Silencing of ciliary protein ZMYND10 affects amitotic macronucleus division in Paramecium tetraurelia

Zinc finger MYND-type containing 10 (ZMYND10) or BLU is a putative tumor suppressor that inhibits the proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by regulating the cell cycle. On the other hand, some recent studies have also found that ZMYND10 is a ciliary protein that is essential for ciliary structure and function and is mutated in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Our recent study shows that ZMYND10 is essential for ciliary growth and structure in Paramecium tetraurelia. The results in the current work continually reveal that depletion of ZMYND10 interrupted the process of amitotic macronucleus division in Paramecium. Immunostaining showed that the microtubular backbone of dividing macronucleus disintegrated in cells without ZMYND10. Furthermore, a transcriptomic analysis and RT-qPCR revealed the differential expression of some genes, including DYHA, DYHB, kinesin, kinesin-like proteins and Ran-GTP in ZMYND10-depleted cells, in accordance with their roles in regulating cilia and macronucleus division.