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Chentoufi FE, Redouane S, Barakat A, Benrahma H, Charoute H. Computational study of the potential impact of WHRN protein missense SNPs on WHRN-MYO15A protein complex interaction and their association with Usher syndrome. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2025:1-26. [PMID: 40389825 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2025.2507152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2025] [Indexed: 05/21/2025]
Abstract
Usher syndrome is a rare genetic condition characterized by both hearing and vision impairment that occurs through mutations of multiple genes, including WHRN and MYO15A. In this computational work, we intend to explore how missense SNPs within the WHRN protein affect its interaction with the MYO15A protein, a crucial component of the Usher interactome. Therefore, the identification of missense SNPs that has a potential effect on the function of the WHRN protein was realized using various computational prediction tools, including VEP, SIFT, PolyPhen-2, CADD, REVEL, and Mutation Assessor. Further evaluation of the stability of mutated proteins was conducted through SDM2, MCSM, DeepDDG and CUP-SAT. We used ConSurf web server to identify conserved regions in the WHRN protein. Yasara and Haddock analysis tools were used to minimize the energy of protein 3D structures and to dock protein-protein complexes, respectively. and then the binding energy of the complexes was calculated through PRODIGY. Mutation pathogenicity prediction tools showed that in total, 18 missense SNPs, predicted as deleterious. However, a comprehensive analysis revealed that only SIX single nucleotide polymorphisms were predicted to be the most deleterious with high conservation and less stability. Furthermore, we conducted molecular dynamics analysis to fully comprehend the impact of these variations on the dynamic behavior of the WHRN-MYO15A protein complex, which revealed significant insights into the destabilizing effects of the deleterious SNPs impacting the protein's binding affinity and stability that occurs during the binding process of the WHRN-MYO15A protein complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Ezzahra Chentoufi
- Research Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biotechnology and Health, Mohammed VI Higher Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Mohammed VI University of sciences and Health (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Salaheddine Redouane
- Laboratory of Genomics and Human Genetics, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Abdelhamid Barakat
- Laboratory of Genomics and Human Genetics, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Houda Benrahma
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biotechnology and Health, Mohammed VI Higher Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Mohammed VI University of sciences and Health (UM6SS), Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Hicham Charoute
- Research Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
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2
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Bae HG, Kashiwagura S, Jung A, Gould E, Kim JH. Haploinsufficiency of Whrn Contributes to Progressive Sensorineural Hearing Loss in C57BL6 Mice. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2025:10.1007/s10162-025-00991-4. [PMID: 40360853 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-025-00991-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2025] [Accepted: 04/26/2025] [Indexed: 05/15/2025] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Whrn, encoding whirlin, is one of the genes highly relevant to Usher syndrome (USH) that has been known as an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that is characterized with sensorineural hearing loss with retinitis pigmentosa. Although recent studies on the other USH genes, PDZD7 and Ush1 g, showed a possibility of haploinsufficiency effect, the potential contribution of heterozygous Whrn loss to hearing loss remains unclear. METHODS To investigate the effect of Whrn haploinsufficiency, we conducted a longitudinal study assessing auditory function in heterozygous Whrn mutant (Whrn+/-) mice in which long isoform of Whrn was deleted by replacing exon 1 with Neo cassette without disturbing short isoform. The threshold of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) was measured on 135 Whrn+/- mice and littermate 133 wild-type (WT) mice from 1 to 6 months of ages. From those data, the threshold from male and female were separately analyzed to investigate sex-dependent effect. To further investigate underlie mechanisms, hair cell death was investigated using immunohistostaining from 4 to 5 WT, 5 female Whrn+/-, and 7 male Whrn+/- mice at 4-5 months old. RESULTS Hearing threshold was significantly increased with aging in Whrn+/- mice compared to WT controls. Both WT and Whrn+/- mice exhibited sex-dependent variations in hearing sensitivity. Notably, Whrn+/- males showed a progressive hearing loss with age, while Whrn+/- females exhibited elevated hearing thresholds as early as 1-2 month of age compared to WT females. CONCLUSION These results provide evidence for a haploinsufficiency effect of Whrn on auditory function and highlight its potential role in progressive sensorineural hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Gyu Bae
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sean Kashiwagura
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Andrew Jung
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gould
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Jun Hee Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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3
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Stemerdink M, Riepe T, Zomer N, Salz R, Kwint M, Oostrik J, Timmermans R, Ferrari B, Ferrari S, Dueñas Rey A, Delanote E, de Bruijn SE, Kremer H, Roosing S, Coppieters F, Hoischen A, Cremers FPM, 't Hoen PAC, van Wijk E, de Vrieze E. Deciphering the largest disease-associated transcript isoforms in the human neural retina with advanced long-read sequencing approaches. Genome Res 2025; 35:725-739. [PMID: 40037841 PMCID: PMC12047242 DOI: 10.1101/gr.280060.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2025] [Indexed: 03/06/2025]
Abstract
Sequencing technologies have long limited the comprehensive investigation of large transcripts associated with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) like Usher syndrome, which involves 11 associated genes with transcripts up to 19.6 kb. To address this, we used PacBio long-read mRNA isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) following standard library preparation and an optimized workflow to enrich for long transcripts in the human neural retina. While our workflow achieved sequencing of transcripts up to 15 kb, this was insufficient for Usher syndrome-associated genes USH2A and ADGRV1, with transcripts of 18.9 kb and 19.6 kb, respectively. To overcome this, we employed the Samplix Xdrop System for indirect target enrichment of cDNA, a technique typically used for genomic DNA capture. This method facilitated the successful capture and sequencing of ADGRV1 transcripts as well as full-length 18.9 kb USH2A transcripts. By combining algorithmic analysis with detailed manual curation of sequenced reads, we identified novel isoforms characterized by an alternative 5' transcription start site, the inclusion of previously unannotated exons, or alternative splicing events across the 11 Usher syndrome-associated genes. These findings have significant implications for genetic diagnostics and therapeutic development. The analysis applied here on Usher syndrome-associated transcripts exemplifies a valuable approach that can be extended to explore the transcriptomic complexity of other IRD-associated genes in the complete transcriptome data set generated within this study. Additionally, we demonstrate the adaptability of the Samplix Xdrop System for capturing cDNA, and the optimized methodologies described can be expanded to facilitate the enrichment of large transcripts from various tissues of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel Stemerdink
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Tabea Riepe
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Nick Zomer
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Renee Salz
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Kwint
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Oostrik
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Raoul Timmermans
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Ferrari
- Fondazione Banca degli Occhi del Veneto, Zelarino, Venice 30174, Italy
| | - Stefano Ferrari
- Fondazione Banca degli Occhi del Veneto, Zelarino, Venice 30174, Italy
| | - Alfredo Dueñas Rey
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Emma Delanote
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Suzanne E de Bruijn
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Hannie Kremer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Roosing
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Coppieters
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Alexander Hoischen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Frans P M Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A C 't Hoen
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin van Wijk
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Erik de Vrieze
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 GA, The Netherlands;
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4
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Nair P, Steel KP, Lewis MA. Investigating the effects of a cryptic splice site in the En2 splice acceptor sequence used in the IKMC knockout-first alleles. Mamm Genome 2024; 35:633-644. [PMID: 39354111 PMCID: PMC11522132 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-024-10071-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024]
Abstract
Targeted mouse mutants are a common tool used to investigate gene function. The International Knockout Mouse Consortium undertook a large-scale screen of mouse mutants, making use of the knockout-first allele design that contains the En2 splice acceptor sequence coupled to the lacZ reporter gene. Although the knockout-first allele was designed to interfere with splicing and thus disrupt gene function, the En2 sequence has been reported to be transcribed within the host gene mRNA due to a cryptic splice site within the En2 sequence which allows splicing to the next exon of the host gene. In some circumstances, this has the potential to permit translation of a mutant protein. Here, we describe our computational analysis of all the mouse protein-coding genes with established knockout-first embryonic stem cell lines, and our predictions of their transcription outcome should the En2 sequence be included. As part of the large-scale mutagenesis program, mutant mice underwent a broad phenotyping screen, and their phenotypes are available. No wide-scale effects on mouse phenotypes reported were found as a result of the predicted En2 insertion. However, the En2 insertion was found experimentally in the transcripts of 24 of 35 mutant alleles examined, including the five already described, two with evidence of readthrough. Splicing from the cryptic splice site also has the potential to disrupt expression of the lacZ reporter gene. It is recommended that mutant transcripts be checked for this insertion as well as for leaky transcription in studies involving knockout-first alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Nair
- Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Karen P Steel
- Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Morag A Lewis
- Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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5
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Aguilar C, Williams D, Kurapati R, Bains RS, Mburu P, Parker A, Williams J, Concas D, Tateossian H, Haynes AR, Banks G, Vikhe P, Heise I, Hutchison M, Atkins G, Gillard S, Starbuck B, Oliveri S, Blake A, Sethi S, Kumar S, Bardhan T, Jeng JY, Johnson SL, Corns LF, Marcotti W, Simon M, Wells S, Potter PK, Lad HV. Pleiotropic brain function of whirlin identified by a novel mutation. iScience 2024; 27:110170. [PMID: 38974964 PMCID: PMC11225360 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite some evidence indicating diverse roles of whirlin in neurons, the functional corollary of whirlin gene function and behavior has not been investigated or broadly characterized. A single nucleotide variant was identified from our recessive ENU-mutagenesis screen at a donor-splice site in whirlin, a protein critical for proper sensorineural hearing function. The mutation (head-bob, hb) led to partial intron-retention causing a frameshift and introducing a premature termination codon. Mutant mice had a head-bobbing phenotype and significant hyperactivity across several phenotyping tests. Lack of complementation of head-bob with whirler mutant mice confirmed the head-bob mutation as functionally distinct with compound mutants having a mild-moderate hearing defect. Utilizing transgenics, we demonstrate rescue of the hyperactive phenotype and combined with the expression profiling data conclude whirlin plays an essential role in activity-related behaviors. These results highlight a pleiotropic role of whirlin within the brain and implicate alternative, central mediated pathways in its function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Aguilar
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Debbie Williams
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Ramakrishna Kurapati
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Rasneer S. Bains
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Philomena Mburu
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Andy Parker
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Jackie Williams
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Danilo Concas
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Hilda Tateossian
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Andrew R. Haynes
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Gareth Banks
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Pratik Vikhe
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Ines Heise
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Marie Hutchison
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Gemma Atkins
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Simon Gillard
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Becky Starbuck
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Simona Oliveri
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Andrew Blake
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Siddharth Sethi
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Saumya Kumar
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Tanaya Bardhan
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jing-Yi Jeng
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
| | - Stuart L. Johnson
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
| | - Lara F. Corns
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
| | - Walter Marcotti
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TN, UK
| | - Michelle Simon
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Sara Wells
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Paul K. Potter
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Heena V. Lad
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
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Liu H, Liu H, Wang L, Song L, Jiang G, Lu Q, Yang T, Peng H, Cai R, Zhao X, Zhao T, Wu H. Cochlear transcript diversity and its role in auditory functions implied by an otoferlin short isoform. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3085. [PMID: 37248244 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38621-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Isoforms of a gene may contribute to diverse biological functions. In the cochlea, the repertoire of alternative isoforms remains unexplored. We integrated single-cell short-read and long-read RNA sequencing techniques and identified 236,012 transcripts, 126,612 of which were unannotated in the GENCODE database. Then we analyzed and verified the unannotated transcripts using RNA-seq, RT-PCR, Sanger sequencing, and MS-based proteomics approaches. To illustrate the importance of identifying spliced isoforms, we investigated otoferlin, a key protein involved in synaptic transmission in inner hair cells (IHCs). Upon deletion of the canonical otoferlin isoform, the identified short isoform is able to support normal hearing thresholds but with reduced sustained exocytosis of IHCs, and further revealed otoferlin functions in endocytic membrane retrieval that was not well-addressed previously. Furthermore, we found that otoferlin isoforms are associated with IHC functions and auditory phenotypes. This work expands our mechanistic understanding of auditory functions at the level of isoform resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hongchao Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Longhao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Lei Song
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Guixian Jiang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Qing Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hu Peng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Ruijie Cai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Xingle Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China.
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7
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Kim KS, Koo HY, Bok J. Alternative splicing in shaping the molecular landscape of the cochlea. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1143428. [PMID: 36936679 PMCID: PMC10018040 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1143428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The cochlea is a complex organ comprising diverse cell types with highly specialized morphology and function. Until now, the molecular underpinnings of its specializations have mostly been studied from a transcriptional perspective, but accumulating evidence points to post-transcriptional regulation as a major source of molecular diversity. Alternative splicing is one of the most prevalent and well-characterized post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Many molecules important for hearing, such as cadherin 23 or harmonin, undergo alternative splicing to produce functionally distinct isoforms. Some isoforms are expressed specifically in the cochlea, while some show differential expression across the various cochlear cell types and anatomical regions. Clinical phenotypes that arise from mutations affecting specific splice variants testify to the functional relevance of these isoforms. All these clues point to an essential role for alternative splicing in shaping the unique molecular landscape of the cochlea. Although the regulatory mechanisms controlling alternative splicing in the cochlea are poorly characterized, there are animal models with defective splicing regulators that demonstrate the importance of RNA-binding proteins in maintaining cochlear function and cell survival. Recent technological breakthroughs offer exciting prospects for overcoming some of the long-standing hurdles that have complicated the analysis of alternative splicing in the cochlea. Efforts toward this end will help clarify how the remarkable diversity of the cochlear transcriptome is both established and maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwan Soo Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hei Yeun Koo
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwoong Bok
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Jinwoong Bok,
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8
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Li J. Liquid-liquid phase separation in hair cell stereocilia development and maintenance. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1738-1745. [PMID: 36890881 PMCID: PMC9986246 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
As an emerging concept, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in biological systems has shed light on the formation mechanisms of membrane-less compartments in cells. The process is driven by multivalent interactions of biomolecules such as proteins and/or nucleic acids, allowing them to form condensed structures. In the inner ear hair cells, LLPS-based biomolecular condensate assembly plays a vital role in the development and maintenance of stereocilia, the mechanosensing organelles located at the apical surface of hair cells. This review aims to summarize recent findings on the molecular basis governing the LLPS of Usher syndrome-related gene-encoding proteins and their binding partners, which may ultimately result in the formation of upper tip-link density and tip complex density in hair cell stereocilia, offering a better understanding of this severe inherited disease that causes deaf-blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianchao Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China.,Division of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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9
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Akturk A, Day M, Tarchini B. RGS12 polarizes the GPSM2-GNAI complex to organize and elongate stereocilia in sensory hair cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq2826. [PMID: 36260679 PMCID: PMC9581478 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq2826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory G proteins (GNAI/Gαi) bind to the scaffold G protein signaling modulator 2 (GPSM2) to form a conserved polarity complex that regulates cytoskeleton organization. GPSM2 keeps GNAI in a guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-bound state, but how GPSM2-GNAI is generated or relates to heterotrimeric G protein signaling remains unclear. We find that RGS12, a GTPase-activating protein (GAP), is required to polarize GPSM2-GNAI at the hair cell apical membrane and to organize mechanosensory stereocilia in rows of graded heights. Accordingly, RGS12 and the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) DAPLE are asymmetrically co-enriched at the hair cell apical junction, and Rgs12 mouse mutants are deaf. GPSM2 and RGS12 share GoLoco motifs that stabilize GNAI(GDP), and GPSM2 outcompetes RGS12 to bind GNAI. Our results suggest that polarized GEF/GAP junctional activity might dissociate heterotrimeric G proteins, generating free GNAI(GDP) for GPSM2 at the adjacent apical membrane. GPSM2-GNAI(GDP), in turn, imparts asymmetry to the forming stereocilia to enable sensory function in hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Akturk
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Matthew Day
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Basile Tarchini
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE), University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
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10
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Maudoux A, Vitry S, El-Amraoui A. Vestibular Deficits in Deafness: Clinical Presentation, Animal Modeling, and Treatment Solutions. Front Neurol 2022; 13:816534. [PMID: 35444606 PMCID: PMC9013928 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.816534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The inner ear is responsible for both hearing and balance. These functions are dependent on the correct functioning of mechanosensitive hair cells, which convert sound- and motion-induced stimuli into electrical signals conveyed to the brain. During evolution of the inner ear, the major changes occurred in the hearing organ, whereas the structure of the vestibular organs remained constant in all vertebrates over the same period. Vestibular deficits are highly prevalent in humans, due to multiple intersecting causes: genetics, environmental factors, ototoxic drugs, infections and aging. Studies of deafness genes associated with balance deficits and their corresponding animal models have shed light on the development and function of these two sensory systems. Bilateral vestibular deficits often impair individual postural control, gaze stabilization, locomotion and spatial orientation. The resulting dizziness, vertigo, and/or falls (frequent in elderly populations) greatly affect patient quality of life. In the absence of treatment, prosthetic devices, such as vestibular implants, providing information about the direction, amplitude and velocity of body movements, are being developed and have given promising results in animal models and humans. Novel methods and techniques have led to major progress in gene therapies targeting the inner ear (gene supplementation and gene editing), 3D inner ear organoids and reprograming protocols for generating hair cell-like cells. These rapid advances in multiscale approaches covering basic research, clinical diagnostics and therapies are fostering interdisciplinary research to develop personalized treatments for vestibular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Maudoux
- Unit Progressive Sensory Disorders, Pathophysiology and Therapy, Institut Pasteur, Institut de l'Audition, Université de Paris, INSERM-UMRS1120, Paris, France
- Center for Balance Evaluation in Children (EFEE), Otolaryngology Department, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Vitry
- Unit Progressive Sensory Disorders, Pathophysiology and Therapy, Institut Pasteur, Institut de l'Audition, Université de Paris, INSERM-UMRS1120, Paris, France
| | - Aziz El-Amraoui
- Unit Progressive Sensory Disorders, Pathophysiology and Therapy, Institut Pasteur, Institut de l'Audition, Université de Paris, INSERM-UMRS1120, Paris, France
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11
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Halford J, Bateschell M, Barr-Gillespie PG. Ca 2+ entry through mechanotransduction channels localizes BAIAP2L2 to stereocilia tips. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:br6. [PMID: 35044843 PMCID: PMC9250357 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-10-0491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1-associated protein 2-like protein 2 (BAIAP2L2), a membrane-binding protein required for the maintenance of mechanotransduction in hair cells, is selectively retained at the tips of transducing stereocilia. BAIAP2L2 trafficked to stereocilia tips in the absence of EPS8, but EPS8 increased the efficiency of localization. A tripartite complex of BAIAP2L2, EPS8, and MYO15A formed efficiently in vitro, and these three proteins robustly targeted to filopodia tips when coexpressed in cultured cells. Mice lacking functional transduction channels no longer concentrated BAIAP2L2 at row 2 stereocilia tips, a result that was phenocopied by blocking channels with tubocurarine in cochlear explants. Transduction channels permit Ca2+ entry into stereocilia, and we found that membrane localization of BAIAP2L2 was enhanced in the presence of Ca2+. Finally, reduction of intracellular Ca2+ in hair cells using BAPTA-AM led to a loss of BAIAP2L2 at stereocilia tips. Taken together, our results show that a MYO15A-EPS8 complex transports BAIAP2L2 to stereocilia tips, and Ca2+ entry through open channels at row 2 tips retains BAIAP2L2 there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Halford
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Michael Bateschell
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Peter G Barr-Gillespie
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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12
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Fuster-García C, García-Bohórquez B, Rodríguez-Muñoz A, Aller E, Jaijo T, Millán JM, García-García G. Usher Syndrome: Genetics of a Human Ciliopathy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6723. [PMID: 34201633 PMCID: PMC8268283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is an autosomal recessive syndromic ciliopathy characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosa and, sometimes, vestibular dysfunction. There are three clinical types depending on the severity and age of onset of the symptoms; in addition, ten genes are reported to be causative of USH, and six more related to the disease. These genes encode proteins of a diverse nature, which interact and form a dynamic protein network called the "Usher interactome". In the organ of Corti, the USH proteins are essential for the correct development and maintenance of the structure and cohesion of the stereocilia. In the retina, the USH protein network is principally located in the periciliary region of the photoreceptors, and plays an important role in the maintenance of the periciliary structure and the trafficking of molecules between the inner and the outer segments of photoreceptors. Even though some genes are clearly involved in the syndrome, others are controversial. Moreover, expression of some USH genes has been detected in other tissues, which could explain their involvement in additional mild comorbidities. In this paper, we review the genetics of Usher syndrome and the spectrum of mutations in USH genes. The aim is to identify possible mutation associations with the disease and provide an updated genotype-phenotype correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Fuster-García
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Belén García-Bohórquez
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez-Muñoz
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Aller
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Teresa Jaijo
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Genetics Unit, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - José M. Millán
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Gema García-García
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain; (C.F.-G.); (B.G.-B.); (A.R.-M.); (E.A.); (T.J.); (G.G.-G.)
- Unidad Mixta de Enfermedades Raras IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Research Network for Rare Diseases, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
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13
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Zhu Y, Delhommel F, Cordier F, Lüchow S, Mechaly A, Colcombet-Cazenave B, Girault V, Pepermans E, Bahloul A, Gautier C, Brûlé S, Raynal B, Hoos S, Haouz A, Caillet-Saguy C, Ivarsson Y, Wolff N. Deciphering the Unexpected Binding Capacity of the Third PDZ Domain of Whirlin to Various Cochlear Hair Cell Partners. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:5920-5937. [PMID: 32971111 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Hearing is a mechanical and neurochemical process, which occurs in the hair cells of inner ear that converts the sound vibrations into electrical signals transmitted to the brain. The multi-PDZ scaffolding protein whirlin plays a critical role in the formation and function of stereocilia exposed at the surface of hair cells. In this article, we reported seven stereociliary proteins that encode PDZ binding motifs (PBM) and interact with whirlin PDZ3, where four of them are first reported. We solved the atomic resolution structures of complexes between whirlin PDZ3 and the PBMs of myosin 15a, CASK, harmonin a1 and taperin. Interestingly, the PBM of CASK and taperin are rare non-canonical PBM, which are not localized at the extreme C terminus. This large capacity to accommodate various partners could be related to the distinct functions of whirlin at different stages of the hair cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Zhu
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Complexité du Vivant, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Florent Delhommel
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Complexité du Vivant, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Ariel Mechaly
- Plateforme de Cristallographie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Baptiste Colcombet-Cazenave
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Complexité du Vivant, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Elise Pepermans
- Complexité du Vivant, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France; Unité de génétique et physiologie de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Amel Bahloul
- Unité de génétique et physiologie de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Candice Gautier
- Istituto Pasteur - Fondazione C. Bolognetti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Sébastien Brûlé
- Plateforme de Biophysique Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Raynal
- Plateforme de Biophysique Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sylviane Hoos
- Plateforme de Biophysique Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Haouz
- Plateforme de Cristallographie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry-BMC, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Nicolas Wolff
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France.
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14
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Nakano Y, Wiechert S, Fritzsch B, Bánfi B. Inhibition of a transcriptional repressor rescues hearing in a splicing factor-deficient mouse. Life Sci Alliance 2020; 3:3/12/e202000841. [PMID: 33087486 PMCID: PMC7652395 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The vital role of the splicing factor SRRM4 in vestibular and inner hair cells of the ear is inactivation of the gene repressor REST; however, in outer hair cells, SRRM4 is dispensable for REST inactivation, which SRRM3 accomplishes independently. In mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) of the ear, the transcriptional repressor REST is continuously inactivated by alternative splicing of its pre-mRNA. This mechanism of REST inactivation is crucial for hearing in humans and mice. Rest is one of many pre-mRNAs whose alternative splicing is regulated by the splicing factor SRRM4; Srrm4 loss-of-function mutation in mice (Srrm4bv/bv) causes deafness, balance defects, and degeneration of all HC types other than the outer HCs (OHCs). The specific splicing alterations that drive HC degeneration in Srrm4bv/bv mice are unknown, and the mechanism underlying SRRM4-independent survival of OHCs is undefined. Here, we show that transgenic expression of a dominant-negative REST fragment in Srrm4bv/bv mice is sufficient for long-term rescue of hearing, balancing, HCs, alternative splicing of Rest, and expression of REST target genes including the Srrm4 paralog Srrm3. We also show that in HCs, SRRM3 regulates many of the same exons as SRRM4; OHCs are unique among HCs in that they transiently down-regulate Rest transcription as they mature to express Srrm3 independently of SRRM4; and simultaneous SRRM4–SRRM3 deficiency causes complete HC loss by preventing inactivation of REST in all HCs. Thus, our data reveal that REST inactivation is the primary and essential role of SRRM4 in the ear, and that OHCs differ from other HCs in the SRRM4-independent expression of the functionally SRRM4-like splicing factor SRRM3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Nakano
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Inflammation Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Susan Wiechert
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Inflammation Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Bernd Fritzsch
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Botond Bánfi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA .,Inflammation Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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15
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Interaction of protocadherin-15 with the scaffold protein whirlin supports its anchoring of hair-bundle lateral links in cochlear hair cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16430. [PMID: 33009420 PMCID: PMC7532178 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73158-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The hair bundle of cochlear hair cells is the site of auditory mechanoelectrical transduction. It is formed by three rows of stiff microvilli-like protrusions of graduated heights, the short, middle-sized, and tall stereocilia. In developing and mature sensory hair cells, stereocilia are connected to each other by various types of fibrous links. Two unconventional cadherins, protocadherin-15 (PCDH15) and cadherin-23 (CDH23), form the tip-links, whose tension gates the hair cell mechanoelectrical transduction channels. These proteins also form transient lateral links connecting neighboring stereocilia during hair bundle morphogenesis. The proteins involved in anchoring these diverse links to the stereocilia dense actin cytoskeleton remain largely unknown. We show that the long isoform of whirlin (L-whirlin), a PDZ domain-containing submembrane scaffold protein, is present at the tips of the tall stereocilia in mature hair cells, together with PCDH15 isoforms CD1 and CD2; L-whirlin localization to the ankle-link region in developing hair bundles moreover depends on the presence of PCDH15-CD1 also localizing there. We further demonstrate that L-whirlin binds to PCDH15 and CDH23 with moderate-to-high affinities in vitro. From these results, we suggest that L-whirlin is part of the molecular complexes bridging PCDH15-, and possibly CDH23-containing lateral links to the cytoskeleton in immature and mature stereocilia.
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16
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Zheng L, Yuan H, Zhang M, Wang C, Cai X, Liu J, Xu XQ. Rbm24 regulates inner-ear-specific alternative splicing and is essential for maintaining auditory and motor coordination. RNA Biol 2020; 18:468-480. [PMID: 32887533 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2020.1817265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-specific alternative splicing (AS) is emerging as one of the most exciting types of mechanisms associated with organ development and disease. In the auditory system, many hearing-related genes undergo AS, and errors in this process result in syndromic or non-syndromic hearing loss. However, little is known about the factors and mechanisms directing AS in the inner ear. In the present study, we identified a novel RNA-binding protein, Rbm24, which was critically involved in regulating inner-ear-specific AS. Rbm24 deletion resulted in hearing loss and defects in motor coordination. Global splicing analysis showed Rbm24 was required for correct splicing of a subset of pre-mRNA transcripts with essential roles in stereocilia integrity and survival of hair cells. Furthermore, we identified that Rbm24 directly regulated the splicing of Cdh23, a known disease gene responsible for human Usher syndrome 1D and non-syndromic autosomal recessive deafness DFNB12. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that Rbm24 was a critical factor in regulating inner-ear-specific splicing and maintaining the hearing and motor coordination function of the inner ear. Our data not only offer mechanistic insights but also provide functional annotation of Rbm24 splicing targets that contribute to hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longqing Zheng
- The Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huijun Yuan
- Medical Genetics Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mengkai Zhang
- The Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Cuicui Wang
- Medical Genetics Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemin Cai
- The Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Liu
- The Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Shenzhen Research Institute, Xiamen University, P.R. China
| | - Xiu Qin Xu
- The Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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17
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Molecular characterization of a whirlin-like protein with biomineralization-related functions from the shell of Mytilus coruscus. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231414. [PMID: 32267882 PMCID: PMC7141649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mollusc shells are produced from calcified skeletons and have excellent mechanical properties. Shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have important functions in shell formation. A 16.6 kDa whirlin-like protein (WLP) with a PDZ domain was identified in the shell of Mytilus coruscus as a novel SMP. In this study, the expression, function, and location of WLP were analysed. The WLP gene was highly expressed and specifically located in the adductor muscle and mantle. The expression of recombinant WLP (rWLP) was associated with morphological change, polymorphic change, binding ability, and crystallization rate inhibition of the calcium carbonate crystals in vitro. In addition, an anti-rWLP antibody was prepared, and the results from immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses revealed the specific location of the WLP in the mantle, adductor muscle, and myostracum layer of the shell, suggesting multiple functions for WLP in biomineralization, muscle-shell attachment, and muscle attraction. Furthermore, results from a pull-down analysis revealed 10 protein partners of WLP in the shell matrices and a possible network of interacting WLPs in the shell. In addition, in this study, one of the WLP partners, actin, was confirmed to have the ability to bind WLP. These results expand the understanding of the functions of PDZ-domain-containing proteins in biomineralization and provide clues for determining the mechanisms of myostracum formation and muscle-shell attachment.
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18
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Ingham NJ. Evoked Potential Recordings of Auditory Brainstem Activity in the Mouse: An Optimized Method for the Assessment of Hearing Function of Mice. Bio Protoc 2019; 9:e3447. [PMID: 33654942 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss is a common sensory deficiency suffered by millions worldwide. It is a heterogeneous condition and genetics plays a critical role in its etiology. Gene variants can fundamentally alter hearing function, or predispose the auditory system towards loss of function resulting from other factors. In mouse studies of hearing loss and gene function, an evoked potential electrophysiological recording, the auditory brainstem response (ABR), is now considered the optimal way to screen large numbers of individuals, either with normal hearing sensitivity or with hearing impairment. Other routinely used methods to assess hearing function (such as acoustic startle responses, or otoacoustic emissions) do not allow assessment of the same broad spectrum of dysfunction nor readily allow the threshold sensitivity of the neural output of the cochlea to be assessed and are less ideal. An optimized recording system to rapidly and reproducibly record high-quality ABRs from mutant mice as part of a high-throughput phenotyping pipeline was developed. Click-evoked ABRs and ABRs evoked by pure-tone frequencies over a range of sound levels from 0 dB to 95 dB, sound pressure levels (SPL) are recorded. This takes approximately 15-20 min per mouse (with 5 tone frequencies), allowing a large number of mutant mice to be screened. This method has been used to measure ABRs on a high-throughput mutant mouse phenotyping pipeline and in laboratory tests to follow-up the hearing loss phenotypes identified on that pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J Ingham
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, UK.,Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, UK
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19
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Du H, Zou L, Ren R, Li N, Li J, Wang Y, Sun J, Yang J, Xiong W, Xu Z. Lack of PDZD7 long isoform disrupts ankle-link complex and causes hearing loss in mice. FASEB J 2019; 34:1136-1149. [PMID: 31914662 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901657rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is the most frequent form of combined hereditary deafness-blindness, characterized by hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa, with or without vestibular dysfunction. PDZD7 is a PDZ domain-containing scaffold protein that was suggested to be a USH modifier and a contributor to digenic USH. In the inner ear hair cells, PDZD7 localizes at the ankle region of the stereocilia and constitutes the so-called ankle-link complex together with three other USH proteins Usherin, WHRN, and ADGRV1. PDZD7 gene is subjected to alternative splicing, which gives rise to two types of PDZD7 isoforms, namely the long and short isoforms. At present, little is known which specific isoform is involved in ankle-link formation and stereocilia development. In this work, we showed that PDZD7 long isoform, but not short isoforms, localizes at the ankle region of the stereocilia. Moreover, we established Pdzd7 mutant mice by introducing deletions into exon 14 of the Pdzd7 gene, which causes potential premature translational stop in the long isoform but leaves short isoforms unaffected. We found that lack of PDZD7 long isoform affects the localization of other ankle-link complex components in the stereocilia. Consequently, Pdzd7 mutant mice showed stereocilia development deficits and hearing loss as well as reduced mechanotransduction (MET) currents, suggesting that PDZD7 long isoform is indispensable for hair cells. Furthermore, by performing yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified a PDZD7 long isoform-specific binding partner PIP5K1C, which has been shown to play important roles in hearing and might participate in the function and/or transportation of PDZD7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Du
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Linzhi Zou
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Ren
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Nana Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jie Li
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jinpeng Sun
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Wei Xiong
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhigang Xu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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20
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Deletion of Brg1 causes stereocilia bundle fusion and cuticular plate loss in vestibular hair cells. Hear Res 2019; 377:247-259. [PMID: 31003036 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Brg1 is an ATPase subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, and it is indispensable for the development and homeostasis of various organs. Conditional deletion of Brg1 in cochlea hair cells (HCs) leads to multiple structural defects and profound deafness. However, the premature death of Brg1-deficient cochlea HCs hindered further study of the role of Brg1. In contrast to cochlea HCs, Brg1-deficient vestibular HCs survived for a long time. Therefore, HC apical structure and vestibular function were examined in inner HC-specific conditional Brg1 knockout mice. Vestibular HCs exhibited fused and elongated stereocilia bundles after deletion of Brg1, and the cuticular plate was absent in most HCs with fused stereocilia bundles. HC loss was observed in conditional Brg1 knockout mice at the age of 12 months. Morphological defects and HC loss were primarily restricted in the striolar region of the utricle and saccule and in the central region of ampulla. The behavioral tests revealed that Brg1 deletion in HCs caused vestibular dysfunction in older adult mice. These results suggest that Brg1 may play specific roles in the maintenance of the HC stereocilia bundle and the cuticular plate.
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21
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Tadenev ALD, Akturk A, Devanney N, Mathur PD, Clark AM, Yang J, Tarchini B. GPSM2-GNAI Specifies the Tallest Stereocilia and Defines Hair Bundle Row Identity. Curr Biol 2019; 29:921-934.e4. [PMID: 30827920 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The transduction compartment of inner ear hair cells, the hair bundle, is composed of stereocilia rows of graded height, a property essential for sensory function that remains poorly understood at the molecular level. We previously showed that GPSM2-GNAI is enriched at stereocilia distal tips and required for their postnatal elongation and bundle morphogenesis-two characteristics shared with MYO15A (short isoform), WHRN, and EPS8 proteins. Here we first performed a comprehensive genetic analysis of the mouse auditory epithelium to show that GPSM2, GNAI, MYO15A, and WHRN operate in series within the same pathway. To understand how these functionally disparate proteins act as an obligate complex, we then systematically analyzed their distribution in normal and mutant bundles over time. We discovered that WHRN-GPSM2-GNAI is an extra module recruited by and added to a pre-existing MYO15A-EPS8 stereocilia tip complex. This extended complex is only present in the first, tallest row, and is required to stabilize larger amounts of MYO15A-EPS8 than in shorter rows, which at tips harbor only MYO15A-EPS8. In the absence of GPSM2 or GNAI function, including in the epistatic Myo15a and Whrn mutants, bundles retain an embryonic-like organization that coincides with generic stereocilia at the molecular level. We propose that GPSM2-GNAI confers on the first row its unique tallest identity and participates in generating differential row identity across the hair bundle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anil Akturk
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | | | - Pranav Dinesh Mathur
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Anna M Clark
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, 20 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA; Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah, 50 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Basile Tarchini
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Department of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE), University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
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22
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Mathur PD, Yang J. Usher syndrome and non-syndromic deafness: Functions of different whirlin isoforms in the cochlea, vestibular organs, and retina. Hear Res 2019; 375:14-24. [PMID: 30831381 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is the leading cause of inherited combined vision and hearing loss. However, mutations in most USH causative genes lead to other diseases, such as hearing loss only or vision loss only. The molecular mechanisms underlying the variable disease manifestations associated with USH gene mutations are unclear. This review focuses on an USH type 2 (USH2) gene encoding whirlin (WHRN; previously known as DFNB31), mutations in which have been found to cause either USH2 subtype USH2D or autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness type 31 (DFNB31). This review summarizes the current knowledge about different whirlin isoforms encoded by WHRN orthologs in animal models, the interactions of different whirlin isoforms with their partners, and the function of whirlin isoforms in different cellular and subcellular locations. The recent findings regarding the function of whirlin isoforms suggest that disruption of different isoforms may be one of the mechanisms underlying the variable disease manifestations caused by USH gene mutations. This review also presents recent findings about the vestibular defects in Whrn mutant mouse models, which suggests that previous assumptions about the normal vestibular function of USH2 patients need to be re-evaluated. Finally, this review describes recent progress in developing therapeutics for diseases caused by WHRN mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Dinesh Mathur
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
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23
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Vélez-Ortega AC, Frolenkov GI. Building and repairing the stereocilia cytoskeleton in mammalian auditory hair cells. Hear Res 2019; 376:47-57. [PMID: 30638948 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite all recent achievements in identification of the molecules that are essential for the structure and mechanosensory function of stereocilia bundles in the auditory hair cells of mammalian species, we still have only a rudimentary understanding of the mechanisms of stereocilia formation, maintenance, and repair. Important molecular differences distinguishing mammalian auditory hair cells from hair cells of other types and species have been recently revealed. In addition, we are beginning to solve the puzzle of the apparent life-long stability of the stereocilia bundles in these cells. New data link the stability of the cytoskeleton in the mammalian auditory stereocilia with the normal activity of mechanotransduction channels. These data suggest new ideas on how a terminally-differentiated non-regenerating hair cell in the mammalian cochlea may repair and tune its stereocilia bundle throughout the life span of the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Catalina Vélez-Ortega
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, 800 Rose St., Lexington, KY, 40536-0298, USA.
| | - Gregory I Frolenkov
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, 800 Rose St., Lexington, KY, 40536-0298, USA.
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24
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DiStefano MT, Hemphill SE, Cushman BJ, Bowser MJ, Hynes E, Grant AR, Siegert RK, Oza AM, Gonzalez MA, Amr SS, Rehm HL, Abou Tayoun AN. Curating Clinically Relevant Transcripts for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants. J Mol Diagn 2018; 20:789-801. [PMID: 30096381 PMCID: PMC6204605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Variant interpretation depends on accurate annotations using biologically relevant transcripts. We have developed a systematic strategy for designating primary transcripts and have applied it to 109 hearing loss-associated genes that were divided into three categories. Category 1 genes (n = 38) had a single transcript; category 2 genes (n = 33) had multiple transcripts, but a single transcript was sufficient to represent all exons; and category 3 genes (n = 38) had multiple transcripts with unique exons. Transcripts were curated with respect to gene expression reported in the literature and the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project. In addition, high-frequency loss-of-function variants in the Genome Aggregation Database and disease-causing variants in ClinVar and the Human Gene Mutation Database across the 109 genes were queried. These data were used to classify exons as clinically significant, insignificant, or of uncertain significance. Interestingly, 6% of all exons, containing 124 reportedly disease-causing variants, were of uncertain significance. Finally, we used exon-level next-generation sequencing quality metrics generated at two clinical laboratories and identified a total of 43 technically challenging exons in 20 different genes that had inadequate coverage and/or homology issues that might lead to false-variant calls. We have demonstrated that transcript analysis plays a critical role in accurate clinical variant interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina T DiStefano
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah E Hemphill
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Brandon J Cushman
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Mark J Bowser
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth Hynes
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew R Grant
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Rebecca K Siegert
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Andrea M Oza
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Michael A Gonzalez
- Division of Genomic Diagnostics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sami S Amr
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Heidi L Rehm
- Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Partners Healthcare Personalized Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ahmad N Abou Tayoun
- Division of Genomic Diagnostics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Genetics Department, Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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25
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Delhommel F, Cordier F, Saul F, Chataigner L, Haouz A, Wolff N. Structural plasticity of the HHD2 domain of whirlin. FEBS J 2018; 285:3738-3752. [PMID: 30053338 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Whirlin is a protein essential to sensory neurons. Its defects are responsible for nonsyndromic deafness or for the Usher syndrome, a condition associating congenital deafness and progressive blindness. This large multidomain scaffolding protein is expressed in three isoforms with different functions and localizations in stereocilia bundles of hearing hair cells or in the connecting cilia of photoreceptor cells. The HHD2 domain of whirlin is the only domain shared by all isoforms, but its function remains unknown. In this article, we report its crystal structure in two distinct conformations, a monomeric five-helix bundle, similar to the known structure of other HHD domains, and a three-helix bundle organized as a swapped dimer. Most of the hydrophobic contacts and electrostatic interactions that maintain the globular monomeric form are conserved at the protomer interface of the dimer. NMR experiments revealed that the five-helix conformation is predominant in solution, but exhibits increased dynamics on one face encompassing the hinge loops. Using NMR and SAXS, we also show that HHD2 does not interact with its preceding domains. Our findings suggest that structural plasticity might play a role in the function of the HHD2 domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Delhommel
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS, UMR3571, Paris, France.,Collège Doctoral, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Florence Cordier
- Unité de Bioinformatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS, UMR3528, Paris, France
| | - Frederick Saul
- CNRS, UMR3528, Paris, France.,Plateforme de Cristallographie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Lucas Chataigner
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS, UMR3571, Paris, France.,Collège Doctoral, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Haouz
- CNRS, UMR3528, Paris, France.,Plateforme de Cristallographie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Wolff
- Unité Récepteurs-Canaux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,CNRS, UMR3571, Paris, France
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26
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Haag N, Schüler S, Nietzsche S, Hübner CA, Strenzke N, Qualmann B, Kessels MM. The Actin Nucleator Cobl Is Critical for Centriolar Positioning, Postnatal Planar Cell Polarity Refinement, and Function of the Cochlea. Cell Rep 2018; 24:2418-2431.e6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.07.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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27
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Michel V, Booth KT, Patni P, Cortese M, Azaiez H, Bahloul A, Kahrizi K, Labbé M, Emptoz A, Lelli A, Dégardin J, Dupont T, Aghaie A, Oficjalska-Pham D, Picaud S, Najmabadi H, Smith RJ, Bowl MR, Brown SD, Avan P, Petit C, El-Amraoui A. CIB2, defective in isolated deafness, is key for auditory hair cell mechanotransduction and survival. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:1711-1731. [PMID: 29084757 PMCID: PMC5709726 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201708087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Defects of CIB2, calcium‐ and integrin‐binding protein 2, have been reported to cause isolated deafness, DFNB48 and Usher syndrome type‐IJ, characterized by congenital profound deafness, balance defects and blindness. We report here two new nonsense mutations (pGln12* and pTyr110*) in CIB2 patients displaying nonsyndromic profound hearing loss, with no evidence of vestibular or retinal dysfunction. Also, the generated CIB2−/− mice display an early onset profound deafness and have normal balance and retinal functions. In these mice, the mechanoelectrical transduction currents are totally abolished in the auditory hair cells, whilst they remain unchanged in the vestibular hair cells. The hair bundle morphological abnormalities of CIB2−/− mice, unlike those of mice defective for the other five known USH1 proteins, begin only after birth and lead to regression of the stereocilia and rapid hair‐cell death. This essential role of CIB2 in mechanotransduction and cell survival that, we show, is restricted to the cochlea, probably accounts for the presence in CIB2−/− mice and CIB2 patients, unlike in Usher syndrome, of isolated hearing loss without balance and vision deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Michel
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Kevin T Booth
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Pranav Patni
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Matteo Cortese
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Hela Azaiez
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Amel Bahloul
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Kimia Kahrizi
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ménélik Labbé
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Alice Emptoz
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Andrea Lelli
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Julie Dégardin
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France.,Retinal information processing - Pharmacology and Pathology, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Typhaine Dupont
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Asadollah Aghaie
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France.,Syndrome de Usher et Autres Atteintes Rétino-Cochléaires, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Danuta Oficjalska-Pham
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Serge Picaud
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France.,Retinal information processing - Pharmacology and Pathology, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Hossein Najmabadi
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Richard J Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Michael R Bowl
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Paul Avan
- Laboratoire de Biophysique Sensorielle, Faculté de Médecine, Biophysique Médicale, Centre Jean Perrin, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Christine Petit
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France.,Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Aziz El-Amraoui
- Génétique et Physiologie de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France .,Unité Mixte de Recherche- UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, Paris, France
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28
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Beer-Hammer S, Lee SC, Mauriac SA, Leiss V, Groh IAM, Novakovic A, Piekorz RP, Bucher K, Chen C, Ni K, Singer W, Harasztosi C, Schimmang T, Zimmermann U, Pfeffer K, Birnbaumer L, Forge A, Montcouquiol M, Knipper M, Nürnberg B, Rüttiger L. Gαi Proteins are Indispensable for Hearing. Cell Physiol Biochem 2018; 47:1509-1532. [PMID: 29940568 PMCID: PMC11825972 DOI: 10.1159/000490867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS From invertebrates to mammals, Gαi proteins act together with their common binding partner Gpsm2 to govern cell polarization and planar organization in virtually any polarized cell. Recently, we demonstrated that Gαi3-deficiency in pre-hearing murine cochleae pointed to a role of Gαi3 for asymmetric migration of the kinocilium as well as the orientation and shape of the stereociliary ("hair") bundle, a requirement for the progression of mature hearing. We found that the lack of Gαi3 impairs stereociliary elongation and hair bundle shape in high-frequency cochlear regions, linked to elevated hearing thresholds for high-frequency sound. How these morphological defects translate into hearing phenotypes is not clear. METHODS Here, we studied global and conditional Gnai3 and Gnai2 mouse mutants deficient for either one or both Gαi proteins. Comparative analyses of global versus Foxg1-driven conditional mutants that mainly delete in the inner ear and telencephalon in combination with functional tests were applied to dissect essential and redundant functions of different Gαi isoforms and to assign specific defects to outer or inner hair cells, the auditory nerve, satellite cells or central auditory neurons. RESULTS Here we report that lack of Gαi3 but not of the ubiquitously expressed Gαi2 elevates hearing threshold, accompanied by impaired hair bundle elongation and shape in high-frequency cochlear regions. During the crucial reprogramming of the immature inner hair cell (IHC) synapse into a functional sensory synapse of the mature IHC deficiency for Gαi2 or Gαi3 had no impact. In contrast, double-deficiency for Gαi2 and Gαi3 isoforms results in abnormalities along the entire tonotopic axis including profound deafness associated with stereocilia defects. In these mice, postnatal IHC synapse maturation is also impaired. In addition, the analysis of conditional versus global Gαi3-deficient mice revealed that the amplitude of ABR wave IV was disproportionally elevated in comparison to ABR wave I indicating that Gαi3 is selectively involved in generation of neural gain during auditory processing. CONCLUSION We propose a so far unrecognized complexity of isoform-specific and overlapping Gαi protein functions particular during final differentiation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Beer-Hammer
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sze Chim Lee
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie A. Mauriac
- INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 146 rue Leo-Saignat, Bordeaux
- University of Bordeaux, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - Veronika Leiss
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Isabel A. M. Groh
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ana Novakovic
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Roland P. Piekorz
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kirsten Bucher
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Chengfang Chen
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kun Ni
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Wibke Singer
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Csaba Harasztosi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Tübingen Hearing Research Center, Section of Physiological Acoustics and Communication, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schimmang
- Instituto de Biologíay Genética Molecular, Universidad de Valladolid y Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Ulrike Zimmermann
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Pfeffer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lutz Birnbaumer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institute of Health, Research Triangle Park, USA
- Institute of Biomedical Research (BIOMED), School of Medical Sciences, Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Mireille Montcouquiol
- INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 146 rue Leo-Saignat, Bordeaux
- University of Bordeaux, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Nürnberg
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, and Interfaculty Center of Pharmacogenomics and Drug Research (ICePhA), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Booth KT, Azaiez H, Jahan I, Smith RJH, Fritzsch B. Intracellular Regulome Variability Along the Organ of Corti: Evidence, Approaches, Challenges, and Perspective. Front Genet 2018; 9:156. [PMID: 29868110 PMCID: PMC5951964 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian hearing organ is a regular array of two types of hair cells (HCs) surrounded by six types of supporting cells. Along the tonotopic axis, this conserved radial array of cell types shows longitudinal variations to enhance the tuning properties of basilar membrane. We present the current evidence supporting the hypothesis that quantitative local variations in gene expression profiles are responsible for local cell responses to global gene manipulations. With the advent of next generation sequencing and the unprecedented array of technologies offering high throughput analyses at the single cell level, transcriptomics will become a common tool to enhance our understanding of the inner ear. We provide an overview of the approaches and landmark studies undertaken to date to analyze single cell variations in the organ of Corti and discuss the current limitations. We next provide an overview of the complexity of known regulatory mechanisms in the inner ear. These mechanisms are tightly regulated temporally and spatially at the transcription, RNA-splicing, mRNA-regulation, and translation levels. Understanding the intricacies of regulatory mechanisms at play in the inner ear will require the use of complementary approaches, and most probably, a combinatorial strategy coupling transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics technologies. We highlight how these data, in conjunction with recent insights into molecular cell transformation, can advance attempts to restore lost hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin T Booth
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Hela Azaiez
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Israt Jahan
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Richard J H Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Bernd Fritzsch
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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30
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Ahmed H, Shubina-Oleinik O, Holt JR. Emerging Gene Therapies for Genetic Hearing Loss. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2017; 18:649-670. [PMID: 28815315 PMCID: PMC5612923 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-017-0634-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy, or the treatment of human disease using genetic material, for inner ear dysfunction is coming of age. Recent progress in developing gene therapy treatments for genetic hearing loss has demonstrated tantalizing proof-of-principle in animal models. While successful translation of this progress into treatments for humans awaits, there is growing interest from patients, scientists, clinicians, and industry. Nonetheless, it is clear that a number of hurdles remain, and expectations for total restoration of auditory function should remain tempered until these challenges have been overcome. Here, we review progress, prospects, and challenges for gene therapy in the inner ear. We focus on technical aspects, including routes of gene delivery to the inner ear, choice of vectors, promoters, inner ear targets, therapeutic strategies, preliminary success stories, and points to consider for translating of these successes to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hena Ahmed
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga Shubina-Oleinik
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Holt
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Delhommel F, Cordier F, Bardiaux B, Bouvier G, Colcombet-Cazenave B, Brier S, Raynal B, Nouaille S, Bahloul A, Chamot-Rooke J, Nilges M, Petit C, Wolff N. Structural Characterization of Whirlin Reveals an Unexpected and Dynamic Supramodule Conformation of Its PDZ Tandem. Structure 2017; 25:1645-1656.e5. [PMID: 28966015 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2017.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Hearing relies on the transduction of sound-evoked vibrations into electric signals, occurring in the stereocilia bundle of hair cells. The bundle is organized in a staircase pattern formed by rows of packed stereocilia. This architecture is pivotal to transduction and involves a network of scaffolding proteins with hitherto uncharacterized features. Key interactions in this network are mediated by PDZ domains. Here, we describe the architecture of the first two PDZ domains of whirlin, a protein involved in these assemblies and associated with congenital deaf-blindness. C-terminal hairpin extensions of the PDZ domains mediate the transient supramodular assembly, which improves the binding capacity of the first domain. We determined a detailed structural model of the closed conformation of the PDZ tandem and characterized its equilibrium with an ensemble of open conformations. The structural and dynamic behavior of this PDZ tandem provides key insights into the regulatory mechanisms involved in the hearing machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Delhommel
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Complexité du Vivant, 75005 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Florence Cordier
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Bio-Informatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Bouvier
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Bio-Informatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Baptiste Colcombet-Cazenave
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Brier
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse Structurale et Protéomique, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Raynal
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Plateforme de Biophysique Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Nouaille
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Complexité du Vivant, 75005 Paris, France; Unité de Génétique et physiologie de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Amel Bahloul
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Complexité du Vivant, 75005 Paris, France; Unité de Génétique et physiologie de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Julia Chamot-Rooke
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Spectrométrie de Masse Structurale et Protéomique, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Michael Nilges
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Bio-Informatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Christine Petit
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Complexité du Vivant, 75005 Paris, France; Unité de Génétique et physiologie de l'audition, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; Unité Mixte de Recherche, UMRS 1120, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), 75015 Paris, France; Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Wolff
- CNRS, UMR 3528, 75015 Paris, France; Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France.
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Myosin 7 and its adaptors link cadherins to actin. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15864. [PMID: 28660889 PMCID: PMC5493754 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cadherin linkages between adjacent stereocilia and microvilli are essential for mechanotransduction and maintaining their organization. They are anchored to actin through interaction of their cytoplasmic domains with related tripartite complexes consisting of a class VII myosin and adaptor proteins: Myo7a/SANS/Harmonin in stereocilia and Myo7b/ANKS4B/Harmonin in microvilli. Here, we determine high-resolution structures of Myo7a and Myo7b C-terminal MyTH4-FERM domain (MF2) and unveil how they recognize harmonin using a novel binding mode. Systematic definition of interactions between domains of the tripartite complex elucidates how the complex assembles and prevents possible self-association of harmonin-a. Several Myo7a deafness mutants that map to the surface of MF2 disrupt harmonin binding, revealing the molecular basis for how they impact the formation of the tripartite complex and disrupt mechanotransduction. Our results also suggest how switching between different harmonin isoforms can regulate the formation of networks with Myo7a motors and coordinate force sensing in stereocilia. Cadherin is essential for mechanotransduction and myosin-adaptor-harmonin complexes anchor it to actin. Here the authors present the structures of myosin 7 MF2 domains bound to the harmonin PDZ3c domain and give insights into myosin-adaptor-harmonin complex assembly.
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Gene Therapy Restores Balance and Auditory Functions in a Mouse Model of Usher Syndrome. Mol Ther 2017; 25:780-791. [PMID: 28254438 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Dizziness and hearing loss are among the most common disabilities. Many forms of hereditary balance and hearing disorders are caused by abnormal development of stereocilia, mechanosensory organelles on the apical surface of hair cells in the inner ear. The deaf whirler mouse, a model of human Usher syndrome (manifested by hearing loss, dizziness, and blindness), has a recessive mutation in the whirlin gene, which renders hair cell stereocilia short and dysfunctional. In this study, wild-type whirlin cDNA was delivered to the inner ears of neonatal whirler mice using adeno-associated virus serotype 2/8 (AAV8-whirlin) by injection into the posterior semicircular canal. Unilateral whirlin gene therapy injection was able to restore balance function as well as improve hearing in whirler mice for at least 4 months. Our data indicate that gene therapy is likely to become a treatment option for hereditary disorders of balance and hearing.
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Global Analysis of Protein Expression of Inner Ear Hair Cells. J Neurosci 2016; 37:1320-1339. [PMID: 28039372 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2267-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian inner ear (IE) subserves auditory and vestibular sensations via highly specialized cells and proteins. Sensory receptor hair cells (HCs) are necessary for transducing mechanical inputs and stimulating sensory neurons by using a host of known and as yet unknown protein machinery. To understand the protein composition of these unique postmitotic cells, in which irreversible protein degradation or damage can lead to impaired hearing and balance, we analyzed IE samples by tandem mass spectrometry to generate an unbiased, shotgun-proteomics view of protein identities and abundances. By using Pou4f3/eGFP-transgenic mice in which HCs express GFP driven by Pou4f3, we FACS purified a population of HCs to analyze and compare the HC proteome with other IE subproteomes from sensory epithelia and whole IE. We show that the mammalian HC proteome comprises hundreds of uniquely or highly expressed proteins. Our global proteomic analysis of purified HCs extends the existing HC transcriptome, revealing previously undetected gene products and isoform-specific protein expression. Comparison of our proteomic data with mouse and human databases of genetic auditory/vestibular impairments confirms the critical role of the HC proteome for normal IE function, providing a cell-specific pool of candidates for novel, important HC genes. Several proteins identified exclusively in HCs by proteomics and verified by immunohistochemistry map to human genetic deafness loci, potentially representing new deafness genes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hearing and balance rely on specialized sensory hair cells (HCs) in the inner ear (IE) to convey information about sound, acceleration, and orientation to the brain. Genetically and environmentally induced perturbations to HC proteins can result in deafness and severe imbalance. We used transgenic mice with GFP-expressing HCs, coupled with FACS sorting and tandem mass spectrometry, to define the most complete HC and IE proteome to date. We show that hundreds of proteins are uniquely identified or enriched in HCs, extending previous gene expression analyses to reveal novel HC proteins and isoforms. Importantly, deafness-linked proteins were significantly enriched in HCs, suggesting that this in-depth proteomic analysis of IE sensory cells may hold potential for deafness gene discovery.
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