Systematic analysis of PINK1 variants of unknown significance shows intact mitophagy function for most variants.

Pathogenic variants in PINK1 cause early-onset Parkinson's disease. Although many PINK1 variants have been reported, the clinical significance is uncertain for the majority of them. To gain insights into the consequences of PINK1 missense variants in a systematic manner, we selected 50 PINK1 missense variants from patient- and population-wide databases and systematically classified them using Sherloc, a comprehensive framework for variant interpretation based on ACMG-AMP guidelines.

Parkinson's disease-associated VPS35 mutant reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and impairs PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), and several genes linked to familial PD, including PINK1 (encoding PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 [PINK1]) and PARK2 (encoding the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin), are directly involved in processes such as mitophagy that maintain mitochondrial health. The dominant p.D620N variant of vacuolar protein sorting 35 ortholog (VPS35) gene is also associated with familial PD but has not been functionally connected to PINK1 and PARK2.

Comparative Studies in the A30P and A53T α-Synuclein Strains to Investigate the Molecular Origins of Parkinson's Disease.

The aggregation of α-synuclein is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) and a variety of related neurological disorders. A number of mutations in this protein, including A30P and A53T, are associated with familial forms of the disease. Patients carrying the A30P mutation typically exhibit a similar age of onset and symptoms as sporadic PD, while those carrying the A53T mutation generally have an earlier age of onset and an accelerated progression.

A Gain-of-Function Variant in Dopamine D2 Receptor and Progressive Chorea and Dystonia Phenotype.

Background: We describe a 4-generation Dutch pedigree with a unique dominantly inherited clinical phenotype of a combined progressive chorea and cervical dystonia carrying a novel heterozygous dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) variant.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the genetic cause of the disease and to further investigate the functional consequences of the genetic variant.

Methods: After detailed clinical and neurological examination, whole-exome sequencing was performed.

Cerebellar developmental deficits underlie neurodegenerative disorder spinocerebellar ataxia type 23.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 23 (SCA23) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by slowly progressive gait and limb ataxia, for which there is no therapy available. It is caused by pathogenic variants in PDYN, which encodes prodynorphin (PDYN). PDYN is processed into the opioid peptides α-neoendorphin and dynorphins (Dyn) A and B; inhibitory neurotransmitters that function in pain signaling, stress-induced responses and addiction.

Fast Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Reveals the Aggregation Processes of α-Synuclein and Polyglutamine in Aging .

The nematode worm has emerged as an important model organism in the study of the molecular mechanisms of protein misfolding diseases associated with amyloid formation because of its small size, ease of genetic manipulation, and optical transparency. Obtaining a reliable and quantitative read-out of protein aggregation in this system, however, remains a challenge. To address this problem, we here present a fast time-gated fluorescence lifetime imaging (TG-FLIM) method and show that it provides functional insights into the process of protein aggregation in living animals by enabling the rapid characterization of different types of aggregates.

Crystal structure of truncated human coatomer protein complex subunit ζ1 (Copζ1).

The majority of modern anticancer approaches target DNA/protein targets involved in tumour-cell proliferation. Such approaches have a major drawback, as nonproliferating cancer cells remain unaffected and may cause relapse or remission. Human coatomer protein complex I (COPI) subunit ζ (Copζ), a component of the coat protein involved in cell apoptosis and intracellular trafficking, has recently been proposed as a potential anticancer drug target.