Searching across hundreds of databases

Our searching services are busy right now. Your search will reload in five seconds.

X
Forgot Password

If you have forgotten your password you can enter your email here and get a temporary password sent to your email.

X
Forgot Password

If you have forgotten your password you can enter your email here and get a temporary password sent to your email.

BBS proteins interact genetically with the IFT pathway to influence SHH-related phenotypes.

Human molecular genetics | 2012

There are numerous genes for which loss-of-function mutations do not produce apparent phenotypes even though statistically significant quantitative changes to biological pathways are observed. To evaluate the biological meaning of small effects is challenging. Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a heterogeneous autosomal recessive disorder characterized by obesity, retinopathy, polydactyly, renal malformations, learning disabilities and hypogenitalism, as well as secondary phenotypes including diabetes and hypertension. BBS knockout mice recapitulate most human phenotypes including obesity, retinal degeneration and male infertility. However, BBS knockout mice do not develop polydacyly. Here we showed that the loss of BBS genes in mice result in accumulation of Smoothened and Patched 1 in cilia and have a decreased Shh response. Knockout of Bbs7 combined with a hypomorphic Ift88 allele (orpk as a model for Shh dysfuction) results in embryonic lethality with e12.5 embryos having exencephaly, pericardial edema, cleft palate and abnormal limb development, phenotypes not observed in Bbs7(-/-) mice. Our results indicate that BBS genes modulate Shh pathway activity and interact genetically with the intraflagellar transport (IFT) pathway to play a role in mammalian development. This study illustrates an effective approach to appreciate the biological significance of a small effect.

Pubmed ID: 22228099 RIS Download

Research resources used in this publication

None found

Additional research tools detected in this publication

Antibodies used in this publication

None found

Associated grants

  • Agency: NEI NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01EY017168
  • Agency: NEI NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01EY110298
  • Agency: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States

Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.

This is a list of tools and resources that we have found mentioned in this publication.


Proteintech Group (tool)

RRID:SCR_008986

Proteintech Europe Ltd is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company

View all literature mentions

HEK293T (tool)

RRID:CVCL_0063

Cell line HEK293T is a Transformed cell line with a species of origin Homo sapiens (Human)

View all literature mentions