Cellular and molecular biology of neuronal dystonin

Neuronal dystonin isoforms are giant cytoskeletal cross-linking proteins capable of interacting with actin and microtubule networks, protein complexes, membrane-bound organelles and cellular membranes. In the neuromuscular system, dystonin proteins are involved in maintaining cytoarchitecture integrity and have more recently been ascribed roles in other cellular processes such as organelle structure and intracellular transport. Loss of dystonin expression in mice results in a profound sensory ataxia termed dystonia musculorum (dt), which is attributed to the degeneration of sensory nerves. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the dystonin gene, the structure of encoded proteins, biological functions of neuronal dystonin isoforms, and known roles of dystonin in dt pathogenesis and human disease.