A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis

The primary cilium is a microtubule-based sensory cell organelle templated by a modified parent centriole that mediates mechanotransduction and response to biochemical cues such as morphogens to regulate organismal development and homeostasis. Given that the cilium is a specialized microdomain devoi...

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Main Authors: Priyanka Upadhyai, Debalina Bose, Neha Quadri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1574638/full
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author Priyanka Upadhyai
Debalina Bose
Neha Quadri
author_facet Priyanka Upadhyai
Debalina Bose
Neha Quadri
author_sort Priyanka Upadhyai
collection DOAJ
description The primary cilium is a microtubule-based sensory cell organelle templated by a modified parent centriole that mediates mechanotransduction and response to biochemical cues such as morphogens to regulate organismal development and homeostasis. Given that the cilium is a specialized microdomain devoid of its translation machinery, it relies on the endomembrane pathway for the delivery of proteins and other biomolecules to it. This review provides a comprehensive insight into how membrane trafficking modulators such as Rab and Rab-like proteins, and the exocyst complex control transport to the primary cilia, in turn regulating various aspects of their assembly and function. We integrate findings from in vitro and animal models and draw on human diseases associated with the dysfunction of Rabs or exocyst that exhibit phenotypes overlapping with those of ciliopathies, which further support their relevance to cilia biogenesis and maintenance.
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series Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
spelling doaj-art-09d60126610c49e3ad3e3d05dc5ea1df2025-08-20T03:11:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-05-011310.3389/fcell.2025.15746381574638A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesisPriyanka Upadhyai0Debalina Bose1Neha Quadri2Department of Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, IndiaAdvanced Technology Development Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, IndiaDepartment of Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, IndiaThe primary cilium is a microtubule-based sensory cell organelle templated by a modified parent centriole that mediates mechanotransduction and response to biochemical cues such as morphogens to regulate organismal development and homeostasis. Given that the cilium is a specialized microdomain devoid of its translation machinery, it relies on the endomembrane pathway for the delivery of proteins and other biomolecules to it. This review provides a comprehensive insight into how membrane trafficking modulators such as Rab and Rab-like proteins, and the exocyst complex control transport to the primary cilia, in turn regulating various aspects of their assembly and function. We integrate findings from in vitro and animal models and draw on human diseases associated with the dysfunction of Rabs or exocyst that exhibit phenotypes overlapping with those of ciliopathies, which further support their relevance to cilia biogenesis and maintenance.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1574638/fullprimary ciliaRabsRab-like proteinsexocystciliary traffickingciliopathies
spellingShingle Priyanka Upadhyai
Debalina Bose
Neha Quadri
A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
primary cilia
Rabs
Rab-like proteins
exocyst
ciliary trafficking
ciliopathies
title A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
title_full A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
title_fullStr A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
title_full_unstemmed A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
title_short A tale of Rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
title_sort tale of rabs and the exocyst complex in ciliary trafficking and biogenesis
topic primary cilia
Rabs
Rab-like proteins
exocyst
ciliary trafficking
ciliopathies
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1574638/full
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