Exome sequencing and functional studies in zebrafish identify WDR8 as the causative gene for isolated Microspherophakia in Indian families.

Isolated Microspherophakia (MSP) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a smaller than normal spherical lens. Till date, LTBP2 is the only gene shown to cause MSP. We used homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing and identified a homozygous mutation, c.

PLK1 facilitates chromosome biorientation by suppressing centromere disintegration driven by BLM-mediated unwinding and spindle pulling.

Centromeres provide a pivotal function for faithful chromosome segregation. They serve as a foundation for the assembly of the kinetochore complex and spindle connection, which is essential for chromosome biorientation. Cells lacking Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) activity suffer severe chromosome alignment defects, which is believed primarily due to unstable kinetochore-microtubule attachment.

Author Correction: Genomic amplification upregulates estrogen-related receptor alpha and its depletion inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma tumors in vivo.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

53BP1 can limit sister-chromatid rupture and rearrangements driven by a distinct ultrafine DNA bridging-breakage process.

Chromosome missegregation acts as one of the driving forces for chromosome instability and cancer development. Here, we find that in human cancer cells, HeLa and U2OS, depletion of 53BP1 (p53-binding protein 1) exacerbates chromosome non-disjunction resulting from a new type of sister-chromatid intertwinement, which is distinct from FANCD2-associated ultrafine DNA bridges (UFBs) induced by replication stress. Importantly, the sister DNA intertwinements trigger gross chromosomal rearrangements through a distinct process, named sister-chromatid rupture and bridging.

A homozygous mutation in TRIM36 causes autosomal recessive anencephaly in an Indian family.

Anencephaly (APH) is characterized by the absence of brain tissues and cranium. During primary neurulation stage of the embryo, the rostral part of the neural pore fails to close, leading to APH. APH shows a heterogeneous etiology, ranging from environmental to genetic causes.

Genomic amplification upregulates estrogen-related receptor alpha and its depletion inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma tumors in vivo.

The ESRRA gene encodes a transcription factor and regulates several genes, such as WNT11 and OPN, involved in tumorigenesis. It is upregulated in several cancers, including OSCC. We have previously shown that the tumor suppressor miR-125a targets ESRRA, and its downregulation causes upregulation of ESRRA in OSCC.

MicroRNA-125a reduces proliferation and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells by targeting estrogen-related receptor α: implications for cancer therapeutics.

Estrogen-related receptor α (ESRRA) functions as a transcription factor and regulates the expression of several genes, such as WNT11 and OPN. Up-regulation of ESRRA has been reported in several cancers. However, the mechanism underlying its up-regulation is unclear.

Evidence that TSC2 acts as a transcription factor and binds to and represses the promoter of Epiregulin.

The TSC2 gene, mutated in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), encodes a 200 kDa protein TSC2 (tuberin). The importance of TSC2 in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation is irrefutable. TSC2 in complex with TSC1 negatively regulates the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) via RHEB in the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and in turn regulates cell proliferation.