SCN9A encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7, a protein highly expressed in pain-sensing neurons. Mutations in SCN9A cause three human pain disorders: bi-allelic loss of function mutations result in Channelopathy-associated Insensitivity to Pain (CIP), whereas activating mutations cause severe episodic pain in Paroxysmal Extreme Pain Disorder (PEPD) and Primary Erythermalgia (PE). To date, all mutations in SCN9A that cause a complete inability to experience pain are protein truncating and presumably lead to no protein being produced. Here, we describe the identification and functional characterization of two novel non-truncating mutations in families with CIP: a homozygously-inherited missense mutation found in a consanguineous Israeli Bedouin family (Nav1.7-R896Q) and a five amino acid in-frame deletion found in a sporadic compound heterozygote (Nav1.7-ΔR1370-L1374). Both of these mutations map to the pore region of the Nav1.7 sodium channel. Using transient transfection of PC12 cells we found a significant reduction in membrane localization of the mutant protein compared to the wild type. Furthermore, voltage clamp experiments of mutant-transfected HEK293 cells show a complete loss of function of the sodium channel, consistent with the absence of pain phenotype. In summary, this study has identified critical amino acids needed for the normal subcellular localization and function of Nav1.7. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Rbfox proteins regulate tissue-specific splicing by targeting a conserved GCAUG sequence within pre-mRNAs. We report here that sequence-specific binding of the conserved Rbfox RRM to miRNA precursors containing the same sequence motif in their terminal loops, including miR-20b and miR-107, suppresses their nuclear processing. The structure of the complex between precursor miR-20b and Rbfox RRM shows the molecular basis for recognition, and reveals changes in the stem-loop upon protein binding. In mammalian cells, Rbfox2 downregulates mature miR-20b and miR-107 levels and increases the expression of their downstream targets PTEN and Dicer, respectively, suggesting that Rbfox2 indirectly regulates many more cellular miRNAs. Thus, some of the widespread cellular functions of Rbfox2 protein are attributable to regulation of miRNA biogenesis, and might include the mis-regulation of miR-20b and miR-107 in cancer and neurodegeneration.

The RNA Recognition Motif (RRM) is the largest family of eukaryotic RNA-binding proteins. Engineered RRMs with new specificity would provide valuable tools and an exacting test of our understanding of specificity. We have achieved the first successful re-design of the specificity of an RRM using rational methods and demonstrated re-targeting of activity in cells. We engineered the conserved RRM of human Rbfox proteins to specifically bind to the terminal loop of miR-21 precursor with high affinity and inhibit its processing by Drosha and Dicer. We further engineered Giardia Dicer by replacing its PAZ domain with the designed RRM. The reprogrammed enzyme degrades pre-miR-21 specifically in vitro and suppresses mature miR-21 levels in cells, which results in increased expression of PDCD4 and significantly decreased viability for cancer cells. The results demonstrate the feasibility of engineering the sequence-specificity of RRMs and of using this ubiquitous platform for diverse biological applications.

Mutually exclusive splicing is a form of alternative pre-mRNA processing that consists in the use of only one of a set of two or more exons. We have investigated the mechanisms involved in this process for exon 18 of the Nav 1.6 sodium channel transcript and its significance regarding gene-expression regulation. The 18N exon (neonatal form) has a stop codon in phase and although the mRNA can be detected by amplification methods, the truncated protein has not been observed. The switch from 18N to 18A (adult form) occurs only in a restricted set of neural tissues producing the functional channel while other tissues display the mRNA with the 18N exon also in adulthood. We demonstrate that the mRNA species carrying the stop codon is subjected to Nonsense-Mediated Decay, providing a control mechanism of channel expression. We also map a string of cis-elements within the mutually exclusive exons and in the flanking introns responsible for their strict tissue and temporal specificity. These elements bind a series of positive (RbFox-1, SRSF1, SRSF2) and negative (hnRNPA1, PTB, hnRNPA2/B1, hnRNPD-like JKTBP) splicing regulatory proteins. These splicing factors, with the exception of RbFox-1, are ubiquitous but their levels vary during development and differentiation, ensuing unique sets of tissue and temporal levels of splicing factors. The combinatorial nature of these elements is highlighted by the dominance of the elements that bind the ubiquitous factors over the tissue specific RbFox-1.

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