Discussion post: The inner life of the cell

“The Inner Life of the Cell” at https://youtu.be/QplXd76lAYQ.

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Hi

I have chosen FGNL2 : fidgetin like 2. I chose this gene because I found the part of the video that discussed how the actin filaments and microtubule filaments contribute to the structure of the cell rather interesting. The filaments are constantly being polymerized and then cut to influence the shape and structure of the cell as needed. FGNL2 codes for the protein fgnl2, fidgetin-like 2. It is located on the long arm of chromosome 12, location: 12q13.13. It is predicted to enable microtubule severing ATPase activity and cytoplasmic microtubule organization. (Fignl2 fidgetin like 2 [homo sapiens (human)] – gene – NCBI 2022)

Fidgetin is a microtuble severing protein. Dong et al (2021) researched what other effects fidgetin had besides microtuble severing. They performed the experiments on zebrafish, using CRISPR/Cas9 editing to create mutant versions of Fign, Fignl1, and Fignl2, with frameshift mutations, which resulted in a loss-of-function mutation. Among many results they obtained, one of interest was that while Fign, Fignl1, and Fignl2 are all expressed in endothelial cells, the loss of function of Fignl2 led to defects such as pericardial edema, reduced heart rate, and reduced swimming velocity (Dong et al., 2021). They also discovered the mutation in Fignl2 led to abnormal vascular branching, which demonstrated that this gene/protein is important in proper cellular branching.