Differential Effects of Mutations of Popeye Domain Containing Proteins on Heteromeric Interaction and Membrane Trafficking
Authors: Swan Alexander H. , Schindler Roland F.R. , Savarese Marco , Mayer Isabelle , Rinné Susanne , Bleser Felix , Schänzer Anne , Hahn Andreas , Sabatelli Mario , Perna Francesco , Chapman Kathryn , Pfuhl Mark , Spivey Alan C. , Decher Niels , Udd Bjarne , Tasca Giorgio , Brand Thomas 
Published: October 2022

Background

The Popeye domain containing (POPDC) genes encode sarcolemma-localised cAMP effector proteins. Mutations inBVES (POPDC1)andPOPDC2have been associated with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and cardiac arrhythmia. Muscle biopsies of affected patients display impaired membrane trafficking of both POPDC isoforms.

Methods

Biopsy material of patients carrying mutations inBVESwere immunostained with POPDC antibodies. The interaction of POPDC proteins was investigated by co-precipitation, proximity ligation, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Site-directed mutagenesis was utilised to map the domains involved in protein interaction.

Findings

Patients carrying a novel homozygous variant,BVES(c.547G>T, p.V183F) displayed only a skeletal muscle pathology and a mild impairment of membrane trafficking of both POPDC isoforms. This is in contrast to variants such asBVESp.Q153X orPOPDC2p.W188X, which were associated with a greater impairment of membrane trafficking. Co-transfection analysis in HEK293 cells revealed that POPDC proteins interact with each other through a helix-helix interface located at the C-terminus of the Popeye domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of an array of ultra-conserved hydrophobic residues demonstrated that some of them are required for membrane trafficking of the POPDC1-POPDC2 complex.

Interpretation

Mutations in POPDC proteins that cause an impairment in membrane localisation affect POPDC complex formation while mutations which leave the protein interaction intact likely affect some other essential function of POPDC proteins.

Funding

This study was funded by an EPSRC/British Heart Foundation co-funded Imperial Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) PhD studentship (EP/S023518/1), a project grant of the British Heart Foundation (PG19/13/34247) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DE1482/9-1).

Research in Context

Evidence before this study

Several biallelic missense and nonsense variants inBVES (POPDC1)have been described and are associated with heart and skeletal muscle disease. Skeletal muscle biopsies of homozygous carriers of these variants display a loss of sarcolemmal localisation of POPDC1 and POPDC2.

Added value of this study

We demonstrate that POPDC1 and POPDC2 form a heteromeric complex and that complex formation is required for plasma membrane trafficking of POPDC proteins. Transfection of different disease variants in HEK293 cells replicates their defective membrane targeting observed in biopsy material. Structural modelling and site-directed mutagenesis identifies an interface of strongly conserved hydrophobic residues in POPDC proteins, which likely mediate the interaction of POPDC proteins.

Implications of all the available evidence

These data provide novel insight into the membrane targeting requirements of POPDC proteins. We recommend testing the membrane targeting properties of any novel variant in POPDC isoforms using a newly developed co-transfection assay in HEK293 cells to characterise its pathogenicity. Our novel insight into the requirement of heterodimerization for proper membrane targeting may also offer novel opportunities to treat patients carrying mutations in POPDC proteins.