CELE_F58G11.6, F58G11.6

ccz-1 encodes an ortholog of human C7orf28A and C7orf28B, with more distant similarity to human HPS4 (OMIM:606682) and S. cerevisiae Ccz1p in its N-terminal CHiPS domain; the CHiPS domain of CCZ-1 is predicted to have a longin-like fold; CCZ-1 is required for digestion of apoptotic corpses, specifically for phagosome maturation via exchange of the RAB-7 GTPase for the RAB-5 GTPase on the maturing phagosome; CCZ-1 is also required for lysosome biogenesis and vesicle transport; CCZ-1 physically interacts with SAND-1, the C. elegans Mon1 ortholog that is also required for processing engulfed apoptotic cells; a CCZ-1::YFP reporter fusion protein is seen in a halo-like pattern around phagosomes containing engulfed apoptotic cells; localization of CCZ-1 to phagosomes requires activity of dyn-1, vps-34, and rab-5, indicating that ccz-1 acts downstream of these genes in regulating apoptotic cell digestion, while overexpression of RAB-7 in ccz-1 mutants partially rescues the abnormal ccz-1 digestion phenotype, suggesting that ccz-1 acts upstream of RAB-7.

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