Projects per year
Abstract
The muscular dystrophies encompass a broad range of pathologies with varied clinical outcomes. In the case of patients carrying defects in fukutin-related protein (FKRP), these diverse pathologies arise from mutations within the same gene. This is surprising as FKRP is a glycosyltransferase, whose only identified function is to transfer ribitol-5-phosphate to α-dystroglycan (α-DG). Although this modification is critical for extracellular matrix attachment, α-DG’s glycosylation status relates poorly to disease severity, suggesting the existence of unidentified FKRP targets. Here we reveal that FKRP directs sialylation of fibronectin, a process essential for collagen recruitment to the muscle basement membrane. Thus, our results reveal that FKRP simultaneously regulates the two major muscle-ECM linkages essential for fibre survival, and establishes a new disease axis for the muscular dystrophies.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 2951 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2021 |
Projects
- 4 Finished
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Genetic basis for skeletal muscle formation and regeneration in development and disease
Currie, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/18 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Defining the role of glycosylation in basement membrane failure during muscular dystrophy
Currie, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Packer, N. (Chief Investigator (CI))
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/17 → 31/12/20
Project: Research
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A Video-Rate Nanoscopy Facility for Super-Resolution Imaging
Lithgow, T. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Carroll, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Gleeson, P. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hanssen, E. G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hartland, E. L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hertzog, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Jans, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ramm, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Strugnell, R. A. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Australian Research Council (ARC), University of Melbourne, Monash University
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Research
Equipment
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Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM)
Sorrell, F. (Manager) & Miller, P. (Manager)
Office of the Vice-Provost (Research and Research Infrastructure)Facility/equipment: Facility
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Micromon
Coutts, S. (Manager)
Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences Research PlatformsFacility/equipment: Facility