Aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases (aaRSs) are the largest protein family causatively linked to neurodegenerative Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. Dominant mutations cause the disease, and studies of CMT disease-causing mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) showed their mutations create neomorphic structures consistent with a gain-of-function mechanism. In contrast, based on a yeast model, loss of aminoacylation function was reported for CMT disease mutants in histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile having multiple aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases implicated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease suggests a common mechanism, a defect in enzymatic activity is not shared among the CMT-causing mutants. Protein misfolding is a common hypothesis underlying the development of many neurological diseases. Its process usually involves an initial reduction in protein stability and then the subsequent oligomerization and aggregation.
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