Molecular dissection of ALS-linked TDP-43 - involvement of the Gly-rich domain in interaction with G-quadruplex mRNA

TDP-43 is the major pathogenic protein of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Previously, we identified that TDP-43 interacts with G-quadruplex (G4)-containing RNA and is involved in their long-distance transport in neurons. For the molecular dissection of the TDP-43 and G4-RNA interaction, we analyzed it here in vitro and in cultured cells using a set of 10 mutant TDP-43 proteins from familial and sporadic ALS patients as well as using the TDP-43 C-terminal Gly-rich domain alone. Our results altogether indicate the involvement of the Gly-rich region of TDP-43 in the initial recognition and binding of G4-RNA, which then induces tight binding of TDP-43 with target RNAs, supposedly in conjunction with its RNA recognition motifs.