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Although the ocular lens shares many features with other tissues, it is unique in that it retains its cells throughout life, making it ideal for studies of differentiation/development. Precipitation of proteins results in lens opacification, or cataract, the major blinding disease. Lysines on ubiquitin (Ub) determine fates of Ub-protein substrates. Information regarding ubiquitin proteasome systems (UPSs), specifically of K6 in ubiquitin, is undeveloped. We expressed in the lens a mutant Ub containing a K6W substitution (K6W-Ub). Protein profiles of lenses that express wild-type ubiquitin (WT-Ub) or K6W-Ub differ by only ∼2%. Despite these quantitatively minor differences, in K6W-Ub lenses and multiple model systems we observed a fourfold Ca(2+) elevation and hyperactivation of calpain in the core of the lens, as well as calpain-associated fragmentation of critical lens proteins including Filensin, Fodrin, Vimentin, β-Crystallin, Caprin family member 2, and tudor domain containing 7. Truncations can be cataractogenic. Additionally, we observed accumulation of gap junction Connexin43, and diminished Connexin46 levels in vivo and in vitro. These findings suggest that mutation of Ub K6 alters UPS function, perturbs gap junction function, resulting in Ca(2+) elevation, hyperactivation of calpain, and associated cleavage of substrates, culminating in developmental defects and a cataractous lens. The data show previously unidentified connections between UPS and calpain-based degradative systems and advance our understanding of roles for Ub K6 in eye development. They also inform about new approaches to delay cataract and other protein precipitation diseases.

Altered ubiquitin causes perturbed calcium homeostasis, hyperactivation of calpain, dysregulated differentiation, and cataract