The splicing-factor Prp40 affects dynein–dynactin function in Aspergillus nidulans

The multi-component cytoplasmic dynein transports cellular cargoes with the help of another multi-component complex dynactin, but we do not know enough about factors that may affect the assembly and functions of these proteins. From a genetic screen for mutations affecting early-endosome distribution in Aspergillus nidulans, we identified the prp40AL438* mutation in Prp40A, a homologue of Prp40, an essential RNA-splicing factor in the budding yeast. Prp40A is not essential for splicing, although it associates with the nuclear splicing machinery. The prp40AL438* mutant is much healthier than the ∆prp40A mutant, but both mutants exhibit similar defects in dynein-mediated early-endosome transport and nuclear distribution. In the prp40AL438* mutant, the frequency but not the speed of dynein-mediated early-endosome transport is decreased, which correlates with a decrease in the microtubule plus-end accumulations of dynein and dynactin. Within the dynactin complex, the actin-related protein Arp1 forms a mini-filament. In a pull-down assay, the amount of Arp1 pulled down with its pointed-end protein Arp11 is lowered in the prp40AL438* mutant. In addition, we found from published interactome data that a mammalian Prp40 homologue PRPF40A interacts with Arp1. Thus, Prp40 homologues may regulate the assembly or function of dynein-dynactin and their mechanisms deserve to be further studied.