EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF THE CENTRAL PAIR IN CHLAMYDOMONAS REINHARDTII FLAGELLAR MOTILITY

Abstract

Cilia and flagella are essential for the function of nearly all eukaryotes. This organelle is made up of nine outer doublet microtubules and two central singlet microtubules to form the canonical (9+2) ciliary structure. Cilia and flagella use this structure, as well as several protein complexes, such as the outer and inner dynein arms, the radial spokes, and the proteins that decorate the central pair to propagate the bending that produces motion. Flagellar motion is highly regulated, and each of these structures is necessary to regulate the dynein arms that generate the motile force. The central pair is one of the least understood of these structures. To date there are two major impediments hindering our understanding of the central pair: a lack of understanding as to how distinct central pair structures work in concert, and a general lack of available central pair mutant strains in the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In order to further our understanding of how the central pair functions I have used multiple strategies. Firstly I have used previously characterized central pair mutants to study both structural interactions within the central pair and how the double mutant affects motility regulation. Secondly I provide evidence that a potential central pair mutant, H2, is indeed a central pair mutant and affects the C2b projection. Lastly I will attempt to characterize a new Chlamydomonas mutant, 10B5. Together these analyses will demonstrate that double mutants can have an additive effect on the structure of the central pair, and that double central pair mutants do not appear to suppress one another, but are at least ivepistatic to the most severe phenotype. I will also show evidence that 10B5 is not a central pair mutant, but with further study it may offer new insight into motilityregulation.