Cryo-EM structures of the membrane repair protein dysferlin

Abstract Plasma membrane repair in response to damage is essential for cell viability. The ferlin family protein dysferlin plays a key role in Ca2+-dependent membrane repair in striated muscles. Mutations in dysferlin lead to a spectrum of diseases known as dysferlinopathies. The lack of a structure...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hsiang-Ling Huang, Giovanna Grandinetti, Sarah M. Heissler, Krishna Chinthalapudi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53773-6
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Summary:Abstract Plasma membrane repair in response to damage is essential for cell viability. The ferlin family protein dysferlin plays a key role in Ca2+-dependent membrane repair in striated muscles. Mutations in dysferlin lead to a spectrum of diseases known as dysferlinopathies. The lack of a structure of dysferlin and other ferlin family members has impeded a mechanistic understanding of membrane repair mechanisms and the development of therapies. Here, we present the cryo-EM structures of the full-length human dysferlin monomer and homodimer at 2.96 Å and 4.65 Å resolution. These structures define the architecture of dysferlin, ferlin family-specific domains, and homodimerization mechanisms essential to function. Furthermore, biophysical and cell biology studies revealed how missense mutations in dysferlin contribute to disease mechanisms. In summary, our study provides a framework for the molecular mechanisms of dysferlin and the broader ferlin family, offering a foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at treating dysferlinopathies.
ISSN:2041-1723