Spinocerebellar ataxia type 11-associated alleles of Ttbk2 dominantly interfere with ciliogenesis and cilium stability

PLoS Genet. 2018 Dec 10;14(12):e1007844. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007844. eCollection 2018 Dec.

Abstract

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 11 (SCA11) is a rare, dominantly inherited human ataxia characterized by atrophy of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum. SCA11 is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the Serine/Threonine kinase Tau tubulin kinase 2 (TTBK2) that result in premature truncations of the protein. We previously showed that TTBK2 is a key regulator of the assembly of primary cilia in vivo. However, the mechanisms by which the SCA11-associated mutations disrupt TTBK2 function, and whether they interfere with ciliogenesis were unknown. In this work, we present evidence that SCA11-associated mutations are dominant negative alleles and that the resulting truncated protein (TTBK2SCA11) interferes with the function of full length TTBK2 in mediating ciliogenesis. A Ttbk2 allelic series revealed that upon partial reduction of full length TTBK2 function, TTBK2SCA11 can interfere with the activity of the residual wild-type protein to decrease cilia number and interrupt cilia-dependent Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling. Our studies have also revealed new functions for TTBK2 after cilia initiation in the control of cilia length, trafficking of a subset of SHH pathway components, including Smoothened (SMO), and cilia stability. These studies provide a molecular foundation to understand the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of human SCA11, and help account for the link between ciliary dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Cilia / pathology*
  • Cilia / physiology*
  • Ciliopathies / genetics*
  • Ciliopathies / pathology
  • Ciliopathies / physiopathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Genes, Dominant
  • Homozygote
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Mutation
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / genetics*
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / pathology
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / physiopathology*

Substances

  • tau-tubulin kinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases

Supplementary concepts

  • Spinocerebellar Ataxia 11