Novel mutation and the first prenatal screening of cathepsin D deficiency (CLN10).

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are autosomal recessively inherited disorders collectively considered to be one among the most common pediatric neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases. Four main clinical subtypes have been described based on the age at presentation: infantile, late infantile, juvenile and adult types. In addition, rare congenital cases of NCL have been reported in the literature.

Synaptic changes in the thalamocortical system of cathepsin D-deficient mice: a model of human congenital neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

Cathepsin D (CTSD; EC 3.4.23.

Cathepsin D deficiency underlies congenital human neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

Congenital neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a devastating inherited neurodegenerative disorder of unknown metabolic basis. Eight patients with this rare disorder, all with similar clinical and neuropathological findings, have been reported, and here we describe two further patients. Previously, we showed that a mutation in the cathepsin D gene causes congenital NCL in sheep.

The 1.3 A crystal structure of human mitochondrial Delta3-Delta2-enoyl-CoA isomerase shows a novel mode of binding for the fatty acyl group.

The crystal structure of Delta3-Delta2-enoyl-CoA isomerase from human mitochondria (hmEci), complexed with the substrate analogue octanoyl-CoA, has been refined at 1.3 A resolution. This enzyme takes part in the beta-oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids by converting both cis-3 and trans-3-enoyl-CoA esters (with variable length of the acyl group) to trans-2-enoyl-CoA.

A replacement of the active-site aspartic acid residue 293 in mouse cathepsin D affects its intracellular stability, processing and transport in HEK-293 cells.

The substitution of an active-site aspartic acid residue by asparagine in the lysosomal protease cathepsin D (CTSD) results in a loss of enzyme activity and severe cerebrocortical atrophy in a novel form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in sheep [Tyynelä, Sohar, Sleat, Gin, Donnelly, Baumann, Haltia and Lobel (2000) EMBO J. 19, 2786-2792]. In the present study we have introduced the corresponding mutation by replacing aspartic acid residue 293 with asparagine (D293N) into the mouse CTSD cDNA to analyse its effect on synthesis, transport and stability in transfected HEK-293 cells.

The importance of the conserved Arg191-Asp227 salt bridge of triosephosphate isomerase for folding, stability, and catalysis.

Triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) has a conserved salt bridge 20 A away from both the active site and the dimer interface. In this study, four salt bridge mutants of Trypanosoma brucei brucei TIM were characterized. The folding and stability of the mutants are impaired compared to the wild-type enzyme.