Ski3/TTC37 deficiency associated with trichohepatoenteric syndrome causes mitochondrial dysfunction in Drosophila

Abstract

Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 37 (TTC37) is a causative gene of trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES). However, little is known about the pathogenesis of this disease. Here, we characterize the phenotype of a Drosophila model in which ski3, a homolog of TTC37, is disrupted. The mutant flies are pupal lethal, and the pupal lethality is partially rescued by transgenic expression of wild‐type ski3 or human TTC37. The mutant larvae show growth retardation, heart arrhythmia, triacylglycerol accumulation, and aberrant metabolism of glycolysis and the TCA cycle. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory chain complex activities are significantly reduced in the mutants. Our results demonstrate that ski3 deficiency causes mitochondrial dysfunction, which may underlie the pathogenesis of THES.

SKI complex: A multifaceted cytoplasmic RNA exosome cofactor in mRNA metabolism with links to disease, developmental processes, and antiviral responses

“…Furthermore, SKIV2L mutation was recently identified in a pediatric patient suffering from mitochondrial disease (Riley et al, 2020). This issue deserves further in‐depth investigation, taking into account that mitochondrial dysfunction was demonstrated at approximately the same time in Drosophila model with disrupted ski3/TTC37 gene (Ohnuma et al, 2020).…”