MLYCD mutation analysis: evidence for protein mistargeting as a cause of MLYCD deficiency

Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MLYCD) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by malonic aciduria, developmental delay, seizure disorder, hypoglycemia, and cardiomyopathy. Genomic sequencing of MLYCD in nine unrelated patients identified 16 of 18 pathogenic alleles, which are documented in the newly created Human MLYCD Allelic Variant Database (http://mlycd.hgu.mrc.ac.uk/). Fibroblast cell lines were available from eight of these patients and two previously reported patients with homozygous MLYCD mutations. Western blot analysis using antisera raised to a C-terminal peptide detected a 66-kDa band that was absent in six patients and substantially reduced in three patients. One patient showed an increase in protein levels with a prominent smeary 68-l83-kDa band. Immunocytochemical analysis of MLYCD-expressing patient cell lines showed apparent intracellular mislocalization. An extreme N-terminal mutation c.8G>A (p.G3D) mislocalized to the plasma membrane, suggesting that a novel targeting signal may reside in a four-amino acid conserved N-terminal motif. A 25-base deletion between the putative mitochondrial and peroxisomal initiating codons (M1 and M40) and a point mutation ablating the second of these (c.119T>C, p.M40T) both showed punctate perinuclear staining. As none of the three mislocalizing mutations are predicted to alter the catalytic function of the peptide, it seems likely that correct subcellular localization of MLYCD is critical for it to function normally.