The Mammalian Family of Katanin Microtubule-Severing Enzymes

Nicole A Lynn; Emily Martinez; Hieu Nguyen; Jorge Z Torres

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.692040

The Mammalian Family of Katanin Microtubule-Severing Enzymes

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Aug 3:9:692040. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.692040. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Nicole A Lynn¹, Emily Martinez¹, Hieu Nguyen¹, Jorge Z Torres^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
² Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
³ Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Abstract

The katanin family of microtubule-severing enzymes is critical for cytoskeletal rearrangements that affect key cellular processes like division, migration, signaling, and homeostasis. In humans, aberrant expression, or dysfunction of the katanins, is linked to developmental, proliferative, and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review current knowledge on the mammalian family of katanins, including an overview of evolutionary conservation, functional domain organization, and the mechanisms that regulate katanin activity. We assess the function of katanins in dividing and non-dividing cells and how their dysregulation promotes impaired ciliary signaling and defects in developmental programs (corticogenesis, gametogenesis, and neurodevelopment) and contributes to neurodegeneration and cancer. We conclude with perspectives on future katanin research that will advance our understanding of this exciting and dynamic class of disease-associated enzymes.

Keywords: cell division; cilia; katanin; microtubule-based structures; microtubule-severing.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding