HuD interacts with survival motor neuron protein and can rescue spinal muscular atrophy-like neuronal defects.

Spinal muscular atrophy is an autosomal-recessive neuromuscular disease caused by disruption of the survival of motor neuron (SMN) gene, which promotes cytoplasmic assembly of the splicing core machinery. It remains unclear how a deficiency in SMN results in a disorder leading to selective degeneration of lower motor neurons. We report here that SMN interacts with RNA-binding protein HuD in neurites of motorneuron-derived MN-1 cells.