α-Synuclein is part of a diverse and highly conserved interaction network that includes PARK9 and manganese toxicity

Abstract

Susan Lindquist and colleagues report a genetic interaction between α-synuclein and the ortholog of human ATP13A2 (PARK9) in yeast, two genes that when mutated cause Parkinson's disease. They further show that yeast PARK9 protects cells from manganese toxicity, a known environmental risk factor for Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, collectively referred to as synucleinopathies, are associated with a diverse group of genetic and environmental susceptibilities. The best studied of these is PD. α-Synuclein (α-syn) has a key role in the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic PD, but evidence linking it to other predisposition factors is limited. Here we report a strong genetic interaction between α-syn and the yeast ortholog of the PD-linked gene ATP13A2 (also known as PARK9). Dopaminergic neuron loss caused by α-syn overexpression in animal and neuronal PD models is rescued by coexpression of PARK9. Further, knockdown of the ATP13A2 ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans enhances α-syn misfolding. These data provide a direct functional connection between α-syn and another PD susceptibility locus. Manganese exposure is an environmental risk factor linked to PD and PD-like syndromes. We discovered that yeast PARK9 helps to protect cells from manganese toxicity, revealing a connection between PD genetics (α-syn and PARK9) and an environmental risk factor (PARK9 and manganese). Finally, we show that additional genes from our yeast screen, with diverse functions, are potent modifiers of α-syn–induced neuron loss in animals, establishing a diverse, highly conserved interaction network for α-syn.