Mutation in erythroid specific transcription factor KLF1 causes Hereditary Spherocytosis in the Nan hemolytic anemia mouse model.
KLF1 regulates definitive erythropoiesis of red blood cells by facilitating transcription through high affinity binding to CACCC elements within its erythroid specific target genes including those encoding erythrocyte membrane skeleton (EMS) proteins. Deficiencies of EMS proteins in humans lead to the hemolytic anemia Hereditary Spherocytosis (HS) which includes a subpopulation with no known genetic defect. Here we report that a mutation, E339D, in the second zinc finger domain of KLF1 is responsible for HS in the mouse model Nan. The causative nature of this mutation was verified with an allelic test cross between Nan/+ and heterozygous Klf1(+/-) knockout mice. Homology modeling predicted Nan KLF1 binds CACCC elements more tightly, suggesting that Nan KLF1 is a competitive inhibitor of wild-type KLF1. This is the first association of a KLF1 mutation with a disease state in adult mammals and also presents the possibility of being another causative gene for HS in humans.
Heruth
Daniel P
DP
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
Hawkins
Troy
T
Logsdon
Derek P
DP
Gibson
Margaret I
MI
Sokolovsky
Inna V
IV
Nsumu
Ndona N
NN
Major
Stephanie L
SL
Fegley
Barbara
B
Woods
Gerald M
GM
Lewing
Karen B
KB
Neville
Kathleen A
KA
Cornetta
Kenneth
K
Peterson
Kenneth R
KR
White
Robert A
RA
D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D013103:Spherocytosis, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; C080774:erythroid Kruppel-like factor