Polyglutamine-binding protein 1 (PQBP1) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PQBP1 gene. [5] [6] [7]
Polyglutamine binding protein-1, which was identified as a binding protein to the polyglutamine tract sequence, [5] [7] is an evolutionally conserved protein [8] expressed in various tissues including developmental [9] and adult brains [7] or mesodermal tissues. [10] In cells, PQBP1 is dominantly located in the nucleus [7] [11] but also in the cytoplasm dependently on the cell type [12] and stress conditions. [13] PQBP1 has recently been found to play a role in the innate immune response of dendritic cells. [14]
It should be of note that PQBP1 has no relationship with QBP1, an artificial synthetic peptide.
PQBP1 is a nuclear polyglutamine-binding protein that contains a WW domain. [7] [15]
The molecular roles of PQBP1 are mainly in mRNA splicing [16] [17] and transcription. [11] [18] PQBP1 interacts with splicing proteins [19] [20] [21] [22] and RNA-binding proteins. [23] [24] PQBP1 deficiency critically affects mRNA splicing of cell cycle and synapse related genes. [16] Recent results indicated implication of PQBP1 in cytoplasmic RNA metabolism [25] and elongation of protein translation from mRNA. [26] Research also seems to suggest that PQBP1 also plays a role in the innate immune system as a necessary adaptor for the cGAS-mediated innate response to lentiviruses such as HIV1. This PQBP-1 dependent response initiates a sensor that detects lentiviral DNA. [27]
Mutations in the PQBP1 gene, which encodes for this protein, have been known to cause X-linked intellectual disabilities (XLID), commonly referred to as Renpenning's syndrome. [28] Recent studies indicate that PQBP-1 interaction with TXNL4A is missing in patients with frameshift mutations causing Renpenning's syndrome. PQBP-1 seems to facilitate the nuclear import of TXNL4A, however the biological function of that interaction requires further investigation. [29] People who suffer from these disabilities share a common set of symptoms including: microcephaly, shortened stature and impaired intellectual development. [30] There are 11 types of mutations that have been identified, but the most common being frameshift mutations. [28] [31] Other syndromic XLIDs such as Golabi-Ito-Hall syndrome and non-syndromic ID patients were also associated with PQBP1 gene mutations. [32] [33] [34]
Mutant Ataxin-1 and Huntingtin, disease proteins of spinocerebellar ataxia type-1 and Huntington's disease respectively, interact with PQBP1 and disturbed the functions of PQBP1. [11] [35] Moreover, recent investigations revealed pathological roles of PQBP1 in neurons [36] and microglia [12] under neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease and tauopathy. SRRM2 phosphorylation detected in neurons at the early stage of Alzheimer's disease pathology [37] leads to reduction of SRRM2, a scaffold protein for RNA metabolism related molecules in the nucleus, which causes reduction of PQBP1 in the nucleus and acquired intellectual disability. [36] PQBP1 was shown as an intracellular receptor for HIV1 in dendritic cells [38] for innate immune system. Recent studies indicate that PQBP1 recognizes intact capsids of HIV-1 particles. It interacts with these capsids through its amino-terminus, and when capsid disassembles it triggers the PQBP-1 dependent recruitment of cGAS. This is crucial to activating the sensor that detects HIV-1 DNA as soon as synthesis is initiated. [27] Similarly, PQBP1 functions as an intracellular receptor for tau proteins and trigger brain inflammation. [12]
Mouse models of knockdown and conditional knockout were generated, and they showed cognitive impairment and microcephaly. [39] [16] The KD mice possess a transgene expressing 498 bp double-strand RNA that is endogenously cleaved to siRNA suppressing PQBP1 efficiently, and did not show obvious developmental abnormality. [39] Another knockdown model of the gene in mouse embryo primary neurons revealed a decrease in splicing efficiency and resulted in abnormal gastrulation and neuralation patterning. [10]
Drosophila models of underexpression and overexpression were also generated. [40] [41] The hypomorph Drosophila model revealed molecular function of PQBP1 in learning acquisition mediated by decreased mRNA and protein expressions of NMDA receptor subunit NR1. [40] Research indicates that in order to appropriately function, the protein must be expressed within a critical range. [42] [10]
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Renpenning's syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder recognised in males that causes intellectual disability, mild growth retardation with examples in the testes and head, and a somewhat short stature. The condition only affects males, starting at birth.