The fission yeast model for the lysosomal storage disorder Batten disease predicts disease severity caused by mutations in CLN3.
Abstract
The function of the CLN3 protein, which is mutated in patients with the neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder Batten disease, has remained elusive since it was identified 13 years ago. Here, we exploited the Schizosaccharomyces pombe model to gain new insights into CLN3 function. We modelled all missense mutations of CLN3 in the orthologous protein Btn1p, as well as a series of targeted mutations, and assessed trafficking and the ability of the mutant proteins to rescue four distinct phenotypes of btn1Delta cells. Mutating the C-terminal cysteine residues of Btn1p caused it to be internalised into the vacuole, providing further evidence that this protein functions from pre-vacuole compartments. Mutations in the lumenal regions of the multi-spanning membrane protein, especially in the third lumenal domain which contains a predicted amphipathic helix, had the most significant impact on Btn1p function, indicating that these domains of CLN3 are functionally important. Only one mutant protein was able to rescue the cell curving phenotype (p.Glu295Lys), and since this mutation is associated with a very protracted disease progression, this phenotype could be used to predict the disease severity of novel mutations in CLN3. The a...Continue Reading
References
Compound heterozygous genotype is associated with protracted juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
AP-1 and AP-3 facilitate lysosomal targeting of Batten disease protein CLN3 via its dileucine motif.
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Batten Disease
Batten Disease is a group of nervous system disorders known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. This feed focuses on neurobiological and neuropathological aspects of this disease.