Cilia are critical to numerous biological functions, both in development and everyday homeostatic processes. Diseases arising from genetic mutations that cause cilia dysfunction are termed ciliopathies. Several ubiquitously expressed splicing factors have been implicated in the condition Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a group of diseases characterised by the progressive degeneration of the retina. In many types of RP the disease affects the modified primary cilium of the photoreceptor cells and thus, these types of RP are considered ciliopathies. Here, we discuss sequence variants found within a number of these splicing factors, the resulting phenotypes, and the mechanisms underpinning disease pathology. Additionally, we discuss recent evidence investigating why RP patients with mutations in globally expressed splicing factors present with retina-specific phenotypes.
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Cover Image
Cover Image
Depicted as playing cards belonging to the same suit, the paralogous MLL3 and MLL4 lysine methyltransferase (KMT) complexes share a common set of core and auxiliary subunits as well as similar histone methylase functions. On each card, largely divergent processes are described on opposing sides – highlighting the potential capacity of these KMT complexes to participate in both tumor-supportive and tumor-suppressive mechanisms. To understand how MLL3 and MLL4 can regulate such diverse and sometimes contrasting processes, read more in this review article by Wang and colleagues (pp. 1041–1054). Cover artwork created by Marvin Aberin with Biorender.com.
The role of splicing factors in retinitis pigmentosa: links to cilia
Dale W. Maxwell, Raymond T. O'Keefe, Sudipto Roy, Kathryn E. Hentges; The role of splicing factors in retinitis pigmentosa: links to cilia. Biochem Soc Trans 30 June 2021; 49 (3): 1221–1231. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20200798
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