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DYSTROPHIN PROTEIN COMPLEX ASSEMBLY IN LIVING CELLS

Romesh Draviam-2006-08-15-D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh)

TL;DRAbstract

The Duchenne and Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (DMD, LGMD) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders. Primary mutations in the dystrophin gene result in the absence of the protein in DMD, and mutations in any one of four sarcoglycan (á, â, ä, ã) genes results in a loss of the entire sarcoglycan complex in LGMD. Mutations of the á-sarcoglycan gene are clinically the most frequently observed, and of these cases, one-third have a missense substitution of a cysteine for an arginine at residue 77 (R77C) of the á-sarcoglycan protein. The function of á-sarcoglycan and the implications of the R77C mutation on protein traffic are currently unknown. Here a model system has been developed to study dystrophin protein complex (DPC) assembly in living cells. We report that a minidystrophin gene construct, currently the most promising avenue for adeno-associated virus mediated gene therapy, properly assembles and integrates into the DPC in vivo, utilizing similar mechanisms as wild type dystr

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The Duchenne and Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (DMD, LGMD) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders. Primary mutations in the dystrophin gene result in the absence of the protein in DMD, and mutations in any one of four sarcoglycan (á, â, ä, ã) genes results in a loss of the entire sarcoglycan complex in LGMD. Mutations of the á-sarcoglycan gene are clinically the most frequently observed, and of these cases, one-third have a missense substitution of a cysteine for an arginine at residue 77 (R77C) of the á-sarcoglycan protein. The function of á-sarcoglycan and the implications of the R77C mutation on protein traffic are currently unknown. Here a model system has been developed to study dystrophin protein complex (DPC) assembly in living cells. We report that a minidystrophin gene construct, currently the most promising avenue for adeno-associated virus mediated gene therapy, properly assembles and integrates into the DPC in vivo, utilizing similar mechanisms as wild type dystr

Keywords

BiologyDystrophinDuchenne muscular dystrophyGeneticsMissense mutationMutant proteinLimb-girdle muscular dystrophyMuscular dystrophy

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