Affinage

IFT20

Intraflagellar transport protein 20 homolog · UniProt Q8IY31

Length
132 aa
Mass
15.3 kDa
Annotated
2026-04-28
43 papers in source corpus 29 papers cited in narrative 29 extracted findings

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

IFT20 is a subunit of the intraflagellar transport complex B (IFT-B) that functions as a versatile membrane cargo trafficking adaptor operating between the Golgi apparatus, endosomes, and the primary cilium or plasma membrane in both ciliated and non-ciliated cells. Anchored to the Golgi by GMAP210 and stabilized within the IFT-B complex by IFT54, IFT20 bridges kinesin II to the IFT particle and directly binds ciliary membrane cargoes — including opsins and polycystin-2 — to mediate their sorting from the Golgi to the ciliary base (PMID:12821668, PMID:16775004, PMID:19112494, PMID:21307337, PMID:28417161). Beyond ciliogenesis, IFT20 controls retrograde trafficking of the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor to the trans-Golgi network via dynein coupling, thereby directing acid hydrolase delivery to lysosomes and lytic granules, and it recruits ATG16L1 to Rab5-positive early endosomes to promote autophagosome biogenesis (PMID:31142807, PMID:33829015, PMID:40389449). In non-ciliated T cells, IFT20 delivers LAT and TCR to the immune synapse and cooperates with TSG101 to organize the supramolecular activation cluster for sustained AKT-mTOR signaling, while in migrating cells it drives β1-integrin recycling from early endosomes to maintain focal adhesion dynamics (PMID:26715756, PMID:37029318, PMID:32520638).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 15 steps
  1. 2003 High

    Identification of IFT20 as a connector between kinesin II and the IFT-B particle resolved how the motor couples to its cargo during intraflagellar transport.

    Evidence Yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation from multiple mouse tissues showing IFT20 binds IFT57, KIF3B, IFT88, and IFT52

    PMID:12821668

    Open questions at the time
    • Stoichiometry of the IFT20–kinesin II–IFT-B bridging complex not determined
    • No structural model of the interaction
  2. 2006 High

    Demonstration that IFT20 uniquely localizes to the Golgi as well as cilia — and dynamically shuttles between them — established a new paradigm in which IFT proteins sort ciliary membrane cargo at the Golgi rather than solely at the ciliary base.

    Evidence Live-cell imaging (FRAP) of tagged IFT20 in mammalian cells; graded siRNA knockdown showing polycystin-2 ciliary delivery requires IFT20 even when cilium assembly is intact

    PMID:16775004

    Open questions at the time
    • Vesicular carrier identity for Golgi-to-cilium transport not defined
    • How IFT20 selects specific membrane cargoes at the Golgi was unknown
  3. 2008 High

    Identification of GMAP210 as the Golgi anchor for IFT20 explained how the protein maintains its dual Golgi/ciliary distribution and connected Golgi-resident IFT20 function to ciliary membrane protein sorting.

    Evidence GMAP210 knockout mouse: normal Golgi structure but loss of IFT20 Golgi localization, shorter cilia, and reduced polycystin-2

    PMID:19112494

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether GMAP210 directly recruits IFT20 or acts through an intermediate was unresolved
    • Mechanism of IFT20 release from the Golgi for ciliary trafficking unknown
  4. 2008 High

    Kidney-specific IFT20 deletion causing cystic kidney disease, mitotic spindle misorientation, and Wnt signaling upregulation demonstrated that IFT20 loss phenocopies ciliopathies and linked IFT20 to centrosome/spindle positioning beyond cilium assembly.

    Evidence Conditional knockout mouse (collecting duct Cre) with histology, immunofluorescence, and spindle angle quantification

    PMID:18981227

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether spindle misorientation is a direct consequence of lost IFT20 or secondary to absent cilia was not resolved
    • Wnt pathway activation mechanism not dissected
  5. 2011 High

    Direct binding of IFT20 to rhodopsin and cone opsins, combined with acute cone-specific deletion showing opsin accumulation at the Golgi with intact connecting cilia, pinpointed IFT20 as the cargo adaptor for opsin exit from the Golgi to the ciliary base.

    Evidence Conditional knockout mouse (cone-specific and tamoxifen-inducible Cre) with co-immunoprecipitation of IFT20–rhodopsin

    PMID:21307337

    Open questions at the time
    • Binding interface between IFT20 and opsins not mapped
    • Whether IFT20 functions catalytically or stoichiometrically in opsin transport unclear
  6. 2014 High

    Genetic epistasis between IFT20 and IFT140 deletions in photoreceptors — opsin stuck at Golgi versus inner segment membrane, respectively — placed IFT20 upstream of the connecting cilium transport step, definitively separating Golgi-exit from ciliary-transit functions.

    Evidence Parallel conditional knockouts of IFT20 and IFT140 in mouse photoreceptors with immunofluorescence

    PMID:24619649

    Open questions at the time
    • Identity of the vesicular intermediate between Golgi and ciliary base not identified
    • Hand-off mechanism between IFT20-dependent and IFT140-dependent steps not characterized
  7. 2015 High

    Extension of IFT20 function to non-ciliated T cells — showing it delivers LAT to the immune synapse and is required for effective antigen-specific responses in vivo — established that IFT20's vesicular trafficking role is cilia-independent.

    Evidence T cell-specific conditional knockout mouse with immune synapse imaging, adoptive transfer colitis, and in vivo T cell response assays

    PMID:26715756

    Open questions at the time
    • Sorting signal on LAT recognized by IFT20 not identified
    • Whether all IFT-B subunits participate in immune synapse trafficking was untested
  8. 2017 High

    Mapping the IFT20 interactome in T cells by quantitative mass spectrometry identified IFT54, GMAP-210, ARPC3, COP9 signalosome subunit CSN1, and ERGIC-53 as functional partners, and domain analysis showed IFT54's coiled-coil stabilizes IFT20 at the basal body, providing the molecular framework for IFT20's multi-compartment activities.

    Evidence Quantitative MS interactome with pulldown validation in Jurkat T cells; Chlamydomonas ift54 domain mutants showing IFT20 destabilization

    PMID:28154159 PMID:28417161

    Open questions at the time
    • How IFT20 switches between Golgi-anchored and IFT-particle-associated pools not mechanistically defined
    • Role of ARPC3-IFT20 interaction in actin-dependent trafficking not further explored
  9. 2017 High

    Discovery that IFT20 stabilizes Cbl E3 ubiquitin ligases and is required for Cbl-mediated ubiquitination and internalization of PDGFRα revealed IFT20 as a regulator of ciliary receptor signaling feedback inhibition.

    Evidence siRNA knockdown with co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assays, and receptor activation readouts

    PMID:29237719

    Open questions at the time
    • How IFT20 physically protects Cbl from degradation not determined
    • Whether this mechanism extends to other ciliary receptors untested
  10. 2019 High

    Demonstration that IFT20 couples the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) to dynein for retrograde transport to the TGN established IFT20 as a motor-cargo adaptor outside the cilium, controlling lysosome biogenesis through acid hydrolase delivery.

    Evidence Conditional KO and siRNA in T cells; CI-MPR trafficking assays, dynein co-immunoprecipitation, lysosomal enzyme activity measurement, TFEB activation

    PMID:31142807

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether IFT20 binds dynein directly or via an intermediate adaptor not resolved
    • How IFT20 recognizes CI-MPR versus other retrograde cargoes unknown
  11. 2020 High

    IFT20 was shown to control β1-integrin recycling from Rab5-positive early endosomes to the cell surface for focal adhesion turnover and cell migration, extending its endosomal adaptor function to a cilium-independent adhesion context.

    Evidence Keratinocyte-specific conditional knockout with live-cell FA dynamics imaging, integrin recycling assays, and in vivo wound healing

    PMID:32520638

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular mechanism by which IFT20 promotes cargo exit from early endosomes not identified
    • Whether IFT20 acts through the same machinery (dynein coupling) as in CI-MPR recycling untested
  12. 2021 High

    Identification of IFT20 as the recruiter of ATG16L1 to early endosomes — via a specific Y-E-F-I motif in IFT20 binding the ATG16L1 WD40 domain — linked IFT20 to autophagosome biogenesis and ciliary phosphoinositide homeostasis, unifying its endosomal and ciliary roles.

    Evidence Domain mutagenesis (Y-E-F-I motif and WD40), co-immunoprecipitation, autophagic flux assays, ciliary lipid composition analysis

    PMID:33829015 PMID:33910006

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether IFT20 promotes selective autophagy of specific substrates not tested
    • Structural basis of the IFT20–ATG16L1 interaction not determined
  13. 2022 High

    Reciprocal knockout epistasis between MEIG1 and IFT20 in spermatids established MEIG1 as the upstream determinant of IFT20/IFT88 manchette localization and IFT complex assembly during spermiogenesis.

    Evidence Conditional KO of Meig1 and Ift20 with sucrose gradient fractionation and co-immunoprecipitation from testis

    PMID:35257720

    Open questions at the time
    • How MEIG1 physically positions IFT20 at the manchette not determined
    • Whether MEIG1 functions as a scaffold or a signal for IFT complex assembly unclear
  14. 2023 Medium

    The IFT20–TSG101 interaction was found to organize the supramolecular activation cluster (SMAC) at the immune synapse and sustain AKT-mTOR signaling and metabolic reprogramming, revealing how IFT20's vesicular trafficking function shapes T cell effector metabolism.

    Evidence Co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20–TSG101), conditional KO mouse, SMAC imaging, metabolic flux assays, in vivo airway inflammation

    PMID:37029318

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether IFT20 directly ubiquitin-dependently sorts TCR via TSG101 or acts indirectly not resolved
    • Contribution of IFT20 to other ESCRT-dependent sorting events untested
  15. 2025 Medium

    Extension of the CI-MPR/lysosome axis to cytotoxic T lymphocytes showed IFT20 is required for lytic granule biogenesis and CTL killing, with compensatory TFEB upregulation, demonstrating that IFT20-dependent lysosome maturation has functional immune consequences.

    Evidence T cell-specific conditional KO with MPR trafficking, granzyme B localization, CTL killing assays, and TFEB transcriptomics

    PMID:40389449

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether IFT20 couples CI-MPR to dynein in CTLs via the same mechanism as in CD4+ T cells not formally shown
    • Impact on anti-tumor immunity in vivo not assessed

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • Key unresolved questions include: the structural basis of IFT20's multi-cargo recognition at different compartments, the switching mechanism that directs IFT20 between Golgi-anchored, endosomal, and IFT-particle-associated pools, and whether IFT20's diverse trafficking functions are coordinated or independently regulated.
  • No high-resolution structure of IFT20 in complex with any cargo or adaptor
  • No reconstituted in vitro system for IFT20-dependent vesicular transport
  • Relative contributions of Golgi-pool versus endosomal-pool IFT20 to different cellular outcomes not quantified

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0060090 molecular adaptor activity 5 GO:0008092 cytoskeletal protein binding 2
Localization
GO:0005794 Golgi apparatus 7 GO:0005929 cilium 3 GO:0031410 cytoplasmic vesicle 3 GO:0005768 endosome 2 GO:0005815 microtubule organizing center 2
Pathway
R-HSA-5653656 Vesicle-mediated transport 6 R-HSA-168256 Immune System 3 R-HSA-1852241 Organelle biogenesis and maintenance 3 R-HSA-9609507 Protein localization 3 R-HSA-162582 Signal Transduction 2 R-HSA-9612973 Autophagy 2
Partners
ATG16L1CBLGMAP210IFT54IFT57MEIG1SDCCAG3TSG101
Complex memberships
IFT-B complex

Evidence

Reading pass · 29 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2003 IFT20 physically interacts with IFT57/Hippi (strong yeast two-hybrid interaction) and with kinesin II subunit KIF3B, and co-immunoprecipitates with IFT88, IFT57, and IFT52 from mouse testis, kidney, and retina lysates, suggesting IFT20 bridges kinesin II with the IFT-B complex. The IFT complex co-fractionates at ~17S in bovine photoreceptor outer segments. Yeast two-hybrid, co-immunoprecipitation, sucrose gradient fractionation The Journal of biological chemistry High 12821668
2006 IFT20 localizes to the Golgi complex, basal body, and cilia in mammalian cells. Fluorescently tagged IFT20 dynamically moves between the Golgi and the cilium and along ciliary microtubules in living cells. Strong knockdown blocks ciliary assembly; moderate knockdown reduces polycystin-2 in cilia without blocking assembly, suggesting IFT20 functions in delivery of ciliary membrane proteins from the Golgi to the cilium. Live-cell fluorescence imaging (FRAP/dynamics), siRNA knockdown, immunofluorescence microscopy Molecular biology of the cell High 16775004
2008 IFT20 is anchored to the Golgi complex by the golgin GMAP210/TRIP11. Cells lacking GMAP210 have normal Golgi structure but lose IFT20 Golgi localization; these cells form shorter cilia with reduced polycystin-2, indicating that GMAP210-mediated Golgi anchoring of IFT20 is required for proper sorting of ciliary membrane proteins. Mouse knockout (GMAP210), immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, genetic epistasis PLoS genetics High 19112494
2008 Kidney-specific deletion of IFT20 prevents primary cilia formation, causes misorientation of the mitotic spindle in collecting duct cells, and leads to rapid postnatal cystic kidney disease. Non-dividing cells lacking cilia also misposition their centrosomes, and later-stage cyst cells show increased canonical Wnt signaling and proliferation. Conditional knockout mouse (floxed Ift20 x collecting duct Cre), immunofluorescence, histology The Journal of cell biology High 18981227
2009 SPEF2 (an IFT-associated protein essential for sperm tail development) directly interacts with IFT20 in the testis, as demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation. Both proteins co-localize in differentiating male germ cells at the Golgi complex, manchette, basal body, and midpiece. Yeast two-hybrid, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence co-localization Biology of reproduction Medium 19889948
2011 IFT20 binds directly to rhodopsin and RG-opsin (cone opsins), acting both as part of the IFT particle and independently. Acute deletion of IFT20 in cones causes opsin accumulation in the inner segment/Golgi even when the connecting cilium is still intact, establishing IFT20's role in trafficking opsins from the Golgi to the base of the cilium. Conditional knockout mouse (cone-specific and tamoxifen-inducible Cre), co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20-rhodopsin binding), immunofluorescence Molecular biology of the cell High 21307337
2014 Acute deletion of IFT20 (but not IFT140) causes rhodopsin/opsin accumulation at the Golgi complex, while IFT140 deletion causes opsin accumulation in the inner segment plasma membrane. This genetic epistasis places IFT20 in opsin transport from the Golgi to the ciliary base, distinct from IFT140's role in transport through the connecting cilium. Conditional knockout mouse (IFT20 and IFT140 separate deletions), immunofluorescence, genetic epistasis Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.) High 24619649
2015 IFT20 interacts with the core planar cell polarity protein Vangl2 (by co-immunoprecipitation) and its deletion in the cochlea disrupts asymmetric Vangl2 accumulation in cochlear cells and causes misoriented hair cell stereociliary bundles. IFT20 localizes to filamentous actin as well as microtubules in cochlear cells. Conditional knockout mouse, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence Development (Cambridge, England) Medium 25605782
2015 In primary CD4+ T cells lacking IFT20, TCR-mediated signaling and recruitment of the signaling adaptor LAT to the immune synapse are reduced, while centrosome polarization is unaffected. Conditional IFT20-deficient mice fail to mount effective antigen-specific T-cell responses in vivo, demonstrating IFT20's role in delivering the intracellular LAT pool to the immune synapse. Conditional knockout mouse (T cell-specific Cre), immunofluorescence, in vivo T cell response assays, adoptive transfer colitis model Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 26715756
2016 IFT20 is essential for spermiogenesis and male fertility. Germ cell-specific Ift20 deletion causes infertility with reduced sperm counts, abnormal spermatid head shaping, disrupted axonemes, and failure to incorporate sperm flagellar proteins ODF2 and SPAG16L into tails. IFT20 loss also reduces assembly of IFT complexes to lighter density fractions and decreases ATG16L expression in testis. Conditional knockout mouse (Stra8-Cre), electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, sucrose gradient fractionation, Western blot Molecular biology of the cell High 27682589
2016 A VPS15 patient mutation (R998Q) impairs Golgi trafficking; in patient fibroblasts, IFT20 fails to localize to vesicles trafficking to the cilium and is restricted to the Golgi. VPS15 interacts with the golgin GM130 and this complex is required for IFT20-dependent sorting from the cis-Golgi to the primary cilium. Patient fibroblasts, co-immunoprecipitation (VPS15-GM130), immunofluorescence, yeast humanization complementation assay Nature communications Medium 27882921
2017 Ror2 receptor tyrosine kinase signaling upregulates IFT20 in tumor cells lacking cilia. IFT20 promotes Golgi ribbon formation by affecting the GM130-AKAP450 complex that nucleates Golgi-derived microtubules, and enhances transport efficiency through the Golgi to drive polarized secretion for cell migration and invasion. Knockdown/overexpression in tumor cell lines, immunofluorescence (Golgi morphology, microtubule nucleation assays), co-immunoprecipitation, invasion assays Scientific reports Medium 28127051
2017 IFT20 interacts with E3 ubiquitin ligases c-Cbl and Cbl-b and is required for Cbl-mediated ubiquitination and internalization of PDGFRα for feedback inhibition of ciliary receptor signaling. In IFT20-depleted cells, c-Cbl and Cbl-b are destabilized and degraded, causing PDGFRα to localize aberrantly to the plasma membrane and become overactivated. siRNA knockdown, co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assays, immunofluorescence, receptor activation assays The Journal of cell biology High 29237719
2017 Quantitative mass spectrometry of the IFT20 interactome in Jurkat T cells identified IFT57, IFT88, IFT54/TRAF3IP1, GMAP-210/TRIP11, ARPC3, CSN1/GPS1, and ERGIC-53/LMAN1 as IFT20 binding partners. Direct interaction of IFT20 with IFT54 and GMAP-210 was confirmed by pulldown. Depletion of IFT54, ARPC3, or ERGIC-53 impaired TCR accumulation and phosphotyrosine signaling at the immune synapse. Quantitative mass spectrometry, pulldown assays, RNAi knockdown, confocal imaging of antigen-specific conjugates Journal of cell science High 28154159
2019 IFT20 is required for lysosome biogenesis in T cells by controlling the retrograde trafficking of the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) to the trans-Golgi network, coupling recycling CI-MPRs to the microtubule motor dynein. IFT20 deficiency impairs lysosomal targeting of acid hydrolases and causes TFEB-dependent upregulation of lysosomal gene expression. siRNA/conditional KO, CI-MPR trafficking assays, dynein co-immunoprecipitation, lysosome function assays (acid hydrolase activity), TFEB reporter assays Cell death and differentiation High 31142807
2019 GMAP210 deletion in spermatocytes/spermatids reduces IFT20 expression and disrupts its acrosomal localization, causing acrosome biogenesis defects and reduced male fertility. This confirms GMAP210 determines IFT20 levels and localization in germ cells, analogous to its Golgi-anchoring role in somatic cells. Conditional knockout mouse (Stra8-iCre x floxed Gmap210), immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, Western blot American journal of physiology. Cell physiology Medium 31577511
2020 COPS5 (COP9 signalosome subunit 5) is a major binding partner of IFT20 in the testis (identified by interaction screen). In Cops5 conditional KO testes, IFT20 expression is reduced and it is no longer present in the acrosome. Conversely, in conditional Ift20 KO mice, COPS5 localization and expression are unchanged, placing COPS5 upstream of IFT20 acrosomal localization. Co-immunoprecipitation, conditional knockout mouse, immunofluorescence, Western blot Biology of reproduction Medium 31373619
2020 IFT20 is required for β1-integrin recycling and focal adhesion (FA) dynamics during polarized cell migration, independently of the primary cilium. Loss of Ift20 prevents β1-integrins endocytosed during FA disassembly from exiting Rab5+ early endosomes, disrupting integrin recycling to the cell surface and impeding FA reformation. In vivo, IFT20 is required for hair follicle stem cell migration during wound healing. Conditional knockout (keratinocyte/hair follicle stem cell specific), live-cell imaging of FA dynamics, integrin trafficking assays (endocytosis/recycling), lineage tracing, wound healing assays Molecular biology of the cell High 32520638
2021 IFT20 interacts with ATG16L1 (requiring the WD40 domain of ATG16L1 and a Y-E-F-I motif in IFT20) and co-transports with ATG16L1 to the primary cilium upon serum deprivation. Perturbation of the ATG16L1/IFT20 complex impairs INPP5E trafficking to the cilium and disrupts ciliary phosphoinositide composition (accumulation of PI4,5P2, loss of PI4P). Co-immunoprecipitation, domain mutagenesis (WD40 and Y-E-F-I motif), immunofluorescence, lipid composition analysis Cell reports High 33910006
2021 IFT20 recruits ATG16L1 to early endosomes (tagged by BECLIN1/VPS34/Rab5 complex) to promote autophagosome biogenesis under basal conditions in T cells. IFT20 interacts with GMAP210 at the Golgi and Rab5 at early endosomes; its CC domain is essential for pro-autophagic activity. GMAP210 depletion disperses ATG16L1 from the Golgi but does not impair basal autophagy, whereas IFT20 loss does. siRNA knockdown, co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20-Rab5, IFT20-ATG16L1), domain mutagenesis (CC domain), autophagic flux assays, immunofluorescence Frontiers in cell and developmental biology High 33829015
2021 IFT20 localizes at the trans-Golgi/TGN in breast cancer cells and mediates transport of migration regulators Numb and Ctnnal1 from the TGN to the plasma membrane via Rab8a-positive vesicles; IFT20 directly interacts with Ctnnal1 and Numb (Strep-Tactin pulldown). Loss of IFT20 promotes lamellipodia formation and cell migration. Knockout, BioID proximity labeling, Strep-Tactin pulldown, co-localization (Rab8a vesicles), migration assays Frontiers in cell and developmental biology Medium 33748116
2022 MEIG1 determines the manchette localization of IFT20 and IFT88 in elongating spermatids. In Meig1 knockout mice, IFT20 and IFT88 are absent from the manchette but their localizations remain normal in earlier germ cell stages. MEIG1 forms a complex with IFT20 and IFT88 (co-immunoprecipitation from testis). IFT20 loss causes both IFT proteins to shift to lighter sucrose gradient fractions, but MEIG1 localization is unaffected in IFT20 KO, placing MEIG1 upstream of IFT complex assembly at the manchette. Conditional KO (Meig1 and Ift20), co-immunoprecipitation, sucrose gradient fractionation, immunofluorescence Developmental biology High 35257720
2017 IFT54 C-terminal coiled-coil (CC) domain binds IFT20 and is required for its recruitment to the basal body and incorporation into IFT complexes. Complete loss of IFT54 or deletion of its CC domain destabilizes IFT20, establishing IFT54 as essential for IFT20 stability in the IFT-B complex. Chlamydomonas genetics (ift54 mutants + domain truncations), immunofluorescence, Western blot, IFT complex assembly assays Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS High 28417161
2023 IFT20 interacts with TSG101, a protein that endocytoses ubiquitinated TCRs. The IFT20-TSG101 interaction promotes SMAC (supramolecular activation cluster) formation at the immune synapse, which amplifies AKT-mTOR signaling in CD4+ T cells. IFT20-deficient CD4+ T cells show SMAC malformation and reduced AKT-mTOR activity, aerobic glycolysis, and cellular respiration. Co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20-TSG101), IFT20 conditional KO mouse, immunofluorescence (SMAC imaging), metabolic assays, in vivo airway inflammation model Cellular & molecular immunology Medium 37029318
2024 DLG1 functions upstream of SDCCAG3 and IFT20 to control ciliary targeting of polycystin-2 in kidney epithelial cells. SDCCAG3 and IFT20 form a complex (biochemical approaches + AlphaFold modelling) that associates at least indirectly with DLG1. Loss of DLG1 reduces SDCCAG3, IFT20, and polycystin-2 in cilia; a CAKUT-associated DLG1 variant p.T489R fails to rescue this phenotype. Conditional KO (Dlg1 in mouse kidney), proximity labeling proteomics (BioID), immunofluorescence, biochemical co-IP, AlphaFold structural modelling EMBO reports Medium 38849673
2023 IFT20 triggers β-arrestin-1 to bind ASK1, promoting ubiquitination and degradation of ASK1, thereby attenuating ASK1-JNK signaling and conferring paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer cells. IFT20 knockdown enhances ASK1 signaling and apoptosis in response to paclitaxel. Knockdown/overexpression, co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20-β-arrestin-1-ASK1 complex), ubiquitination assays, apoptosis assays Molecular cancer research : MCR Medium 36573960
2024 IFT20 interacts with TGF-β receptor type II (TβRII) and enhances TβRII stability by blocking c-Cbl-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of TβRII. WWTR1 transcriptionally upregulates TβRII expression; IFT20 and WWTR1 deficiency in osteoblasts synergistically promotes adipogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. Conditional KO mouse (osteoblast-specific double KO), co-immunoprecipitation (IFT20-TβRII), ubiquitination assays, transcriptional reporter assays Research square (preprint) Low 38562782
2025 IFT20 is required for MPR recycling to the trans-Golgi network in cytotoxic T lymphocytes, ensuring proper granzyme B localization to lytic granules. IFT20 deficiency impairs CTL killing capability, and defective lytic granule biogenesis is associated with TFEB-dependent upregulation of lysosomal and cytotoxic machinery gene expression. Conditional KO (T cell-specific), MPR trafficking assays, granzyme B localization, CTL killing assays, TFEB modulation, transcriptomic analysis Cell death & disease Medium 40389449
2025 IFT20 regulates VE-cadherin localization at adherens junctions in lymphatic endothelial cells by promoting its recycling from RAB5+ endosomes back to the cell surface, thereby sequestering VEGFR-3 at the cell surface and limiting pro-lymphangiogenic signaling. IFT20 deletion causes VE-cadherin accumulation in RAB5+ endosomes, enhanced VEGFR-3 signaling, and impaired lymph drainage. IFT20 KD/KO (in vitro and in vivo), immunofluorescence (VE-cadherin and RAB5 co-localization), VEGFR-3 signaling assays, in vivo lymph drainage measurement bioRxivpreprint Low bio_10.1101_2025.01.15.631989

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 43 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2017 Ror2 signaling regulates Golgi structure and transport through IFT20 for tumor invasiveness. Scientific reports 6938 28127051
2006 The intraflagellar transport protein IFT20 is associated with the Golgi complex and is required for cilia assembly. Molecular biology of the cell 406 16775004
2008 Deletion of IFT20 in the mouse kidney causes misorientation of the mitotic spindle and cystic kidney disease. The Journal of cell biology 221 18981227
2008 The Golgin GMAP210/TRIP11 anchors IFT20 to the Golgi complex. PLoS genetics 157 19112494
2003 IFT20 links kinesin II with a mammalian intraflagellar transport complex that is conserved in motile flagella and sensory cilia. The Journal of biological chemistry 117 12821668
2011 IFT20 is required for opsin trafficking and photoreceptor outer segment development. Molecular biology of the cell 111 21307337
2016 Intraflagellar transport protein IFT20 is essential for male fertility and spermiogenesis in mice. Molecular biology of the cell 87 27682589
2009 Expression of SPEF2 during mouse spermatogenesis and identification of IFT20 as an interacting protein. Biology of reproduction 75 19889948
2015 Ciliary proteins Bbs8 and Ift20 promote planar cell polarity in the cochlea. Development (Cambridge, England) 61 25605782
2017 IFT20 modulates ciliary PDGFRα signaling by regulating the stability of Cbl E3 ubiquitin ligases. The Journal of cell biology 53 29237719
2016 A mutation in VPS15 (PIK3R4) causes a ciliopathy and affects IFT20 release from the cis-Golgi. Nature communications 53 27882921
2014 Distinct functions for IFT140 and IFT20 in opsin transport. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.) 51 24619649
2015 IFT20 controls LAT recruitment to the immune synapse and T-cell activation in vivo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 50 26715756
2018 Constitutively-active FGFR3 disrupts primary cilium length and IFT20 trafficking in various chondrocyte models of achondroplasia. Human molecular genetics 35 29040558
2017 IFT54 regulates IFT20 stability but is not essential for tubulin transport during ciliogenesis. Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS 35 28417161
2019 The intraflagellar transport protein IFT20 controls lysosome biogenesis by regulating the post-Golgi transport of acid hydrolases. Cell death and differentiation 27 31142807
2017 The T cell IFT20 interactome reveals new players in immune synapse assembly. Journal of cell science 24 28154159
2021 The autophagy protein ATG16L1 cooperates with IFT20 and INPP5E to regulate the turnover of phosphoinositides at the primary cilium. Cell reports 23 33910006
2019 Abnormal fertility, acrosome formation, IFT20 expression and localization in conditional Gmap210 knockout mice. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology 21 31577511
2014 Deletion of IFT20 in early stage T lymphocyte differentiation inhibits the development of collagen-induced arthritis. Bone research 20 26097753
2018 IFT20 is required for the maintenance of cartilaginous matrix in condylar cartilage. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 19 30587338
2020 IFT20 is critical for collagen biosynthesis in craniofacial bone formation. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 17 32988591
2014 Primary cilia in rat mature Müller glia: downregulation of IFT20 expression reduces sonic hedgehog-mediated proliferation and dedifferentiation potential of Müller glia primary cultures. Cellular and molecular neurobiology 17 25504432
2020 COP9 signalosome complex subunit 5, an IFT20 binding partner, is essential to maintain male germ cell survival and acrosome biogenesis†. Biology of reproduction 16 31373619
2022 IFT20 governs mesenchymal stem cell fate through positively regulating TGF-β-Smad2/3-Glut1 signaling mediated glucose metabolism. Redox biology 15 35751983
2021 IFT20 Mediates the Transport of Cell Migration Regulators From the Trans-Golgi Network to the Plasma Membrane in Breast Cancer Cells. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 13 33748116
2021 The Intraflagellar Transport Protein IFT20 Recruits ATG16L1 to Early Endosomes to Promote Autophagosome Formation in T Cells. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 13 33829015
2022 MEIG1 determines the manchette localization of IFT20 and IFT88, two intraflagellar transport components in male germ cells. Developmental biology 11 35257720
2020 Mouse spermatogenesis-associated protein 1 (SPATA1), an IFT20 binding partner, is an acrosomal protein. Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists 10 31816150
2024 DLG1 functions upstream of SDCCAG3 and IFT20 to control ciliary targeting of polycystin-2. EMBO reports 8 38849673
2023 Deletion of IFT20 exclusively in the RPE ablates primary cilia and leads to retinal degeneration. PLoS biology 8 38048369
2021 Loss of Primary Cilia Protein IFT20 Dysregulates Lymphatic Vessel Patterning in Development and Inflammation. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 8 34055805
2021 When the autophagy protein ATG16L1 met the ciliary protein IFT20. Autophagy 8 34057021
2020 An IFT20 mechanotrafficking axis is required for integrin recycling, focal adhesion dynamics, and polarized cell migration. Molecular biology of the cell 7 32520638
2023 Regulation of c-SMAC formation and AKT-mTOR signaling by the TSG101-IFT20 axis in CD4+ T cells. Cellular & molecular immunology 6 37029318
2022 IFT20: An Eclectic Regulator of Cellular Processes beyond Intraflagellar Transport. International journal of molecular sciences 5 36292997
2023 IFT20 Confers Paclitaxel Resistance by Triggering β-arrestin-1 to Modulate ASK1 Signaling in Breast Cancer. Molecular cancer research : MCR 3 36573960
2024 IFT20 and WWTR1 govern bone homeostasis via synchronously regulating the expression and stability of TβRII in osteoblast lineage cells. Research square 1 38562782
2025 Alteration of primary cilia and intraflagellar transport 20 (IFT20) expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. PeerJ 0 40017656
2025 Coordination of IFT20 With Other IFT Components Is Required for Ciliogenesis. Journal of clinical laboratory analysis 0 40192002
2025 IFT20 regulates TFEB-dependent lytic granule biogenesis in cytotoxic T lymphocytes by orchestrating the MPR-dependent transport of granzyme B. Cell death & disease 0 40389449
2024 DLG1 functions upstream of SDCCAG3 and IFT20 to control ciliary targeting of polycystin-2. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 0 37987012
2003 Cloning and characterization of the human IFT20 gene. Molecular biology reports 0 14672413