Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Breuss, Martin
• Heng, Julian Ik-Tsen
• Poirier, Karine
• Tian, Guoling
• Jaglin, Xavier Hubert
• Qu, Zhengdong
• Braun, Andreas
• Gstrein, Thomas
• Ngo, Linh
• Haas, Matilda
• Bahi-Buisson, Nadia
• Moutard, Marie-Laure
• Passemard, Sandrine
• Verloes, Alain
• Gressens, Pierre
• Xie, Yunli
• Robson, Kathryn J.H.
• Rani, Deepa Selvi
• Thangaraj, Kumarasamy
• Clausen, Tim
• Chelly, Jamel
• Cowan, Nicholas Justin
• Keays, David Anthony

Titel

Mutations in the β-Tubulin Gene TUBB5 Cause Microcephaly with Structural Brain Abnormalities

Ist Teil von

• Cell reports (Cambridge), 2012-12, Vol.2 (6), p.1554-1562

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2012

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The formation of the mammalian cortex requires the generation, migration, and differentiation of neurons. The vital role that the microtubule cytoskeleton plays in these cellular processes is reflected by the discovery that mutations in various tubulin isotypes cause different neurodevelopmental diseases, including lissencephaly (TUBA1A), polymicrogyria (TUBA1A, TUBB2B, TUBB3), and an ocular motility disorder (TUBB3). Here, we show that Tubb5 is expressed in neurogenic progenitors in the mouse and that its depletion in vivo perturbs the cell cycle of progenitors and alters the position of migrating neurons. We report the occurrence of three microcephalic patients with structural brain abnormalities harboring de novo mutations in TUBB5 (M299V, V353I, and E401K). These mutant proteins, which affect the chaperone-dependent assembly of tubulin heterodimers in different ways, disrupt neurogenic division and/or migration in vivo. Our results provide insight into the functional repertoire of the tubulin gene family, specifically implicating TUBB5 in embryonic neurogenesis and microcephaly. [Display omitted] ► The β-tubulin Tubb5 is highly expressed in the developing mouse and human cortex ► In vivo knockdown of Tubb5 perturbs the cell cycle and alters neuronal positioning ► Mutations in TUBB5 cause microcephaly with dysmorphic basal ganglia in humans ► TUBB5 mutations affect chaperone-mediated tubulin folding in different ways The formation of the cortex requires the generation, migration, and differentiation of neurons. While specific tubulin isotypes have been implicated in postmitotic events, those that mediate neurogenesis remain unknown. Here, Keays and colleagues report that mutations in the β-tubulin gene, TUBB5, cause microcephaly. They show that this gene is highly expressed in neuronal progenitors, and its depletion in vivo perturbs the cell cycle and alters neuronal migration. This work provides insight into the functional repertoire of the tubulin gene family.