PUBLICATION

The P4-phospholipid flippase Atp11a is required for maintenance of eye and ear structure in zebrafish

Authors
Hawkey-Noble, A., Tobin, C., Ameen, M., Osmond, L., Gill, C., Bottaro, C.S., Young, T.L., French, C.R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250414-9
Date
2025
Source
Journal of Cell Science : (Journal)
Registered Authors
French, Curtis R.
Keywords
atp11a, Hair cell, Photoreceptor, Retinal pigment epithelium, Stereocilia, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/metabolism
  • Eye*/metabolism
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins*/genetics
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins*/metabolism
  • Larva
  • Mitochondria/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*/genetics
  • Zebrafish*/metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Animals
PubMed
40223426 Full text @ J. Cell Sci.
Abstract
The atp11a gene encodes a phospholipid flippase protein required to flip phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) from the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane to the inner leaflet. Mutations in ATP11A have been described in patients with sensorineural hearing loss and neurologic deterioration, however little is known regarding the mechanism by which loss of atp11a results in such phenotypes. To this end, we created loss of function atp11a mutant zebrafish to characterize potential disease states. We demonstrate that mutant atp11a zebrafish display a reduced number of stereocilia in the larval ear and a reduced number of hair cells in some sensory neuromasts, indicating that these fish represent an ideal model to study atp11a-attributable hearing loss. In addition, atp11a mutant zebrafish raised in a standard light cycle have reduced photoreceptor outer segments, the severity of which is lessened when mutant larvae are raised in the dark. Photoreceptors that do remain in homozygous atp11a mutants have undergone mitochondrial fission producing an increased number of mitochondria suggesting that defects in energy homeostasis may contribute to or result from outer segment degradation.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping