eys, and Crb.\n\nArticle summeryPhotoreceptor cells (PRCs) rely on polarized vesicle trafficking to deliver key secreted and transmembrane proteins to their correct locations. Failure to do so causes defects in PRC development, function, and survival leading to retinal disease. Using the fruit fly Drosophila as a model we have identified 28 genes that are required for the trafficking of the three apical proteins Rhodopsin 1, Crumbs, and Eyes Shut. Human homologs of all three genes are associated with retinal degeneration. We characterized several genes to reveal novel mechanisms of vesicle trafficking in photoreceptor cells at different points in the biosynthetic or endocytotic pathways.