GARS1

Last update 08 May 2025

Basic Info

Synonyms

Ap4A synthetase, CMT2D, Diadenosine tetraphosphate synthetase

+ [8]

Introduction

Catalyzes the ATP-dependent ligation of glycine to the 3'-end of its cognate tRNA, via the formation of an aminoacyl-adenylate intermediate (Gly-AMP) (PubMed:17544401, PubMed:24898252, PubMed:28675565). Also produces diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A), a universal pleiotropic signaling molecule needed for cell regulation pathways, by direct condensation of 2 ATPs. Thereby, may play a special role in Ap4A homeostasis (PubMed:19710017).

100 Clinical Results associated with GARS1

100 Translational Medicine associated with GARS1

0 Patents (Medical) associated with GARS1

732

Literatures (Medical) associated with GARS1

01 Jun 2025·Molecular Metabolism

Molecular correlates of glycine receptor activity in human β cells

Article

Author: Ellis, Cara E ; MacDonald, Patrick E ; Schukarucha Gomes, Amanda ; Maghera, Jasmine ; Dos Santos, Theodore ; Spigelman, Aliya F ; Suzuki, Kunimasa

OBJECTIVESGlycine acts in an autocrine positive feedback loop in human β cells through its ionotropic receptors (GlyRs). In type 2 diabetes (T2D), islet GlyR activity is impaired by unknown mechanisms. We sought to investigate if the GlyR dysfunction in T2D is replicated by hyperglycemia per se, and to further characterize its action in β cells and islets.METHODSGlyR-mediated currents were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp in human β cells from donors with or without T2D, or after high glucose (15 mM) culture. We also correlated glycine-induced current amplitude with transcript expression levels through patch-seq. The expression of the GlyR α1, α3, and β subunit mRNA splice variants was compared between islets from donors with and without T2D, and after high glucose culture. Insulin secretion from human islets was measured in the presence or absence of the GlyR antagonist strychnine.RESULTSAlthough gene expression of GlyRs was decreased in T2D islets, and β cell GlyR-mediated currents were smaller, we found no evidence for a shift in GlyR subunit splicing. Glycine-induced currents are also reduced after 48 h culture of islets from donors without diabetes in high glucose, where we also find the reduction of the α1 subunit expression, but an increase in the α3 subunit. We discovered that glycine-evoked currents are highly heterogeneous amongst β cells, inversely correlate with donor HbA1c, and are significantly correlated to the expression of 92 different transcripts and gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that include CREB3(+), RREB1(+) and ZNF697(+). Finally, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is decreased in the presence of the GlyR antagonist strychnine.CONCLUSIONSWe demonstrate that glucose can modulate GlyR expression, and that the current decrease in T2D is likely due to the receptor gene expression downregulation, and not a change in transcript splicing. Moreover, we define a previously unknown set of genes and regulons that are correlated to GlyR-mediated currents and could be involved in GlyR downregulation in T2D. Among those we validate the negative correlation between EIF4EBP1 expression and GlyR activity.

22 Apr 2025·JCI Insight

Glycine receptor activation promotes pancreatic islet cell proliferation via the PI3K/mTORC1/p70S6K pathway

Article

Author: Bhattacharjee, Alpana ; Zhang, Ziyi ; Singh, Ishnoor ; Untereiner, Ashley ; Ye, Wenyue W ; Dai, Feihan F ; Wheeler, Michael B ; Wang, Dian-Shi ; Lyons, Sulayman A ; Beaudry, Jacqueline L ; Piro, Anthony L ; Orser, Beverley A

Glycine and β-alanine activate glycine receptors (GlyRs), with glycine known to enhance insulin secretion from pancreatic islet β cells, primarily through GlyR activation. However, the effects of GlyR activation on β cell proliferation have not been examined. Here, we aim to investigate the potential proliferative effects of glycine and β-alanine on islets. In vitro experiments on mouse and human islets revealed that glycine and β-alanine, via GlyR activation, stimulated the proliferation of β cells and α cells, without affecting insulin or glucagon secretion. Further analysis indicated the involvement of the PI3K/mTORC1/p70S6K signaling pathway in this process. Inhibition of GlyRs and PI3K/mTORC1/p70S6K signaling attenuated proliferative effects of glycine and β-alanine. In vivo and ex vivo studies supported these findings, showing increased β and α cell mass after 12 weeks of oral administration of glycine and β-alanine, with no changes in insulin secretion or glucose homeostasis under normal conditions. However, during an acute insulin resistance induced by insulin receptor antagonist S961, glycine and β-alanine enhanced insulin secretion and reduced blood glucose levels by increasing β cell secretory capacity. These findings demonstrate glycine and β-alanine in vivo and in vitro promote islet cell proliferation via GlyR activation and the PI3K/mTORC1/p70S6K pathway, potentially providing a target to enhance islet capacity.

20 Mar 2025·Nucleic Acids Research

Glycyl-tRNA sequestration is a unifying mechanism underlying GARS1-associated peripheral neuropathy

Article

Author: Mora, Natalia ; Mallik, Moushami ; van Bakel, Nick ; Ignatova, Zoya ; Lewandowski, Vanessa ; Slot, Erik F J ; Storkebaum, Erik ; Sijlmans, Céline ; Menafra, Maria P ; van Lith, Pascal

AbstractDominantly inherited mutations in eight cytosolic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes cause hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, characterized by degeneration of peripheral motor and sensory axons. We previously identified a pathogenic gain-of-toxic function mechanism underlying peripheral neuropathy (PN) caused by heterozygous mutations in the GARS1 gene, encoding glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS). Specifically, PN-mutant GlyRS variants sequester tRNAGly, which depletes the cellular tRNAGly pool, leading to insufficient glycyl-tRNAGly available to the ribosome and consequently ribosome stalling at glycine codons. Given that GlyRS functions as a homodimer, a subset of PN-GlyRS mutations might alternatively cause peripheral neuropathy through a dominant negative loss-of-function mechanism. To explore this possibility, we here generated three novel PN-GlyRS Drosophila models expressing human PN-GlyRS (hGlyRS) variants that do not alter the overall GlyRS protein charge (S211F and H418R) or the single reported PN-GlyRS variant that renders the GlyRS protein charge more negative (K456Q). High-level expression of hGlyRS-K456Q did not induce peripheral neuropathy and the K456Q variant does not affect aminoacylation activity, suggesting that K456Q is not a pathogenic mutation. Expression of hGlyRS-S211F or hGlyRS-H418R in Drosophila did induce peripheral neuropathy and de novo protein synthesis defects. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that these phenotypes were attributable to tRNAGly sequestration rather than a dominant negative mechanism. Our data identify tRNAGly sequestration as a unifying pathogenic mechanism underlying PN-GlyRS. Thus, elevating tRNAGly levels may constitute a therapeutic approach for all PN-GlyRS patients, irrespective of their disease-causing mutation.

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GARS1

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