PUBLICATION

Genetic inactivation of FAAP100 causes Fanconi anemia due to disruption of the monoubiquitin ligase core complex

Authors
Kuehl, J., Xue, Y., Yuan, F., Ramanagoudr-Bhojappa, R., Pickel, S., Kalb, R., Chandrasekharappa, S.C., Wang, W., Zhang, Y., Schindler, D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250416-5
Date
2025
Source
The Journal of Clinical Investigation : (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Cell biology, DNA repair, Genetic instability, Genetics, Monogenic diseases
MeSH Terms
none
PubMed
40232843 Full text @ Journal of Clin. Invest.
Abstract
The Fanconi anemia (FA)/BRCA DNA repair network promotes the removal of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) to counteract their devastating consequences, including oncogenesis. Network signaling is initiated by the FA core complex, which consists of seven authentic FA proteins and an FA-associated protein, FAAP100, with incompletely characterized roles and unknown disease associations. Upon activation, the FA core complex functions as a multiprotein E3 ubiquitin ligase centered on its catalytic module, the FANCB-FANCL-FAAP100 (BLP100) subcomplex, for FANCD2 and FANCI monoubiquitylation. Here, we identified a homozygous variant in FAAP100, c.1642A>C, predicting p.(T542P), in a fetus with malformations suggestive of FA. The mutation causes sensitivity to ICL-inducing agents in cells from the affected individual and genetically engineered, FAAP100-inactivated human, avian, zebrafish, and mouse cells. All FAAP100-deficient cell types were rescued by ectopic expression of wild-type FAAP100, but not FAAP100T542P. In a confirmatory animal model, customized Faap100-/- mice exhibit embryonic lethality, microsomia, malformations, and gonadal atrophy resembling mice with established FA subtypes. Mechanistically, FAAP100T542P impairs ligase activity by preventing BLP100 subcomplex formation, resulting in defective FAAP100T542P nuclear translocation and chromatin recruitment. FAAP100 dysfunction that disrupts the FA pathway and impairs genomic maintenance, together with FAconsistent human manifestations, recommends FAAP100 as a legitimate FA gene, FANCY.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping