Publications (13)84.58 Total impact
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Article: Farnesylation of lamin B1 is important for retention of nuclear chromatin during neuronal migration.
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ABSTRACT: The role of protein farnesylation in lamin A biogenesis and the pathogenesis of progeria has been studied in considerable detail, but the importance of farnesylation for the B-type lamins, lamin B1 and lamin B2, has received little attention. Lamins B1 and B2 are expressed in nearly every cell type from the earliest stages of development, and they have been implicated in a variety of functions within the cell nucleus. To assess the importance of protein farnesylation for B-type lamins, we created knock-in mice expressing nonfarnesylated versions of lamin B1 and lamin B2. Mice expressing nonfarnesylated lamin B2 developed normally and were free of disease. In contrast, mice expressing nonfarnesylated lamin B1 died soon after birth, with severe neurodevelopmental defects and striking nuclear abnormalities in neurons. The nuclear lamina in migrating neurons was pulled away from the chromatin so that the chromatin was left "naked" (free from the nuclear lamina). Thus, farnesylation of lamin B1-but not lamin B2-is crucial for brain development and for retaining chromatin within the bounds of the nuclear lamina during neuronal migration.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 05/2013; · 9.68 Impact Factor -
Article: Targeting protein prenylation in progeria.
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ABSTRACT: A clinical trial of a protein farnesyltransferase inhibitor (lonafarnib) for the treatment of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) was recently completed. Here, we discuss the mutation that causes HGPS, the rationale for inhibiting protein farnesyltransferase, the potential limitations of this therapeutic approach, and new potential strategies for treating the disease.Science translational medicine 02/2013; 5(171):171ps3. · 7.80 Impact Factor -
Article: Understanding the roles of nuclear A- and B-type lamins in brain development.
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ABSTRACT: The nuclear lamina is composed mainly of lamins A and C (A-type lamins) and lamins B1 and B2 (B-type lamins). Dogma has held that lamins B1 and B2 play unique and essential roles in the nucleus of every eukaryotic cell. Recent studies have raised doubts about that view but have uncovered crucial roles for lamins B1 and B2 in neuronal migration during the development of the brain. The relevance of lamins A and C in the brain remains unclear, but it is intriguing that prelamin A expression in the brain is low and is regulated by miR-9, a brain-specific microRNA.Journal of Biological Chemistry 03/2012; 287(20):16103-10. · 4.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Regulation of prelamin A but not lamin C by miR-9, a brain-specific microRNA.
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ABSTRACT: Lamins A and C, alternatively spliced products of the LMNA gene, are key components of the nuclear lamina. The two isoforms are found in similar amounts in most tissues, but we observed an unexpected pattern of expression in the brain. Western blot and immunohistochemistry studies showed that lamin C is abundant in the mouse brain, whereas lamin A and its precursor prelamin A are restricted to endothelial cells and meningeal cells and are absent in neurons and glia. Prelamin A transcript levels were low in the brain, but this finding could not be explained by alternative splicing. In lamin A-only knockin mice, where alternative splicing is absent and all the output of the gene is channeled into prelamin A transcripts, large amounts of lamin A were found in peripheral tissues, but there was very little lamin A in the brain. Also, in knockin mice expressing exclusively progerin (a toxic form of prelamin A found in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome), the levels of progerin in the brain were extremely low. Further studies showed that prelamin A expression, but not lamin C expression, is down-regulated by a brain-specific microRNA, miR-9. Expression of miR-9 in cultured cells reduced lamin A expression, and this effect was abolished when the miR-9-binding site in the prelamin A 3' UTR was mutated. The down-regulation of prelamin A expression in the brain could explain why mouse models of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome are free of central nervous system pathology.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 02/2012; 109(7):E423-31. · 9.68 Impact Factor -
Article: Deficiencies in lamin B1 and lamin B2 cause neurodevelopmental defects and distinct nuclear shape abnormalities in neurons.
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ABSTRACT: Neuronal migration is essential for the development of the mammalian brain. Here, we document severe defects in neuronal migration and reduced numbers of neurons in lamin B1-deficient mice. Lamin B1 deficiency resulted in striking abnormalities in the nuclear shape of cortical neurons; many neurons contained a solitary nuclear bleb and exhibited an asymmetric distribution of lamin B2. In contrast, lamin B2 deficiency led to increased numbers of neurons with elongated nuclei. We used conditional alleles for Lmnb1 and Lmnb2 to create forebrain-specific knockout mice. The forebrain-specific Lmnb1- and Lmnb2-knockout models had a small forebrain with disorganized layering of neurons and nuclear shape abnormalities, similar to abnormalities identified in the conventional knockout mice. A more severe phenotype, complete atrophy of the cortex, was observed in forebrain-specific Lmnb1/Lmnb2 double-knockout mice. This study demonstrates that both lamin B1 and lamin B2 are essential for brain development, with lamin B1 being required for the integrity of the nuclear lamina, and lamin B2 being important for resistance to nuclear elongation in neurons.Molecular biology of the cell 12/2011; 22(23):4683-93. · 5.98 Impact Factor -
Article: UCP2 regulates energy metabolism and differentiation potential of human pluripotent stem cells.
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ABSTRACT: It has been assumed, based largely on morphologic evidence, that human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) contain underdeveloped, bioenergetically inactive mitochondria. In contrast, differentiated cells harbour a branched mitochondrial network with oxidative phosphorylation as the main energy source. A role for mitochondria in hPSC bioenergetics and in cell differentiation therefore remains uncertain. Here, we show that hPSCs have functional respiratory complexes that are able to consume O(2) at maximal capacity. Despite this, ATP generation in hPSCs is mainly by glycolysis and ATP is consumed by the F(1)F(0) ATP synthase to partially maintain hPSC mitochondrial membrane potential and cell viability. Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) plays a regulating role in hPSC energy metabolism by preventing mitochondrial glucose oxidation and facilitating glycolysis via a substrate shunting mechanism. With early differentiation, hPSC proliferation slows, energy metabolism decreases, and UCP2 is repressed, resulting in decreased glycolysis and maintained or increased mitochondrial glucose oxidation. Ectopic UCP2 expression perturbs this metabolic transition and impairs hPSC differentiation. Overall, hPSCs contain active mitochondria and require UCP2 repression for full differentiation potential.The EMBO Journal 11/2011; 30(24):4860-73. · 9.20 Impact Factor -
Article: Are B-type lamins essential in all mammalian cells?
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ABSTRACT: The B-type lamins are widely assumed to be essential for mammalian cells. In part, this assumption is based on a highly cited study that found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of lamin B1 or lamin B2 in HeLa cells arrested cell growth and led to apoptosis. Studies indicating that B-type lamins play roles in DNA replication, the formation of the mitotic spindle, chromatin organization and regulation of gene expression have fueled the notion that B-type lamins must be essential. But surprisingly, this idea had never been tested with genetic approaches. Earlier this year, a research group from UCLA reported the development of genetically modified mice that lack expression of both Lmnb1 and Lmnb2 in skin keratinocytes (a cell type that proliferates rapidly and participates in complex developmental programs). They reasoned that if lamins B1 and B2 were truly essential, then keratinocyte-specific lamin B1/lamin B2 knockout mice would exhibit severe pathology. Contrary to expectations, the skin and hair of lamin B1/lamin B2-deficient mice were quite normal, indicating that the B-type lamins are dispensable in some cell types. The same UCLA research group has gone on to show that lamin B1 and lamin B2 are critical for neuronal migration in the developing brain and for neuronal survival. The absence of either lamin B1 or lamin B2, or the absence of both B-type lamins, results in severe neurodevelopmental abnormalities.Nucleus (Austin, Texas) 11/2011; 2(6):562-9. -
Article: Investigating the purpose of prelamin A processing.
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ABSTRACT: Lmna yields two major protein products in somatic cells, lamin C and prelamin A. Mature lamin A is produced from prelamin A by four posttranslational processing steps-farnesylation of a carboxyl-terminal cysteine, release of the last three amino acids of the protein, methylation of the farnesylcysteine, and the endoproteolytic release of the carboxyl-terminal 15 amino acids of the protein (including the farnesylcysteine methyl ester). Although the posttranslational processing of prelamin A has been conserved in vertebrate evolution, its physiologic significance remains unclear. Here we review recent studies in which we investigated prelamin A processing with Lmna knock-in mice that produce exclusively prelamin A (Lmna(PLAO)), mature lamin A (Lmna(LAO)) or nonfarnesylated prelamin A (Lmna(nPLAO)). We found that the synthesis of lamin C is dispensable in laboratory mice, that the direct production of mature lamin A (completely bypassing all prelamin A processing) causes no discernable pathology in mice, and that exclusive production of nonfarnesylated prelamin A leads to cardiomyopathy.Nucleus (Austin, Texas) 01/2011; 2(1):4-9. -
Article: Direct synthesis of lamin A, bypassing prelamin a processing, causes misshapen nuclei in fibroblasts but no detectable pathology in mice.
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ABSTRACT: Lamin A, a key component of the nuclear lamina, is generated from prelamin A by four post-translational processing steps: farnesylation, endoproteolytic release of the last three amino acids of the protein, methylation of the C-terminal farnesylcysteine, and finally, endoproteolytic release of the last 15 amino acids of the protein (including the farnesylcysteine methyl ester). The last cleavage step, mediated by ZMPSTE24, releases mature lamin A. This processing scheme has been conserved through vertebrate evolution and is widely assumed to be crucial for targeting lamin A to the nuclear envelope. However, its physiologic importance has never been tested. To address this issue, we created mice with a "mature lamin A-only" allele (Lmna(LAO)), which contains a stop codon immediately after the last codon of mature lamin A. Thus, Lmna(LAO/LAO) mice synthesize mature lamin A directly, bypassing prelamin A synthesis and processing. The levels of mature lamin A in Lmna(LAO/LAO) mice were indistinguishable from those in "prelamin A-only" mice (Lmna(PLAO/PLAO)), where all of the lamin A is produced from prelamin A. Lmna(LAO/LAO) exhibited normal body weights and had no detectable disease phenotypes. A higher frequency of nuclear blebs was observed in Lmna(LAO/LAO) embryonic fibroblasts; however, the mature lamin A in the tissues of Lmna(LAO/LAO) mice was positioned normally at the nuclear rim. We conclude that prelamin A processing is dispensable in mice and that direct synthesis of mature lamin A has little if any effect on the targeting of lamin A to the nuclear rim in mouse tissues.Journal of Biological Chemistry 05/2010; 285(27):20818-26. · 4.77 Impact Factor -
Article: A novel EF-hand protein, CRACR2A, is a cytosolic Ca2+ sensor that stabilizes CRAC channels in T cells.
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ABSTRACT: Orai1 and STIM1 are critical components of Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels that mediate store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) in immune cells. Although it is known that Orai1 and STIM1 co-cluster and physically interact to mediate SOCE, the cytoplasmic machinery modulating these functions remains poorly understood. We sought to find modulators of Orai1 and STIM1 using affinity protein purification and identified a novel EF-hand protein, CRACR2A (also called CRAC regulator 2A, EFCAB4B or FLJ33805). We show that CRACR2A interacts directly with Orai1 and STIM1, forming a ternary complex that dissociates at elevated Ca(2+) concentrations. Studies using knockdown mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and mutagenesis show that CRACR2A is important for clustering of Orai1 and STIM1 upon store depletion. Expression of an EF-hand mutant of CRACR2A enhanced STIM1 clustering, elevated cytoplasmic Ca(2+) and induced cell death, suggesting its active interaction with CRAC channels. These observations implicate CRACR2A, a novel Ca(2+) binding protein that is highly expressed in T cells and conserved in vertebrates, as a key regulator of CRAC channel-mediated SOCE.Nature Cell Biology 04/2010; 12(5):436-46. · 19.49 Impact Factor -
Article: The Intracellular Loop of Orai1 Plays a Central Role in Fast Inactivation of Ca2+ Release-activated Ca2+ Channels
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ABSTRACT: Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) due to activation of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels leads to sustained elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ and activation of lymphocytes. CRAC channels consisting of four pore-forming Orai1 subunits are activated by STIM1, an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sensor that senses intracellular store depletion and migrates to plasma membrane proximal regions to mediate SOCE. One of the fundamental properties of CRAC channels is their Ca2+-dependent fast inactivation. To identify the domains of Orai1 involved in fast inactivation, we have mutated residues in the Orai1 intracellular loop linking transmembrane segment II to III. Mutation of four residues, V151SNV154, at the center of the loop (MutA) abrogated fast inactivation, leading to increased SOCE as well as higher CRAC currents. Point mutation analysis identified five key amino acids, N153VHNL157, that increased SOCE in Orai1 null murine embryonic fibroblasts. Expression or direct application of a peptide comprising the entire intracellular loop or the sequence N153VHNL157 blocked CRAC currents from both wild type (WT) and MutA Orai1. A peptide incorporating the MutA mutations had no blocking effect. Concatenated Orai1 constructs with four MutA monomers exhibited high CRAC currents lacking fast inactivation. Reintroduction of a single WT monomer (MutA-MutA-MutA-WT) was sufficient to fully restore fast inactivation, suggesting that only a single intracellular loop can block the channel. These data suggest that the intracellular loop of Orai1 acts as an inactivation particle, which is stabilized in the ion permeation pathway by the N153VHNL157 residues. These results along with recent reports support a model in which the N terminus and the selectivity filter of Orai1 as well as STIM1 act in concert to regulate the movement of the intracellular loop and evoke fast inactivation.Journal of Biological Chemistry 02/2010; 285(7):5066-5075. · 4.77 Impact Factor -
Article: The Intracellular Loop of Orai1 Plays a Central Role in Fast Inactivation of CRAC Channels
Biophysical Journal 12/2009; 98:540. · 3.65 Impact Factor -
Article: The intracellular loop of Orai1 plays a central role in fast inactivation of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels.
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ABSTRACT: Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) due to activation of Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels leads to sustained elevation of cytoplasmic Ca(2+) and activation of lymphocytes. CRAC channels consisting of four pore-forming Orai1 subunits are activated by STIM1, an endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) sensor that senses intracellular store depletion and migrates to plasma membrane proximal regions to mediate SOCE. One of the fundamental properties of CRAC channels is their Ca(2+)-dependent fast inactivation. To identify the domains of Orai1 involved in fast inactivation, we have mutated residues in the Orai1 intracellular loop linking transmembrane segment II to III. Mutation of four residues, V(151)SNV(154), at the center of the loop (MutA) abrogated fast inactivation, leading to increased SOCE as well as higher CRAC currents. Point mutation analysis identified five key amino acids, N(153)VHNL(157), that increased SOCE in Orai1 null murine embryonic fibroblasts. Expression or direct application of a peptide comprising the entire intracellular loop or the sequence N(153)VHNL(157) blocked CRAC currents from both wild type (WT) and MutA Orai1. A peptide incorporating the MutA mutations had no blocking effect. Concatenated Orai1 constructs with four MutA monomers exhibited high CRAC currents lacking fast inactivation. Reintroduction of a single WT monomer (MutA-MutA-MutA-WT) was sufficient to fully restore fast inactivation, suggesting that only a single intracellular loop can block the channel. These data suggest that the intracellular loop of Orai1 acts as an inactivation particle, which is stabilized in the ion permeation pathway by the N(153)VHNL(157) residues. These results along with recent reports support a model in which the N terminus and the selectivity filter of Orai1 as well as STIM1 act in concert to regulate the movement of the intracellular loop and evoke fast inactivation.Journal of Biological Chemistry 12/2009; 285(7):5066-75. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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Institutions
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2009–2013
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University of California, Los Angeles
- • Department of Medicine
- • Department of Physiology
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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