The ciliary MBO2 complex targets assembly of inner arm dynein b and reveals additional doublet microtubule asymmetries

Ciliary motility requires the spatiotemporal coordination of multiple dynein motors by regulatory complexes located within the 96 nm axoneme repeat. Many organisms can alter ciliary waveforms in response to internal or external stimuli, but little is known about the specific polypeptides and structural organization of complexes that regulate waveforms. In Chlamydomonas, several mutations convert the ciliary waveform from an asymmetric, ciliary-type stroke to a symmetric, flagellar-type stroke. Some of these mutations alter subunits located at the inner junction of the doublet microtubule and others alter interactions between the dynein arms and the radial spokes. These and other axonemal substructures are interconnected by a network of poorly characterized proteins. Here we re-analyze several motility mutants (mbo, fap57, pf12/pacrg) to identify new components in this network. The mbo (move backwards only) mutants are unable to swim forwards with an asymmetric waveform. Proteomics identified more than 19 polypeptides that are missing or reduced in mbo mutants, including one inner dynein arm, IDA b. Several MBO2-associated proteins are also altered in fap57 and pf12/parcg mutants, suggesting overlapping networks. Two subunits are highly conserved, coiled coil proteins found in other species with motile cilia and others contain potential signaling domains. Cryo-electron tomography and epitope tagging revealed that the MBO2 complex is found on specific doublet microtubules and forms a large, L-shaped structure that contacts the base of IDA b that interconnects multiple dynein regulatory complexes and varies in a doublet microtubule specific fashion.