| First Author | Huang Q | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci | Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 2919-26 |
| PubMed ID | 19151380 | Mgi Jnum | J:154580 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4397564 | Doi | 10.1167/iovs.08-3070 |
| Citation | Huang Q, et al. (2009) Mechanism of cataract formation in alphaA-crystallin Y118D mutation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 50(6):2919-26 |
| abstractText | PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that lead to a dominant nuclear cataract in a mouse harboring the Y118D mutation in the alphaA-crystallin gene. METHODS: The physicochemical properties of alpha-crystallin obtained from mouse lenses with the Y118D mutation as well as a recombinant Y118D alphaA-crystallin were studied using gel filtration, two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, multi-angle light scattering, circular dichroism, fluorescence, and chaperone activities. RESULTS: Both native alpha-crystallin from mutant lens and recombinant alphaA-Y118D displayed higher molecular mass distribution than the wild-type. Circular dichroism spectra indicated changes in the secondary structures of alphaA-Y118D. The alphaA-Y118D protein prevented nonspecific protein aggregation more effectively than wild-type alphaA-crystallin. The gel filtration and 2D gel electrophoresis analysis showed a significant reduction of Y118D mutant protein in comparison with wild-type alphaA protein of heterozygous mutant lenses. Quantitative RT-PCR results confirmed a decrease in alphaA and alphaB transcripts in the homozygous mutant alpha A(Y118D/Y118D) lenses. CONCLUSIONS: The alphaA-Y118D mutant protein itself displays an increased chaperone-like activity. However, the dominant nuclear cataract is associated with a significant decrease in the amount of alphaA-crystallin, leading to a reduction in total chaperone capacity needed for maintaining lens transparency. |
