p24 proteins, intracellular trafficking, and behavior: Drosophila melanogaster provides insights and opportunities

The p24 transmembrane proteins, also known as EMP24/GP25 (endomembrane protein precursor of 24kD ( Schimmoller et al., 1995)) proteins, are components of coat protein (COP)-coated vesicles and are present in species as diverse as fungi, plants, flies, worms, and mammals, indicating that they have important conserved functions. Genetic, molecular, and biochemical characterization of these proteins and the loci that encode them has provided insights into their potential cellular roles, including postulated functions in vesicle cargo protein selection and sorting, COPI and COPII vesicle formation and budding, and quality control of proteins that mature through the secretory pathway. Recently, the first mutations in a Drosophila melanogaster p24 gene have been isolated and characterized. These alleles produce an interesting behavioral phenotype in females, affecting their ability to oviposit. This identification and mutant characterization of a p24 locus in Drosophila will pave the way for a better understanding of cell-type-specific functions and interactions among p24 proteins.