title: Structural analysis of X-linked retinoschisis mutations reveals distinct classes which differentially effect retinoschisin function.
abstract: Retinoschisin, an octameric retinal-specific protein, is essential for retinal architecture with mutations causing X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a monogenic form of macular degeneration. Most XLRS-associated mutations cause intracellular retention, however a subset are secreted as octamers and the cause of their pathology is ill-defined. Therefore, here we investigated the solution structure of the retinoschisin monomer and the impact of two XLRS-causing mutants using a combinatorial approach of biophysics and cryo-EM. The retinoschisin monomer has an elongated structure which persists in the octameric assembly. Retinoschisin forms a dimer of octamers with each octameric ring adopting a planar propeller structure. Comparison of the octamer with the hexadecamer structure indicated little conformational change in the retinoschisin octamer upon dimerization, suggesting that the octamer provides a stable interface for the construction of the hexadecamer. The H207Q XLRS-associated mutation was found in the interface between octamers and destabilized both monomeric and octameric retinoschisin. Octamer dimerization is consistent with the adhesive function of retinoschisin supporting interactions between retinal cell layers, so disassembly would prevent structural coupling between opposing membranes. In contrast, cryo-EM structural analysis of the R141H mutation at ∼4.2Å resolution was found to only cause a subtle conformational change in the propeller tips, potentially perturbing an interaction site. Together, these findings support distinct mechanisms of pathology for two classes of XLRS-associated mutations in the retinoschisin assembly.
authors: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.|School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Ewan P
authors: EP
authors: Ramsay
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Richard F
authors: RF
authors: Collins
authors: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.|School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Thomas W
authors: TW
authors: Owens
authors: Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Research Campus, UK.
authors: C Alistair
authors: CA
authors: Siebert
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Richard P O
authors: RPO
authors: Jones
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Wang
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Alan M
authors: AM
authors: Roseman
authors: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.|School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Clair
authors: C
authors: Baldock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011487:Protein Conformation; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D012160:Retina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D041441:Retinoschisis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; C108726:RS1 protein, human