Figure 6.

Model of the Role of CCDC61 in Ciliary Function (in Chlamydomonas)

CCDC61 localizes to the basal body and forms filaments that bind to centriolar and/or non-centriolar microtubules. This facilitates striated fiber formation and the correct formation of basal body-associated structures, and therefore, results in the correct cilium number. A CCDC61 mutant that does not bind microtubules (MT-binding null mutant) still localizes to the basal body region. However, the mutant is incapable of facilitating striated fiber formation, leads to incorrect formation of basal body-associated structures, and therefore causes abnormal cilium numbers.