Ataxin-2 and huntingtin interact with endophilin-A complexes to function in plastin-associated pathways

Hum Mol Genet. 2005 Oct 1;14(19):2893-909. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddi321. Epub 2005 Aug 22.

Abstract

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by an expanded trinucleotide repeat in the SCA2 gene, encoding a polyglutamine stretch in the gene product ataxin-2. Although evidence has been provided that ataxin-2 is involved in RNA metabolism, the physiological function of ataxin-2 remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that ataxin-2 interacts with two members of the endophilin family, endophilin-A1 and endophilin-A3. To elucidate the physiological implications of these interactions, we exploited yeast as a model system and discovered that expression of ataxin-2 as well as both endophilin proteins is toxic for yeast lacking the SAC6 gene product fimbrin, a protein involved in actin filament organization and endocytotic processes. Intriguingly, expression of huntingtin, another polyglutamine protein interacting with endophilin-A3, was also toxic in Deltasac6 yeast. These effects can be suppressed by simultaneous expression of one of the two human fimbrin orthologs, L- or T-plastin. Moreover, we have discovered that ataxin-2 associates with L- and T-plastin and that overexpression of ataxin-2 leads to accumulation of T-plastin in mammalian cells. Thus, our findings suggest an interplay between ataxin-2, endophilin proteins and huntingtin in plastin-associated cellular pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Ataxins
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytoplasm / chemistry
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / analysis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphoproteins / analysis
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • src Homology Domains / genetics

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Ataxins
  • HTT protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • SH3GL1 protein, human
  • SH3GL2 protein, human
  • plastin