Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis.
The SLC6 class of membrane transporters, known primarily as neurotransmitter transporters, is increasingly appreciated for its roles in nutritional uptake of amino acids and other developmentally specific functions. A Drosophila SLC6 gene, Neurotransmitter transporter-like (Ntl), is expressed only i...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2011-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3029318?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818277469885562880 |
|---|---|
| author | Nabanita Chatterjee Janet Rollins Anthony P Mahowald Christopher Bazinet |
| author_facet | Nabanita Chatterjee Janet Rollins Anthony P Mahowald Christopher Bazinet |
| author_sort | Nabanita Chatterjee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The SLC6 class of membrane transporters, known primarily as neurotransmitter transporters, is increasingly appreciated for its roles in nutritional uptake of amino acids and other developmentally specific functions. A Drosophila SLC6 gene, Neurotransmitter transporter-like (Ntl), is expressed only in the male germline. Mobilization of a transposon inserted near the 3' end of the Ntl coding region yields male-sterile mutants defining a single complementation group. Germline transformation with Ntl cDNAs under control of male germline-specific control elements restores Ntl/Ntl homozygotes to normal fertility, indicating that Ntl is required only in the germ cells. In mutant males, sperm morphogenesis appears normal, with elongated, individualized and coiled spermiogenic cysts accumulating at the base of the testes. However, no sperm are transferred to the seminal vesicle. The level of polyglycylation of Ntl mutant sperm tubulin appears to be significantly lower than that of wild type controls. Glycine transporters are the most closely related SLC6 transporters to Ntl, suggesting that Ntl functions as a glycine transporter in developing sperm, where augmentation of the cytosolic pool of glycine may be required for the polyglycylation of the massive amounts of tubulin in the fly's giant sperm. The male-sterile phenotype of Ntl mutants may provide a powerful genetic system for studying the function of an SLC6 transporter family in a model organism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:02:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eba8d31bc777436db8f8ecb9a9a96bc7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:02:03Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-eba8d31bc777436db8f8ecb9a9a96bc72022-12-22T00:08:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0161e1627510.1371/journal.pone.0016275Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis.Nabanita ChatterjeeJanet RollinsAnthony P MahowaldChristopher BazinetThe SLC6 class of membrane transporters, known primarily as neurotransmitter transporters, is increasingly appreciated for its roles in nutritional uptake of amino acids and other developmentally specific functions. A Drosophila SLC6 gene, Neurotransmitter transporter-like (Ntl), is expressed only in the male germline. Mobilization of a transposon inserted near the 3' end of the Ntl coding region yields male-sterile mutants defining a single complementation group. Germline transformation with Ntl cDNAs under control of male germline-specific control elements restores Ntl/Ntl homozygotes to normal fertility, indicating that Ntl is required only in the germ cells. In mutant males, sperm morphogenesis appears normal, with elongated, individualized and coiled spermiogenic cysts accumulating at the base of the testes. However, no sperm are transferred to the seminal vesicle. The level of polyglycylation of Ntl mutant sperm tubulin appears to be significantly lower than that of wild type controls. Glycine transporters are the most closely related SLC6 transporters to Ntl, suggesting that Ntl functions as a glycine transporter in developing sperm, where augmentation of the cytosolic pool of glycine may be required for the polyglycylation of the massive amounts of tubulin in the fly's giant sperm. The male-sterile phenotype of Ntl mutants may provide a powerful genetic system for studying the function of an SLC6 transporter family in a model organism.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3029318?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Nabanita Chatterjee Janet Rollins Anthony P Mahowald Christopher Bazinet Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. PLoS ONE |
| title | Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. |
| title_full | Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. |
| title_fullStr | Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. |
| title_short | Neurotransmitter Transporter-Like: a male germline-specific SLC6 transporter required for Drosophila spermiogenesis. |
| title_sort | neurotransmitter transporter like a male germline specific slc6 transporter required for drosophila spermiogenesis |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3029318?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nabanitachatterjee neurotransmittertransporterlikeamalegermlinespecificslc6transporterrequiredfordrosophilaspermiogenesis AT janetrollins neurotransmittertransporterlikeamalegermlinespecificslc6transporterrequiredfordrosophilaspermiogenesis AT anthonypmahowald neurotransmittertransporterlikeamalegermlinespecificslc6transporterrequiredfordrosophilaspermiogenesis AT christopherbazinet neurotransmittertransporterlikeamalegermlinespecificslc6transporterrequiredfordrosophilaspermiogenesis |