hpo-1

Alterations in GFER gene have been associated with progressive mitochondrial myopathy, congenital cataracts, hearing loss, developmental delay, lactic acidosis and respiratory chain deficiency in 3 siblings born to consanguineous Moroccan parents by homozygosity mapping and candidate gene approach. Using homozygosity mapping, we discovered that a mutation in the GFER gene causes an infantile mitochondrial disorder.

GFER is a hepatotrophic growth factor and flavin-linked sulfhydryl oxidase which belongs to the Erv1 ALR family of proteins. GFER is widely expressed in various human tissues. They are two isoforms of this protein. Isoform 1 could regenerate the redox-active disulfide bonds in CHCHD4 MIA40, a chaperone essential for disulfide bond formation and protein folding in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. The reduced form of CHCHD4 MIA40 forms a transient intermolecular disulfide bridge with GFER ERV1, resulting in regeneration of the essential disulfide bonds in CHCHD4 MIA40, while GFER ERV1 becomes re-oxidized by donating electrons to cytochrome c or molecular oxygen. Isoform 2 may act as an autocrine hepatotrophic growth factor promoting liver regeneration. GFER could also induce the expression of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxyl-ase and ornithine decarboxylases (ODC). S-adenosylmethionine decarboxyl-ase and ornithine decarboxylases play an important role in the synthesis of polyamines.