Valosin containing protein (VCP) is a hexameric type II AAA ATPase required for several cellular processes including ER-associated degradation, organelle biogenesis, autophagy and membrane fusion. VCP contains three domains: a regulatory N-terminal domain and two ATPase domains (D1 and D2). Mutations in the N-terminal and D1 domains are associated with several degenerative diseases, including Multisystem Proteinopathy (MSP-1) and ALS. However, patients with VCP mutations vary widely in their pathology and clinical penetrance, making it difficult to devise effective treatment strategies. Having a deeper understanding of how each mutation affects VCP function could enhance the prediction of clinical outcomes and design of personalized treatment options. Over-expressing VCP patient mutations in Drosophila has been shown to mimic many pathologies observed in human patients. The power of a genetically tractable model organism coupled with well-established in vivo assays and a relatively short life cycle make Drosophila an attractive system to study VCP disease pathogenesis and novel treatment strategies. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we have generated individual Drosophila knock-in mutants that include nine hereditary VCP disease mutations. We validate that these models display many hallmarks of VCP-mediated degeneration, including progressive decline in mobility, protein aggregate accumulation and defects in lysosomal and mitochondrial function. We also made some novel and unexpected findings, including laminopathies and sex-specific phenotypic differences in several mutants. Taken together, the Drosophila VCP disease models we have generated in this study will be useful for studying the etiology of individual VCP patient mutations and for testing potential genetic and/or pharmacological therapies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.