Targeted deletion of Ruvbl1 results in severe defects of epidermal development and perinatal mortality

Epidermal development is a complex process of regulated cellular proliferation, differentiation, and tightly controlled cell death involving multiple cellular signaling networks. Here, we report a first description linking the AAA+ (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) superfamily protein Ruvbl1 to mammalian epidermal development. Keratinocyte-specific Ruvbl1 knockout mice (Ruvbl1^fl/flK14:Cre^tg) show a severe phenotype including dramatic structural epidermal defects resulting in the loss of the functional skin barrier and perinatal death. Thus, Ruvbl1 is a newly identified essential player for the development of differentiated epidermis in mice.