NBP, a zebrafish homolog of human Kank3, is a novel Numb interactor essential for epidermal integrity and neurulation

• Published in: Developmental biology Vol. 365; no. 1; pp. 164 - 174
• Main Authors: Boggetti, Barbara, Jasik, Jan, Takamiya, Masanari, Strähle, Uwe, Reugels, Alexander M., Campos-Ortega, José A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2012
• Subjects: Adhesion; Animals; Basement membrane; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - physiology; Cell Adhesion; Cell Communication; Cell Polarity; Danio rerio; Epidermal Cells; Epidermis; Epidermis - embryology; Freshwater; gastrulation; Gastrulation - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; genes; Humans; Kank; Membrane Proteins - physiology; Neurulation; Neurulation - physiology; Numb; phenotype; Polarity; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Zebrafish; Zebrafish - embryology; Zebrafish - physiology; Zebrafish Proteins - physiology; Kank; Zebrafish; Numb; Polarity; Epidermis; Neurulation; Adhesion; Basement membrane
• ISSN: 0012-1606; 1095-564X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.02.021

Numb is an adaptor protein implicated in diverse basic cellular processes. Using the yeast-two hybrid system we isolated a novel Numb interactor in zebrafish called NBP which is an ortholog of human renal tumor suppressor Kank. NBP interacts with the PTB domain of Numb through a region well conserved among vertebrate Kanks containing the NGGY sequence. Similar NBP and Numb morphant phenotype such as impaired convergence and extension movements during gastrulation, neurulation and epidermis defects and enhanced phenotypic aberrations in double morphants suggest that the genes interact genetically. We demonstrate that the expression of NBP undergoes quantitative and qualitative changes during embryogenesis and that the protein accumulates at the cell periphery to sites of cell–cell contact during gastrulation and later in development it concentrates at the basal poles of differentiated cells. These findings imply a possible role of NBP in establishing and maintaining cell adhesion and tissue integrity. ► Numbs bind to NBP, the zebrafish homologue of human Kank3. ► NBP is polarly localized. ► The morphology and lethality of NBP morphants suggest a non-redundant role of nbp.