The Outer Dynein Arm-Docking Complex: Composition and Characterization of a Subunit (Oda1) Necessary for Outer Arm Assembly

To learn more about how dyneins are targeted to specific sites in the flagellum, we have investigated a factor necessary for binding of outer arm dynein to the axonemal microtubules of Chlamydomonas. This factor, termed the outer dynein arm-docking complex (ODA-DC), previously was shown to be missing from axonemes of the outer dynein armless mutants oda1 and oda3. We have now partially purified the ODA-DC, determined that it contains equimolar amounts of M(r) ∼105,000 and ∼70,000 proteins plus a third protein of M(r) ∼25,000, and found that it is associated with the isolated outer arm in a 1:1 molar ratio. We have cloned a full-length cDNA encoding the M(r) ∼70,000 protein; the sequence predicts a 62.5-kDa protein with potential homologs in higher ciliated organisms, including humans. Sequencing of corresponding cDNA from strain oda1 revealed it has a mutation resulting in a stop codon just downstream of the initiator ATG; thus, it is unable to make the full-length M(r) ∼70,000 protein. These results demonstrate that the ODA1 gene encodes the M(r) ∼70,000 protein, and that the protein is essential for assembly of the ODA-DC and the outer dynein arm onto the doublet microtubule.