Identification and Subcellular Localization of a Novel Mammalian Dynamin-Related Protein Homologous to Yeast Vps1p and Dnm1p

The dynamin family of GTP-binding proteins are implicated in vesicular transport. These include mammalian dynamins I, II, III, and yeast Vps1p and Dnm1p. Dynamin is involved in the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles at the plasma membrane. On the other hand, Vps1p and Dnm1p appear to be involved in transport from the late Golgi compartment to vacuoles and in an endocytic process, respectively. In this study, we identified a novel human protein, named Dnm1p/Vps1p-like protein (DVLP). It resembled more closely Dnm1p and Vps1p than dynamins not only in the primary structure but also in the domain organization. DVLP mRNA was expressed ubiquitously, suggesting that this protein plays a fundamental role in cellular function. Immunofluorescence analysis of cells expressing epitope-tagged DVLP revealed that it showed a diffused perinuclear staining pattern that was not superimposed on that of the marker protein for the Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network, lysosomes, endosomes, or endoplasmic reticulum. These data suggest that DVLP is not involved in the formation of known coated vesicles.