Complexes of vertebrate TMC1/2 and CIB2/3 proteins form hair-cell mechanotransduction cation channels

Calcium and integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) and CIB3 bind to transmembrane channel-like 1 (TMC1) and TMC2, the pore-forming subunits of the inner-ear mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) apparatus. Whether these interactions are functionally relevant across mechanosensory organs and vertebrate species is unclear. Here we show that both CIB2 and CIB3 can form heteromeric complexes with TMC1 and TMC2 and are integral for MET function in mouse cochlea and vestibular end organs as well as in zebrafish inner ear and lateral line. Our AlphaFold 2 models suggest that vertebrate CIB proteins can simultaneously interact with at least two cytoplasmic domains of TMC1 and TMC2 as validated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of TMC1 fragments interacting with CIB2 and CIB3. Molecular dynamics simulations of TMC1/2 complexes with CIB2/3 predict that TMCs are structurally stabilized by CIB proteins to form cation channels. Overall, our work demonstrates that intact CIB2/3 and TMC1/2 complexes are integral to hair-cell MET function in vertebrate mechanosensory epithelia.

CIB2 and CIB3 Regulate Stereocilia Maintenance and Mechanoelectrical Transduction in Mouse Vestibular Hair Cells

The mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) protein complex in the inner-ear hair cells is essential for hearing and balance perception. Calcium and integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) has been reported to be a component of MET complex, and loss of CIB2 completely abolishes MET currents in auditory hair cells, causing profound congenital hearing loss. However, loss of CIB2 does not affect MET currents in vestibular hair cells (VHCs) as well as general balance function. Here, we show that CIB2 and CIB3 act redundantly to regulate MET in VHCs, as MET currents are completely abolished in the VHCs of Cib2/Cib3 double knock-out mice of either sex. Furthermore, we show that Cib2 and Cib3 transcripts have complementary expression patterns in the vestibular maculae, and that they play different roles in stereocilia maintenance in VHCs. Cib2 transcripts are highly expressed in the striolar region, and knock-out of Cib2 affects stereocilia maintenance in striolar VHCs. In contrast, Cib3 transcripts are highly expressed in the extrastriolar region, and knock-out of Cib3 mainly affects stereocilia maintenance in extrastriolar VHCs. Simultaneous knock-out of Cib2 and Cib3 affects stereocilia maintenance in all VHCs and leads to severe balance deficits. Taken together, our present work reveals that CIB2 and CIB3 are important for stereocilia maintenance as well as MET in mouse VHCs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Calcium and integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) is an important component of mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) complex, and loss of CIB2 completely abolishes MET in auditory hair cells. However, MET is unaffected in Cib2 knock-out vestibular hair cells (VHCs). In the present work, we show that CIB3 could compensate for the loss of CIB2 in VHCs, and Cib2/Cib3 double knock-out completely abolishes MET in VHCs. Interestingly, CIB2 and CIB3 could also regulate VHC stereocilia maintenance in a nonredundant way. Cib2 and Cib3 transcripts are highly expressed in the striolar and extrastriolar regions, respectively. Stereocilia maintenance and balance function are differently affected in Cib2 or Cib3 knock-out mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that CIB2 and CIB3 are important for stereocilia maintenance and MET in mouse VHCs.

Putting the Pieces Together: the Hair Cell Transduction Complex

Identification of the components of the mechanosensory transduction complex in hair cells has been a major research interest for many auditory and vestibular scientists and has attracted attention from outside the field. The past two decades have witnessed a number of significant advances with emergence of compelling evidence implicating at least a dozen distinct molecular components of the transduction machinery. Yet, how the pieces of this ensemble fit together and function in harmony to enable the senses of hearing and balance has not been clarified. The goal of this review is to summarize a 2021 symposium presented at the annual mid-winter meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. The symposium brought together the latest insights from within and beyond the field to examine individual components of the transduction complex and how these elements interact at molecular, structural, and biophysical levels to gate mechanosensitive channels and initiate sensory transduction in the inner ear. The review includes a brief historical background to set the stage for topics to follow that focus on structure, properties, and interactions of proteins such as CDH23, PCDH15, LHFPL5, TMIE, TMC1/2, and CIB2/3. We aim to present the diversity of ideas in this field and highlight emerging theories and concepts. This review will not only provide readers with a deeper appreciation of the components of the transduction apparatus and how they function together, but also bring to light areas of broad agreement, areas of scientific controversy, and opportunities for future scientific discovery.

BAIAP2L2 is required for the maintenance of mechanotransducing stereocilia of cochlear hair cells

Stereocilia are actin-based cell protrusions of inner ear hair cells that play an essential role in mechano-electrical transduction (MET). Stereocilia are organized into several rows of increasing heights with the MET protein complex localized at the tips of shorter row stereocilia. At the tips of shorter row mechanotransducing stereocilia also resides a so-called "row 2 protein complex" whose dysfunction causes degeneration of the mechanotransducing stereocilia. In the present work, we show that BAIAP2L2 is localized at the tips of shorter row stereocilia in neonatal and adult mouse cochlear hair cells. Baiap2l2 inactivation causes degeneration of the mechanotransducing stereocilia, which eventually leads to profound hearing loss in mice of either sex. Consistently, electrophysiology and FM 1-43FX dye uptake results confirm that MET currents are compromised in Baiap2l2 knockout mice. Moreover, BAIAP2L2 binds to known row 2 complex components EPS8L2, TWF2, and CAPZB2, and the stereociliary tip localization of CAPZB2 is dependent on functional BAIAP2L2. Interestingly, BAIAP2L2 also binds to CIB2, a known MET complex component, and the stereociliary tip localization of BAIAP2L2 is abolished in Cib2 knockout mice. In conclusion, our present data suggest that BAIAP2L2 is a row 2 complex component, and is required for the maintenance of mechanotransducing stereocilia. Meanwhile, specific MET components such as CIB2 might play a direct role in stereocilia maintenance through binding to BAIAP2L2.

Genome-wide study of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) bHLH transcription factors indicates that cryptochrome-interacting bHLH2 (AcCIB2) participates in flowering time regulation and abiotic stress response

BACKGROUND

Transcription factors (TFs) are essential regulators of growth and development in eukaryotes. Basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLHs) is one of the most significant TFs families involved in several critical regulatory functions. Cryptochrome-interacting bHLH (CIB) and cryptochromes form an extensive regulatory network to mediate a plethora of pathways. Although bHLHs regulate critical biological processes in plants, the information about pineapple bHLHs remains unexplored.

RESULTS

Here, we identified a total of 121 bHLH proteins in the pineapple genome. The identified genes were renamed based on the ascending order of their gene ID and classified into 18 subgroups by phylogenetic analysis. We found that bHLH genes are expressed in different organs and stages of pineapple development. Furthermore, by the ectopic expression of AcCIB2 in Arabidopsis and complementation of Atcib2 mutant, we verified the involvement of AcCIB2 in photomorphogenesis and abiotic stress response.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings revealed that AcCIB2 plays an essential role in flowering time regulation and abiotic stress response. The present study provides additional insights into the current knowledge of bHLH genes and suggests their potential role in various biological processes during pineapple development.

Loss of CIB2 Causes Profound Hearing Loss and Abolishes Mechanoelectrical Transduction in Mice

Calcium and integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) belongs to a protein family with four known members, CIB1 through CIB4, which are characterized by multiple calcium-binding EF-hand domains. Among the family members, the Cib1 and Cib2 genes are expressed in mouse cochlear hair cells, and mutations in the human CIB2 gene have been associated with nonsyndromic deafness DFNB48 and syndromic deafness USH1J. To further explore the function of CIB1 and CIB2 in hearing, we established Cib1 and Cib2 knockout mice using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated Cas9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9) genome editing technique. We found that loss of CIB1 protein does not affect auditory function, whereas loss of CIB2 protein causes profound hearing loss in mice. Further investigation revealed that hair cell stereocilia development is affected in Cib2 knockout mice. Noticeably, loss of CIB2 abolishes mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) currents in auditory hair cells. In conclusion, we show here that although both CIB1 and CIB2 are readily detected in the cochlea, only loss of CIB2 results in profound hearing loss, and that CIB2 is essential for auditory hair cell MET.

Genetic Testing of Non-familial Deaf Patients for CIB2 and GJB2 Mutations: Phenotype and Genetic Counselling

CIB2 and GJB2 genes variants contribute significantly in familial cases of prelingual recessive hearing loss (HL). This study was aimed to determine the CIB2 and GJB2 variants and associated phenotype in 150 non-familial individuals with HL. After getting informed consent, 150 non-familial deaf patients were enrolled and blood samples were obtained for DNA extraction. Pure tone air conduction audiometry was performed. Coding exons of CIB2 and GJB2 genes were Sanger sequenced. A tetra primer ARMS assay was developed for recurrent CIB2 variant. Four bi-allelic GJB2 variants, c.71G>A p.(Trp24*), c.231G>A p.(Trp77*), c.235delC p.(Leu79Cysfs3*) and c.35delG p.(Gly11Leufs24*), were found in nine hearing impaired individuals. We also found four homozygotes and five carriers of c.380G>A p. (Arg127His) variant of controversial clinical significance. CIB2 sequencing revealed single recurrent variant c.272T>C p. (Phe91Ser) segregating with HL in ten individuals. Among our patients, c.71G>A (p.Trp24*) was the most common variant, accounted for 45% of GJB2 variants. Two known GJB2 variants, c.235delC p. (Leu79Cysfs3*) and c.310del14 p. (Lys105Argfs2*), are reported here for the first time in Pakistani population. Our data further support the benign nature of c.380G>A p. (Arg127His) variant. For CIB2, c.272T>C p. (Phe91Ser) is the second common cause of HL among our sporadic cases. Phenotypically, in our patients, individuals homozygous for GJB2 variants had profound HL, whereas CIB2 homozygotes had severe to profound prelingual HL. Our results suggest that GJB2 and CIB2 are common cause of HL in different Pakistani ethnicities.

Advances in genetic hearing loss: CIB2 gene

Hearing plays a crucial role in human development. Receiving and processing sounds are essential for the advancement of the speech ability during the early childhood and for a proper functioning in the society. Hearing loss is one of the most frequent disabilities that affect human senses. It can be caused by genetic or environmental factors or both of them. Calcium- and integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) is one of the recently identified genes, involved in HI pathogenesis. CIB2 is widely expressed in various human and animal tissues, mainly in skeletal muscle, nervous tissue, inner ear, and retina. The CIB2 protein is responsible for maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis in cells and interacting with integrins-transmembrane receptors essential for cell adhesion, migration, and activation of signaling pathways. Calcium signaling pathway is crucial for signal transduction in the inner ear, and integrins regulate hair cell differentiation and maturation of the stereocilia. To date, mutations detected in CIB2 are causative for nonsyndromic hearing loss (DFNB48) or Usher syndrome type 1 J. Patients harboring biallelic CIB2 mutations suffer from bilateral, early onset, moderate to profound HI. In the paper, we summarize the current status of the research on CIB2.

Usher protein functions in hair cells and photoreceptors

The 10 different genes associated with the deaf/blind disorder, Usher syndrome, encode a number of structurally and functionally distinct proteins, most expressed as multiple isoforms/protein variants. Functional characterization of these proteins suggests a role in stereocilia development in cochlear hair cells, likely owing to adhesive interactions in hair bundles. In mature hair cells, homodimers of the Usher cadherins, cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15, interact to form a structural fiber, the tip link, and the linkages that anchor the taller stereocilia's actin cytoskeleton core to the shorter adjacent stereocilia and the elusive mechanotransduction channels, explaining the deafness phenotype when these molecular interactions are perturbed. The conundrum is that photoreceptors lack a synonymous mechanotransduction apparatus, and so a common theory for Usher protein function in the two neurosensory cell types affected in Usher syndrome is lacking. Recent evidence linking photoreceptor cell dysfunction in the shaker 1 mouse model for Usher syndrome to light-induced protein translocation defects, combined with localization of an Usher protein interactome at the periciliary region of the photoreceptors suggests Usher proteins might regulate protein trafficking between the inner and outer segments of photoreceptors. A distinct Usher protein complex is trafficked to the ribbon synapses of hair cells, and synaptic defects have been reported in Usher mutants in both hair cells and photoreceptors. This review aims to clarify what is known about Usher protein function at the synaptic and apical poles of hair cells and photoreceptors and the prospects for identifying a unifying pathobiological mechanism to explain deaf/blindness in Usher syndrome.

Usher proteins in inner ear structure and function

Usher syndrome (USH) is a neurosensory disorder affecting both hearing and vision in humans. Linkage studies of families of USH patients, studies in animals, and characterization of purified proteins have provided insight into the molecular mechanisms of hearing. To date, 11 USH proteins have been identified, and evidence suggests that all of them are crucial for the function of the mechanosensory cells of the inner ear, the hair cells. Most USH proteins are localized to the stereocilia of the hair cells, where mechano-electrical transduction (MET) of sound-induced vibrations occurs. Therefore, elucidation of the functions of USH proteins in the stereocilia is a prerequisite to understanding the exact mechanisms of MET.