Comparison of ciliary targeting of two rhodopsin-like gpcrs: Role of c-terminal localization sequences in relation to cilium type

Abstract

Primary cilia exhibit a distinct complement of proteins, including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that mediate sensory and developmental signals. The localization of GPCRs to the ciliary membrane involves ciliary localization sequences (CLSs), but it is not known how CLSs might relate to cilium type. Here, we studied the localization of two rhodopsin (RHO)-like GPCRs, somatostatin receptor (SSTR3) and RHO, in three types of cilia, from inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD3) cells, hTERT-RPE1 cells (possessing pocket cilia), and rod photoreceptors (whose cilia grow into elaborate phototransductive outer segments). SSTR3 was localized specifically to all three types of cilia, whereas RHO showed more selectivity for the photoreceptor cilium. Focusing on C-terminal CLSs, we characterized a novel CLS in the SSTR3 C terminus, which was required for the robust ciliary localization of SSTR3. Replacing the C terminus of RHO with this SSTR3 CLS-enhanced ciliary localization, compared with full-length RHO in IMCD3 and hTERT-RPE1 cells. Addition of the SSTR3 CLS to the single transmembrane protein CD8A enabled ciliary localization. In hTERT-RPE1 cells, a partial SSTR3 CLS added to CD8A effected specific localization to the periciliary (pocket) membrane, demonstrating C-terminal localization sequence targeting to this domain. Using retinas from mice, including both sexes, we show that deletion of the C terminus of RHO reduced the rod outer segment localization and that addition of the SSTR3 C-terminal CLS to the truncated RHO partly rescued this mislocalization. Overall, the study details elements of the different C termini of SSTR3 and RHO that are major effectors in determining specificity of cilium (or pericilium) localization among different types of cilia.