Deletions in the polyAlanine-containing transcription factor FOXL2 lead to intranuclear aggregation

Hum Mol Genet. 2005 Dec 1;14(23):3557-64. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddi383. Epub 2005 Oct 11.

Abstract

Mutations of FOXL2, a gene encoding a forkhead transcription factor, have been shown to cause the blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome. This genetic disorder is characterized by eyelid and craniofacial abnormalities associated or not with premature ovarian failure. We have previously shown that mutant FOXL2 with an expanded polyAlanine (polyAla) tract forms large aggregates both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm of transfected cells, whereas the wild-type protein localizes in the nucleus in a rather diffuse manner. Premature stop codons in FOXL2 have been considered so far as null alleles. However, we demonstrate here that such nonsense mutations may lead to the production of N-terminally truncated proteins by re-initiation of translation downstream of the stop codon. Surprisingly, the truncated proteins strongly aggregate in the nucleus, partially localize in the cytoplasm and retain a fraction of the wild-type protein. We also show that a complete deletion of the polyAla tract of FOXL2 induces a significant intranuclear aggregation. Our results enlarge the spectrum of mutations inducing FOXL2 aggregation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Nucleus / chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Codon, Nonsense / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / chemistry
  • Eyelid Diseases / genetics
  • Forkhead Box Protein L2
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / analysis
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Peptides / genetics*
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion*
  • Solubility

Substances

  • Codon, Nonsense
  • FOXL2 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein L2
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Peptides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • polyalanine