Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

07:07
Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea
Published on: February 21, 2016
A huntingtin-HAP1-PCM1 pathway in ciliogenesis
1Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Expert Review of Proteomics
|February 2, 2012
Summary
Huntington's disease (HD) involves mutations in huntingtin (htt). This study reveals htt and HAP1 are crucial for ciliogenesis, with mutant htt disrupting this process and offering new insights into HD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine repeat expansion in the huntingtin (htt) protein.
- The precise mechanisms by which htt protein interactions contribute to HD pathogenesis are not fully understood.
- Ciliogenesis, the process of forming cilia, is essential for cellular function and has been implicated in various neurological conditions.
Discussion:
- This study investigates the role of huntingtin (htt) and HAP1 in regulating ciliogenesis.
- The research demonstrates that htt and HAP1 are critical for protein transport to the centrosome, a key organelle for ciliogenesis.
- Aberrant htt interactions disrupt normal ciliogenesis, suggesting a novel cellular mechanism contributing to HD.
Key Insights:
- Huntingtin (htt) interacts with PCM1 via HAP1 to regulate ciliogenesis.
- htt and HAP1 are essential for proper protein trafficking to the centrosome.
- Mutant htt leads to abnormal ciliogenesis, providing a new perspective on HD pathology.
Outlook:
- Further research into htt-protein interactions could reveal new therapeutic targets for Huntington's disease.
- Understanding the role of ciliogenesis in neurodegeneration may offer broader insights into other neurological disorders.
- Investigating the precise molecular mechanisms of htt's centrosome trafficking function is warranted.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microtubules in Signaling
The primary cilium, made up of microtubules, acts as antennae on the cell surfaces for relaying external stimuli into the cells. These fine hair-like structures are present, generally one per cell. These are non-motile cilia in a 9+0 microtubules arrangement, where the central pair of microtubules are absent. The primary cilia arise from the basal body embedded in the cell membrane. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) carries requisite proteins from the cytoplasm to the cilium because the primary...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...

