Abstract
Polyglutamine-induced neurodegeneration in transgenic mice carrying the spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) gene is modulated by subcellular distribution of ataxin-1 and by components of the protein folding/degradation machinery. Since phosphorylation is a prominent mechanism by which these processes are regulated, we examined phosphorylation of ataxin-1 and found that serine 776 (S776) was phosphorylated. Residue 776 appeared to affect cellular deposition of ataxin-1[82Q] in that ataxin-1[82Q]-A776 failed to form nuclear inclusions in tissue culture cells. The importance of S776 for polyglutamine-induced pathogenesis was examined by generating ataxin-1[82Q]-A776 transgenic mice. These mice expressed ataxin-1[82Q]-A776 within Purkinje cell nuclei, yet the ability of ataxin-1[82Q]-A776 to induce disease was substantially reduced. These studies demonstrate that polyglutamine tract expansion and localization of ataxin-1 to the nucleus of Purkinje cells are not sufficient to induce disease. We suggest that S776 of ataxin-1 also has a critical role in SCA1 pathogenesis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 375-387 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Neuron |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 8 2003 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank C. Byam and C. Forster for their technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the National Ataxia Foundation (M.D.K.), the Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center (M.D.K.), and NS22920 (H.T.O. and H.B.C.) and NS27699 (H.Y.Z.) from the NINDS/NIH. H.Y.Z. is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.