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Qi YB, Xu Z, Shen S, Wang Z, Wang Z. MYRF: A unique transmembrane transcription factor- from proteolytic self-processing to its multifaceted roles in animal development. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300209. [PMID: 38488284 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300209] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The Myelin Regulator Factor (MYRF) is a master regulator governing myelin formation and maintenance in the central nervous system. The conservation of MYRF across metazoans and its broad tissue expression suggest it has functions extending beyond the well-established role in myelination. Loss of MYRF results in developmental lethality in both invertebrates and vertebrates, and MYRF haploinsufficiency in humans causes MYRF-related Cardiac Urogenital Syndrome, underscoring its importance in animal development; however, these mechanisms are largely unexplored. MYRF, an unconventional transcription factor, begins embedded in the membrane and undergoes intramolecular chaperone mediated trimerization, which triggers self-cleavage, allowing its N-terminal segment with an Ig-fold DNA-binding domain to enter the nucleus for transcriptional regulation. Recent research suggests developmental regulation of cleavage, yet the mechanisms remain enigmatic. While some parts of MYRF's structure have been elucidated, others remain obscure, leaving questions about how these motifs are linked to its intricate processing and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchuan B Qi
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhimin Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqian Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhizhi Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Zhang W, Mao J, Wang X, Zhao Z, Zhang X, Sun B, Cao Y, Nie M, Wu X. The genetic spectrum of a Chinese series of patients with 46, XY disorders of the sex development. Andrology 2024; 12:98-108. [PMID: 37147882 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13446] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The etiology of 46, XY disorders of sex development (46, XY DSD) is complex, and studies have shown that different series of patients with 46, XY DSD has different genetic spectrum. In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying genetic etiology in a Chinese series of patients with 46, XY DSD by whole exome sequencing (WES). METHODS Seventy patients with 46, XY DSD were enrolled from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China). The detailed clinical characteristics were evaluated, and peripheral blood was collected for WES to find the patients' rare variants (RVs) of genes related to 46, XY DSD. The clinical significance of the RVs was annotated according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. RESULTS A total of 57 RVs from nine genes were identified in 56 patients with 46, XY DSD, which include 21 novel RVs and 36 recurrent RVs. Based on the American ACMG guidelines, 43 variants were classified as pathogenic(P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants and 14 variants were defined as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). P or LP variants were identified in 64.3% (45/70) patients of the series. Thirty-nine, 14, and 4 RVs were involved in the process of androgen synthesis and action, testicular determination and developmental process, and syndromic 46, XY DSD, respectively. The top three genes most frequently affected to cause 46, XY DSD were AR, SRD5A2, and NR5A1. Seven patients were found harboring RVs of the 46, XY DSD pathogenic genes identified in recent years, namely DHX37 in four patients, MYRF in two patients, and PPP2R3C in one patient. CONCLUSION We identified 21 novel RVs of nine genes, which extended the genetic spectrum of 46, XY DSD pathogenic variants. Our study showed that 60% of the patients were caused by AR, SRD5A2 or NR5A1 P/LP variants. Therefore, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and Sanger sequencing of these three genes could be performed first to identify the pathogeny of the patients. For those patients whose pathogenic variants had not been found, whole-exome sequencing could be helpful in determining the etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangfeng Mao
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxia Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bang Sun
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqing Cao
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Nie
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyan Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, NHC Key laboratory of Endocrinology (Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Doering L, Cornean A, Thumberger T, Benjaminsen J, Wittbrodt B, Kellner T, Hammouda OT, Gorenflo M, Wittbrodt J, Gierten J. CRISPR-based knockout and base editing confirm the role of MYRF in heart development and congenital heart disease. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049811. [PMID: 37584388 PMCID: PMC10445736 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049811] [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: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput DNA sequencing studies increasingly associate DNA variants with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, functional modeling is a crucial prerequisite for translating genomic data into clinical care. We used CRISPR-Cas9-mediated targeting of 12 candidate genes in the vertebrate model medaka (Oryzias latipes), five of which displayed a novel cardiovascular phenotype spectrum in F0 (crispants): mapre2, smg7, cdc42bpab, ankrd11 and myrf, encoding a transcription factor recently linked to cardiac-urogenital syndrome. Our myrf mutant line showed particularly prominent embryonic cardiac defects recapitulating phenotypes of pediatric patients, including hypoplastic ventricle. Mimicking human mutations, we edited three sites to generate specific myrf single-nucleotide variants via cytosine and adenine base editors. The Glu749Lys missense mutation in the conserved intramolecular chaperon autocleavage domain fully recapitulated the characteristic myrf mutant phenotype with high penetrance, underlining the crucial function of this protein domain. The efficiency and scalability of base editing to model specific point mutations accelerate gene validation studies and the generation of human-relevant disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lino Doering
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alex Cornean
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Thumberger
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joergen Benjaminsen
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Kellner
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Omar T. Hammouda
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Gorenflo
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jakob Gierten
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Correa Brito L, Grinspon RP, Lopez Dacal J, Scaglia P, Esnaola Azcoiti M, Izquierdo A, Ropelato MG, Rey RA. Identification of a Novel Variant in Myelin Regulatory Growth Factor by Next-Generation Sequencing Led to the Detection of a Clinically Inapparent Congenital Heart Defect in a Patient with a 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1158. [PMID: 37511771 PMCID: PMC10381246 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071158] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSDs), next-generation sequencing (NGS) has high diagnostic efficiency. One contribution to this diagnostic approach is the possibility of applying reverse phenotyping when a variant in a gene associated with multiple organ hits is found. Our aim is to report a case of a patient with 46,XY DSDs in whom the identification of a novel variant in MYRF led to the detection of a clinically inapparent congenital heart defect. A full-term newborn presented with ambiguous genitalia, as follows: a 2 cm phallus, penoscrotal hypospadias, partially fused labioscrotal folds, an anogenital distance of 1.2 cm, and non-palpable gonads. The karyotype was 46,XY, serum testosterone and AMH were low, whereas LH and FSH were high, leading to the diagnosis of dysgenetic DSD. Whole exome sequencing identified a novel, heterozygous, nonsense variant in MYRF, classified as pathogenic according to the ACMG criteria. MYRF encodes a membrane-bound transcriptional factor expressed in several tissues associated with OCUGS syndrome (ophthalmic, cardiac, and urogenital anomalies). In the patient, oriented clinical assessment ruled out ophthalmic defects, but ultrasonography confirmed meso/dextrocardia. We report a novel MYRF variant in a patient with 46,XY DSDs, allowing us to identify a clinically inapparent congenital heart defect by reverse phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Correa Brito
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Romina P Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Jimena Lopez Dacal
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Paula Scaglia
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Unidad de Medicina Traslacional, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - María Esnaola Azcoiti
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Unidad de Medicina Traslacional, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Agustín Izquierdo
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Unidad de Medicina Traslacional, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Ropelato
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Unidad de Medicina Traslacional, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Unidad de Medicina Traslacional, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina
- Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
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5
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Cao Z, Liu L, Bu Z, Yang Z, Li Y, Li R. Bioinformatics analysis and verification of hub genes in 46,XY, disorders of sexual development. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:353-362. [PMID: 36780715 DOI: 10.1071/rd22134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT 46,XY, disorders of sexual development (46,XY, DSD) is a congenital genetic disease whose pathogenesis is complex and clinical manifestations are diverse. The existing molecular research has often focused on single-centre sequencing data, instead of prediction based on big data. AIMS This work aimed to fully understand the pathogenesis of 46,XY, DSD, and summarise the key pathogenic genes. METHODS Firstly, the potential pathogenic genes were identified from public data. Secondly, bioinformatics was used to predict pathogenic genes, including hub gene analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) and function enrichment analysis. Lastly, the genomic DNA from two unrelated families were recruited, next-generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed to verify the hub genes. KEY RESULTS A total of 161 potential pathogenic genes were selected from MGI and PubMed gene sets. The PPI network was built which included 144 nodes and 194 edges. MCODE 4 was selected from PPI which scored the most significant P -value. The top 15 hub genes were ranked and identified by Cytoscape. Furthermore, three variants were found on SRD5A2 gene by genome sequencing, which belonged to the prediction hub genes. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that occurrence of 46,XY, DSD is attributed to a variety of genes. Bioinformatics analysis can help us predict the hub genes and find the most core network MCODE model. IMPLICATIONS Bioinformatic predictions may provide a novel perspective on better understanding the pathogenesis of 46,XY, DSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilong Cao
- Ninth Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Liqiang Liu
- Ninth Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoyun Bu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Rizhao People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Rizhao, Shandong, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- Second Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yangqun Li
- Second Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Li
- Ninth Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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6
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Neirijnck Y, Sararols P, Kühne F, Mayère C, Weerasinghe Arachchige LC, Regard V, Nef S, Schedl A. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling redefines the origin and specification of early adrenogonadal progenitors. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112191. [PMID: 36862551 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenal cortex and gonads represent the two major steroidogenic organs in mammals. Both tissues are considered to share a common developmental origin characterized by the expression of Nr5a1/Sf1. The precise origin of adrenogonadal progenitors and the processes driving differentiation toward the adrenal or gonadal fate remain, however, elusive. Here, we provide a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas of early mouse adrenogonadal development including 52 cell types belonging to twelve major cell lineages. Trajectory reconstruction reveals that adrenogonadal cells emerge from the lateral plate rather than the intermediate mesoderm. Surprisingly, we find that gonadal and adrenal fates have already diverged prior to Nr5a1 expression. Finally, lineage separation into gonadal and adrenal fates involves canonical versus non-canonical Wnt signaling and differential expression of Hox patterning genes. Thus, our study provides important insights into the molecular programs of adrenal and gonadal fate choice and will be a valuable resource for further research into adrenogonadal ontogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Neirijnck
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IBV, 06108 Nice, France.
| | - Pauline Sararols
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise Kühne
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Violaine Regard
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Andreas Schedl
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IBV, 06108 Nice, France.
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Ouyang J, Sun W, Shen H, Liu X, Wu Y, Jiang H, Li X, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Li S, Xiao X, Hejtmancik JF, Tan Z, Zhang Q. Truncation mutations in MYRF underlie primary angle closure glaucoma. Hum Genet 2023; 142:103-123. [PMID: 36129575 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02487-0] [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: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in myelin regulatory factor (MYRF), a gene mapped to 11q12-q13.3, are responsible for autosomal dominant high hyperopia and seem to be associated with angle closure glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Whether there is a causal link from the MYRF mutations to the pathogenesis of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) remains unclear at this time. Six truncation mutations, including five novel and one previously reported, in MYRF are identified in seven new probands with hyperopia, of whom all six adults have glaucoma, further confirming the association of MYRF mutations with PACG. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrates enriched expression of MYRF in the ciliary body and ganglion cell layer in humans and mice. Myrfmut/+ mice have elevated IOP and fewer ganglion cells along with thinner retinal nerve fiber layer with ganglion cell layer than wild-type. Transcriptome sequencing of Myrfmut/+ retinas shows downregulation of Dnmt3a, a gene previously associated with PACG. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrates a physical association of DNMT3A with MYRF. DNA methylation sequencing identifies several glaucoma-related cell events in Myrfmut/+ retinas. The interaction between MYRF and DNMT3A underlies MYRF-associated PACG and provides clues for pursuing further investigation into the pathogenesis of PACG and therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Wenmin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Huangxuan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yingchen Wu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongmei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xueqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yingwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Shiqiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xueshan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - J Fielding Hejtmancik
- Molecular Ophthalmic Genetics Section, Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
| | - Zhiqun Tan
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Qingjiong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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Calonga-Solís V, Fabbri-Scallet H, Ott F, Al-Sharkawi M, Künstner A, Wünsch L, Hiort O, Busch H, Werner R. MYRF: A New Regulator of Cardiac and Early Gonadal Development—Insights from Single Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11164858. [PMID: 36013096 PMCID: PMC9409872 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11164858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
De novo variants in the myelin regulatory factor (MYRF), a transcription factor involved in the differentiation of oligodendrocytes, have been linked recently to the cardiac and urogenital syndrome, while familiar variants are associated with nanophthalmos. Here, we report for the first time on a patient with a de novo stop-gain variant in MYRF (p.Q838*) associated with Scimitar syndrome, 46,XY partial gonadal dysgenesis (GD) and severe hyperopia. Since variants in MYRF have been described in both 46,XX and 46,XY GD, we assumed a role of MYRF in the early development of the bipotential gonad. We used publicly available single cell sequencing data of human testis and ovary from different developmental stages and analysed them for MYRF expression. We identified MYRF expression in the subset of coelomic epithelial cells at stages of gonadal ridge development in 46,XX and 46,XY individuals. Differential gene expression analysis revealed significantly upregulated genes. Within these, we identified CITED2 as a gene containing a MYRF binding site. It has been shown that Cited2−/− mice have gonadal defects in both testis and ovary differentiation, as well as defects in heart development and establishment of the left–right axis. This makes MYRF a potential candidate as an early regulator of gonadal and heart development via upregulation of the transcriptional cofactor CITED2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Calonga-Solís
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Helena Fabbri-Scallet
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering—CBMEG, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-875, Brazil
| | - Fabian Ott
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mostafa Al-Sharkawi
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Biochemical Genetics Department, Human Genetics and Genome Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
| | - Axel Künstner
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Lutz Wünsch
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Olaf Hiort
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hauke Busch
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ralf Werner
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Correspondence:
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9
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Abstract
In 46,XY men, testis is determined by a genetic network(s) that both promotes testis formation and represses ovarian development. Disruption of this process results in a lack of testis-determination and affected individuals present with 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD), a part of the spectrum of Disorders/Differences of Sex Development/Determination (DSD). A minority of all cases of GD are associated with pathogenic variants in key players of testis-determination, SRY, SOX9, MAP3K1 and NR5A1. However, most of the cases remain unexplained. Recently, unbiased exome sequencing approaches have revealed new genes and loci that may cause 46,XY GD. We critically evaluate the evidence to support causality of these factors and describe how functional studies are continuing to improve our understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships in genes that are established causes of GD. As genomic data continues to be generated from DSD cohorts, we propose several recommendations to help interpret the data and establish causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Elzaiat
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Ken McElreavey
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Anu Bashamboo
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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10
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Wang H, Wu D, Wu DH, Tian HJ, Li HF, Jiang KW, Zou CC. Case Report: De novo variant in myelin regulatory factor in a Chinese child with 46,XY disorder/difference of sex development, cardiac and urogenital anomalies, and short stature. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:1027832. [PMID: 36467480 PMCID: PMC9715973 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1027832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The myelin regulatory factor (MYRF; MIM# 608329) gene was first identified as a critical transcription factor involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation and central nervous system myelination. With the recent development of exome sequencing, pathogenic variants of MYRF had been considered as the cause of cardiac-urogenital syndrome (CUGS), 46,XY and 46,XX disorders/differences of sex development (DSDs), and nanophthalmos. Herein, we described a 4-year-7-month-old "girl" with ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, severe pulmonary hypertension, moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation, enlarged coronary sinus, left superior vena cava, and right lung hypoplasia at birth. Later, the patient developed short stature and amblyopia. Further examination revealed a karyotype 46,XY and visible uterus, whereas the presence of gonads were not explored. Laparoscopy revealed dysplasia of testicular gonad. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed and a de novo heterozygous mutation in MYRF was identified, known as c.2817G > A/p. W939* (NM_001127392.3). Therefore, this case report presented multiple clinical manifestations with syndromic symptoms of CUGS, 46,XY DSD, and ocular symptoms. These new data expanded the phenotype of the MYRF variant and may benefit to characterize the phenotypes caused by the variants of this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dian Wu
- Department of Psychological, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - De-Hua Wu
- Department of Urology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Juan Tian
- Department of Urology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Feng Li
- Department of Rehabilitation, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ke-Wen Jiang
- Department of Psychological, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao-Chun Zou
- Department of Endocrinology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
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11
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Madden ME, Suminaite D, Ortiz E, Early JJ, Koudelka S, Livesey MR, Bianco IH, Granato M, Lyons DA. CNS Hypomyelination Disrupts Axonal Conduction and Behavior in Larval Zebrafish. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9099-9111. [PMID: 34544838 PMCID: PMC8570833 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0842-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelination is essential for central nervous system (CNS) formation, health and function. As a model organism, larval zebrafish have been extensively employed to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of CNS myelination, because of their genetic tractability and suitability for non-invasive live cell imaging. However, it has not been assessed to what extent CNS myelination affects neural circuit function in zebrafish larvae, prohibiting the integration of molecular and cellular analyses of myelination with concomitant network maturation. To test whether larval zebrafish might serve as a suitable platform with which to study the effects of CNS myelination and its dysregulation on circuit function, we generated zebrafish myelin regulatory factor (myrf) mutants with CNS-specific hypomyelination and investigated how this affected their axonal conduction properties and behavior. We found that myrf mutant larvae exhibited increased latency to perform startle responses following defined acoustic stimuli. Furthermore, we found that hypomyelinated animals often selected an impaired response to acoustic stimuli, exhibiting a bias toward reorientation behavior instead of the stimulus-appropriate startle response. To begin to study how myelination affected the underlying circuitry, we established electrophysiological protocols to assess various conduction properties along single axons. We found that the hypomyelinated myrf mutants exhibited reduced action potential conduction velocity and an impaired ability to sustain high-frequency action potential firing. This study indicates that larval zebrafish can be used to bridge molecular and cellular investigation of CNS myelination with multiscale assessment of neural circuit function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Myelination of CNS axons is essential for their health and function, and it is now clear that myelination is a dynamic life-long process subject to modulation by neuronal activity. However, it remains unclear precisely how changes to myelination affects animal behavior and underlying action potential conduction along axons in intact neural circuits. In recent years, zebrafish have been employed to study cellular and molecular mechanisms of myelination, because of their relatively simple, optically transparent, experimentally tractable vertebrate nervous system. Here we find that changes to myelination alter the behavior of young zebrafish and action potential conduction along individual axons, providing a platform to integrate molecular, cellular, and circuit level analyses of myelination using this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Madden
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - D Suminaite
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - E Ortiz
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - J J Early
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - S Koudelka
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - M R Livesey
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, United Kingdom
| | - I H Bianco
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - M Granato
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - D A Lyons
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
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12
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Qiao L, Xu L, Yu L, Wynn J, Hernan R, Zhou X, Farkouh-Karoleski C, Krishnan US, Khlevner J, De A, Zygmunt A, Crombleholme T, Lim FY, Needelman H, Cusick RA, Mychaliska GB, Warner BW, Wagner AJ, Danko ME, Chung D, Potoka D, Kosiński P, McCulley DJ, Elfiky M, Azarow K, Fialkowski E, Schindel D, Soffer SZ, Lyon JB, Zalieckas JM, Vardarajan BN, Aspelund G, Duron VP, High FA, Sun X, Donahoe PK, Shen Y, Chung WK. Rare and de novo variants in 827 congenital diaphragmatic hernia probands implicate LONP1 as candidate risk gene. Am J Hum Genet 2021; 108:1964-1980. [PMID: 34547244 PMCID: PMC8546037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe congenital anomaly that is often accompanied by other anomalies. Although the role of genetics in the pathogenesis of CDH has been established, only a small number of disease-associated genes have been identified. To further investigate the genetics of CDH, we analyzed de novo coding variants in 827 proband-parent trios and confirmed an overall significant enrichment of damaging de novo variants, especially in constrained genes. We identified LONP1 (lon peptidase 1, mitochondrial) and ALYREF (Aly/REF export factor) as candidate CDH-associated genes on the basis of de novo variants at a false discovery rate below 0.05. We also performed ultra-rare variant association analyses in 748 affected individuals and 11,220 ancestry-matched population control individuals and identified LONP1 as a risk gene contributing to CDH through both de novo and ultra-rare inherited largely heterozygous variants clustered in the core of the domains and segregating with CDH in affected familial individuals. Approximately 3% of our CDH cohort who are heterozygous with ultra-rare predicted damaging variants in LONP1 have a range of clinical phenotypes, including other anomalies in some individuals and higher mortality and requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Mice with lung epithelium-specific deletion of Lonp1 die immediately after birth, most likely because of the observed severe reduction of lung growth, a known contributor to the high mortality in humans. Our findings of both de novo and inherited rare variants in the same gene may have implications in the design and analysis for other genetic studies of congenital anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qiao
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Le Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego Medical School, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lan Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julia Wynn
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rebecca Hernan
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Xueya Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Usha S Krishnan
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julie Khlevner
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Aliva De
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Annette Zygmunt
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Foong-Yen Lim
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Howard Needelman
- University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68114, USA
| | - Robert A Cusick
- University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68114, USA
| | | | - Brad W Warner
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Amy J Wagner
- Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Melissa E Danko
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Dai Chung
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | | | | | - David J McCulley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 52726, USA
| | | | - Kenneth Azarow
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jane B Lyon
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Jill M Zalieckas
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Badri N Vardarajan
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer Disease and the Aging Brain and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gudrun Aspelund
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Vincent P Duron
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Frances A High
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego Medical School, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Patricia K Donahoe
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yufeng Shen
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; JP Sulzberger Columbia Genome Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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13
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Wu P, Zhen X, Li B, Yu Q, Huang X, Shi N. Crystal structure of the MyRF ICA domain with its upstream β-helical stalk reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying its trimerization and self-cleavage. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:2931-2943. [PMID: 34345217 PMCID: PMC8326128 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.57673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelin gene regulatory factor (MyRF), a novel membrane transcription factor expressed on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, functions as a trimer. The trimerization of MyRF is associated with a fragment between the DNA binding domain and transmembrane domain that shares homology with the triple-β-helix and intramolecular chaperone autocleavage (ICA) domain of phage tailspike proteins. The molecular details of these domains in eukaryotes have not been elucidated. Here, we present the crystal structure of the MyRF ICA domain with its upstream β-helical stalk, determined at 2.4Å resolution. The structure showed that its upstream β-helical stalk is different from the triple β-helix reported before. This is the first structure of the mammalian protein with a triple β-helix. Structure analysis demonstrated that the triple α-helical coiled-coil formed at the MyRF ICA domain C-terminal was the main driving force for the trimerization. Additionally, our findings showed that MyRF was cleaved via a highly conserved serine-lysine catalytic dyad mechanism and that cleavage would be activated only if the ICA domains were organized as trimers. In contrast to the viral ICA domain, almost no interaction was found between the MyRF ICA domain and its upstream neighboring β-helix of the stalk; thus, activation of self-cleavage may not be triggered by the upstream region of the ICA domain, contrary to the observations made in phages. These findings provided an important insight into the molecular mechanisms of MyRF trimerization and self-cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiangkai Zhen
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Bowen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Qian Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xiaochen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ning Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 155 Yangqiao Road West, Fuzhou, 350002, China.,Institute of Vascular Anomalies, Shanghai TCM-Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 230 Baoding Road, Hongkou, Shanghai, 200082, China
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14
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Sasaki K, Oguchi A, Cheng K, Murakawa Y, Okamoto I, Ohta H, Yabuta Y, Iwatani C, Tsuchiya H, Yamamoto T, Seita Y, Saitou M. The embryonic ontogeny of the gonadal somatic cells in mice and monkeys. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109075. [PMID: 33951437 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early fetal stage, the gonads are bipotent and only later become the ovary or testis, depending on the genetic sex. Despite many studies examining how sex determination occurs from biopotential gonads, the spatial and temporal organization of bipotential gonads and their progenitors is poorly understood. Here, using lineage tracing in mice, we find that the gonads originate from a T+ primitive streak through WT1+ posterior intermediate mesoderm and appear to share origins anteriorly with the adrenal glands and posteriorly with the metanephric mesenchyme. Comparative single-cell transcriptomic analyses in mouse and cynomolgus monkey embryos reveal the convergence of the lineage trajectory and genetic programs accompanying the specification of biopotential gonadal progenitor cells. This process involves sustained expression of epithelial genes and upregulation of mesenchymal genes, thereby conferring an epithelial-mesenchymal hybrid state. Our study provides key resources for understanding early gonadogenesis in mice and primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Sasaki
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Akiko Oguchi
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan; Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Keren Cheng
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Murakawa
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan; Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Ikuhiro Okamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Chizuru Iwatani
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tsuchiya
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; AMED-CREST, AMED, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan; Medical-risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yasunari Seita
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Bell Research Center for Reproductive Health and Cancer, Nagoya 460-0003, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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15
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Huang H, Zhou F, Zhou S, Qiu M. MYRF: A Mysterious Membrane-Bound Transcription Factor Involved in Myelin Development and Human Diseases. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:881-884. [PMID: 33864620 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00678-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Huang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- Institute of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Shiyou Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center at Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Mengsheng Qiu
- Institute of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China.
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16
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Tanaka H, Isojima T, Kimura Y, Inuzuka R, Kitanaka S. Novel de novo MYRF gene mutation: A possible cause for several clinically overlapping syndromes. Congenit Anom (Kyoto) 2021; 61:68-69. [PMID: 33179293 DOI: 10.1111/cga.12402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Isojima
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Kimura
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Inuzuka
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sachiko Kitanaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Fan C, An H, Sharif M, Kim D, Park Y. Functional mechanisms of MYRF DNA-binding domain mutations implicated in birth defects. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100612. [PMID: 33798553 PMCID: PMC8094900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Myrf is a pleiotropic membrane-bound transcription factor that plays critical roles in diverse organisms, including in oligodendrocyte differentiation, embryonic development, molting, and synaptic plasticity. Upon autolytic cleavage, the Myrf N-terminal fragment enters the nucleus as a homo-trimer and functions as a transcription factor. Homo-trimerization is essential for this function because it imparts DNA-binding specificity and affinity. Recent exome sequencing studies have implicated four de novo MYRF DNA-binding domain (DBD) mutations (F387S, Q403H, G435R, and L479V) in novel syndromic birth defects involving the diaphragm, heart, and the urogenital tract. It remains unknown whether and how these four mutations alter the transcription factor function of MYRF. Here, we studied them by introducing homologous mutations to the mouse Myrf protein. We found that the four DBD mutations abolish the transcriptional activity of the Myrf N-terminal fragment by interfering with its homo-trimerization ability by perturbing the DBD structure. Since the Myrf N-terminal fragment strictly functions as a homo-trimer, any loss-of-function mutation has the potential to act as a dominant negative. We observed that one copy of Myrf-F387S, Myrf-Q403H, or Myrf-L479V, but not Myrf-G435R, was tolerated by the Myrf N-terminal homo-trimer for structural and functional integrity. These data suggest that F387S, Q403H, and L479V cause birth defects by haploinsufficiency, while G435R does so via dominant negative functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuandong Fan
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Hongjoo An
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Mohamed Sharif
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Dongkyeong Kim
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Yungki Park
- Hunter James Kelly Research Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
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18
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Alves D, Leão M. The clinical overlap between cardiac‐urogenital syndrome, Meacham syndrome, and PAGOD syndrome. Report of a new patient with cardiac‐urogenital syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:1532-1534. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Alves
- Centro Materno‐PediátricoCentro Hospitalar Universitário de São João Porto Portugal
| | - Miguel Leão
- Serviço de Genética MédicaCentro Hospitalar Universitário de São João Porto Portugal
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19
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Functional mechanism and pathogenic potential of MYRF ICA domain mutations implicated in birth defects. Sci Rep 2020; 10:814. [PMID: 31964908 PMCID: PMC6972908 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57593-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myrf is a membrane-bound transcription factor that plays a key role in various biological processes. The Intramolecular Chaperone Auto-processing (ICA) domain of Myrf forms a homo-trimer, which carries out the auto-cleavage of Myrf. The ICA homo-trimer-mediated auto-cleavage of Myrf is a prerequisite for its transcription factor function in the nucleus. Recent exome sequencing studies have implicated two MYRF ICA domain mutations (V679A and R695H) in a novel syndromic form of birth defects. It remains unknown whether and how the two mutations impact the transcription factor function of Myrf and, more importantly, how they are pathogenic for congenital anomalies. Here, we show that V679A and R695H cripple the ICA domain, blocking the auto-cleavage of Myrf. Consequently, Myrf-V679A and Myrf-R695H do not exhibit any transcriptional activity. Molecular modeling suggests that V679A and R695H abrogate the auto-cleavage function of the ICA homo-trimer by destabilizing its homo-trimeric assembly. We also found that the ICA homo-trimer can tolerate one copy of Myrf-V679A or Myrf-R695H for its auto-cleavage function, indicating that V679A and R695H are not dominant negatives. Thus, if V679A and R695H in a heterozygous state caused birth defects, it would be via haploinsufficiency of MYRF.
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