Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Analyzing Mitochondrial Transport and Morphology in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia
Published on: February 9, 2020
ACO2 homozygous missense mutation associated with complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia
Christian G Bouwkamp1, Zaid Afawi1, Aviva Fattal-Valevski1
1Department of Psychiatry (C.G.B., S.R., F.M.S.d.V., S.A.K.) and Department of Clinical Genetics (C.G.B., M.Q., G.J.B., H.B.B., V.B.), Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Sackler School of Medicine (Z.A., A.F.-V.), Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv; Pediatric Neurology Unit (A.F.-V.), Dana Children's Hospital, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Israel; Department of Molecular Pharmacology (I.E.K., A.M.D.), Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands; Clalit Health Services (R.M.), Sharon-Shomron, Hadera District; Faculty of Health Science (R.M.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva; Metabolic Disease Unit (H.M.), Meyer Children's Hospital, Rambam Health Care Campus and Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa; Nursing Research Unit (M.A.T.), Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Science, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel; Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (G.S.), PSL Research University, Neurogenetics Laboratory; Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière (G.S., A.B.), Sorbonne University, Pierre and Marie Curie University UMR_S1127, INSERM u1127, CNRS UMR5225, Paris, France; Center for Biomics (W.F.J.v.I.), Erasmus MC; Department of Epidemiology (M.W.V.) and Department of Radiology (M.W.V.), Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To identify the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a family affected with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP).
Methods:
Clinical, genetic, and functional analyses involving genome-wide linkage coupled to whole-exome sequencing in a consanguineous family with complicated HSP.
Results:
A homozygous missense mutation was identified in the ACO2 gene (c.1240T>G p.Phe414Val) that segregated with HSP complicated by intellectual disability and microcephaly. Lymphoblastoid cell lines of homozygous carrier patients revealed significantly decreased activity of the mitochondrial aconitase enzyme and defective mitochondrial respiration. ACO2 encodes mitochondrial aconitase, an essential enzyme in the Krebs cycle. Recessive mutations in this gene have been previously associated with cerebellar ataxia.
Conclusions:
Our findings nominate ACO2 as a disease-causing gene for autosomal recessive complicated HSP and provide further support for the central role of mitochondrial defects in the pathogenesis of HSP.
Related Concept Videos
Mutations
Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Viral Mutations
Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

