ARL13B regulates juxtaposed cilia-cilia elongation in BBSome dependent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans

Turan M. G., Kantarci H., ÇEVİK KAPLAN S., Kaplan O. İ.

iScience, vol.28, no.2, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 28 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.111791
  • Journal Name: iScience
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Keywords: cell biology, functional aspects of cell biology, organizational aspects of cell biology
  • Abdullah Gül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The interaction of cilia with various cellular compartments, such as axons, has emerged as a new form of cellular communication. Cilia often extend in proximity to cilia from neighboring cells. However, the mechanisms driving this process termed juxtaposed cilia-cilia elongation (JCE) remain unclear. We use fluorescence-based visualization to study the mechanisms of coordinated cilia elongation in sensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans. Conducting a selective gene-based screening strategy reveals that ARL-13/ARL13B and MKS-5/RPGRIP1L are essential for JCE. We demonstrate that ARL-13 modulates JCE independently of cilia length. Loss of NPHP-2/inversin along with HDAC-6 enhances the cilia misdirection phenotype of arl-13 mutants, while disruption of the BBSome complex, but not microtubule components, partially suppresses the JCE defects in arl-13 mutants. We further show changes in the phospholipid compositions in arl-13 mutants. We suggest that ARL-13 contributes to JCE, in part, through the modulation of the ciliary membrane.