The ubiquitin ligase UBE3B, disrupted in intellectual disability and absent speech, regulates metabolic pathways by targeting BCKDK.

ABSTRACT: Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome (KOS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability and lack of speech. KOS is caused by inactivating mutations in UBE3B, but the underlying biological mechanisms are completely unknown. We found that loss of Ube3b in mice resulted in growth retardation, decreased grip strength, and loss of vocalization. The brains of Ube3b^-/- mice had hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, enlarged ventricles, and decreased thickness of the somatosensory cortex. Ube3b^-/- cortical neurons had abnormal dendritic morphology and synapses. We identified 22 UBE3B interactors and found that branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) is an in vivo UBE3B substrate. Since BCKDK targets

SUBMITTER: Cheon S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6397573 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature