A basement membrane discovery pipeline uncovers network complexity, new regulators, and human disease associations

Genomics England Research Consortium

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Basement membranes (BMs) are ubiquitous extracellular matrices whose composition remains elusive, limiting our understanding of BM regulation and function. By developing a bioinformatic and in vivo discovery pipeline, we define a network of 222 human proteins and their animal orthologs localized to BMs. Network analysis and screening in C. elegans and zebrafish identified new BM regulators, including ADAMTS, ROBO, and TGFb. More than 100 BM-network genes associate with human phenotypes and by screening 63,039 genomes from families with rare disorders, we discovered loss-of-function variants in LAMA5, MPZL2, and MATN2, and show they regulate BM composition and function. This cross-disciplinary study establishes the immense complexity and role of BMs in human health.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbereabn2265
Number of pages19
JournalScience Advances
Volume8
Issue number20
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 May 2022

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Basement Membrane/metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix/genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism
  • Humans
  • Zebrafish/genetics

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