Thomas Braulke

Dr. Thomas Braulke

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

34Years (1993-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 February 2019 in Science Advances
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Journal Article
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LBLauren Byrd-Leotis
Lauren Byrd-Leotis
NJNan Jia
Nan Jia
SDSucharita Dutta
Sucharita Dutta
JTJessica F. Trost
Jessica F. Trost
CGChao Gao
Chao Gao
Richard D. CummingsRichard D. Cummings
Richard D. Cummings
A novel array of human lung glycans reveals influenza A virus binding to phosphorylated as well as sialylated N-glycans.

7 October 2022 in Science
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CRChristopher M. Richards
Christopher M. Richards
SJSabrina Jabs
Sabrina Jabs
WQWenjie Qiao
Wenjie Qiao
LVLauren D. Varanese
Lauren D. Varanese
MSMichaela Schweizer
Michaela Schweizer
JCJan E. Carette
Jan E. Carette
Lysosomes are key degradative compartments of the cell. Transport to lysosomes relies on GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase–mediated tagging of soluble enzymes with mannose 6-phosphate (M6P). GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase deficiency leads to the severe lysosomal storage disorder mucolipidosis II (MLII). Several viruses require lysosomal cathepsins to cleave structural proteins and thus depend on functional GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. We used genome-scale CRISPR screens to identify lysosomal enzyme trafficking factor (LYSET, also named TMEM251) as essential for infection by cathepsin-dependent viruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). LYSET deficiency resulted in global loss of M6P tagging and mislocalization of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase from the Golgi complex to lysosomes. Lyset knockout mice exhibited MLII-like phenotypes, and human pathogenic LYSET alleles failed to restore lysosomal sorting defects. Thus, LYSET is required for correct functioning of the M6P trafficking machinery and mutations in LYSET can explain the phenotype of the associated disorder.

18 July 2023 in Trends in Cell Biology
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Journal Article
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TBThomas Braulke
Thomas Braulke
JCJan E. Carette
Jan E. Carette
WPWilhelm Palm
Wilhelm Palm

1 June 2019 in Journal of Biological Chemistry
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CSCarolin Schmidtke
Carolin Schmidtke
STStephan Tiede
Stephan Tiede
MTMelanie Thelen
Melanie Thelen
RKReijo Käkelä
Reijo Käkelä
SJSabrina Jabs
Sabrina Jabs
TBThomas Braulke
Thomas Braulke
Numerous lysosomal enzymes and membrane proteins are essential for the degradation of proteins, lipids, oligosaccharides, and nucleic acids. The CLN3 gene encodes a lysosomal membrane protein of unknown function, and CLN3 mutations cause the fatal neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder CLN3 (Batten disease) by mechanisms that are poorly understood. To define components critical for lysosomal homeostasis that are affected by this disease, here we quantified the lysosomal proteome in cerebellar cell lines derived from a CLN3 knock-in mouse model of human Batten disease and control cells. We purified lysosomes from SILAC-labeled, and magnetite-loaded cerebellar cells by magnetic separation and analyzed them by MS. This analysis identified 70 proteins assigned to the lysosomal compartment and 3 lysosomal cargo receptors, of which most exhibited a significant differential abundance between control and CLN3-defective cells. Among these, 28 soluble lysosomal proteins catalyzing the degradation of various macromolecules had reduced levels in CLN3-defective cells. We confirmed these results by immunoblotting and selected protease and glycosidase activities. The reduction of 11 lipid-degrading lysosomal enzymes correlated with reduced capacity for lipid droplet degradation and several alterations in the distribution and composition of membrane lipids. In particular, levels of lactosylceramides and glycosphingolipids were decreased in CLN3-defective cells, which were also impaired in the recycling pathway of the exocytic transferrin receptor. Our findings suggest that CLN3 has a crucial role in regulating lysosome composition and their function, particularly in degrading of sphingolipids, and, as a consequence, in membrane transport along the recycling endosome pathway.

1 September 2018 in Cell Reports
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Journal Article
Open access
JSJessica Schmiesing
Jessica Schmiesing
SSStephan Storch
Stephan Storch
ADAnn-Cathrin Dörfler
Ann-Cathrin Dörfler
MSMichaela Schweizer
Michaela Schweizer
GMGeorgia Makrypidi-Fraune
Georgia Makrypidi-Fraune
TBThomas Braulke
Thomas Braulke
Lysine glutarylation (Kglu) of mitochondrial proteins is associated with glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) deficiency, which impairs lysine/tryptophan degradation and causes destruction of striatal neurons during catabolic crisis with subsequent movement disability. By investigating the role of Kglu modifications in this disease, we compared the brain and liver glutarylomes of Gcdh-deficient mice. In the brain, we identified 73 Kglu sites on 37 mitochondrial proteins involved in various metabolic degradation pathways. Ultrastructural immunogold studies indicated that glutarylated proteins are heterogeneously distributed in mitochondria, which are exclusively localized in glial cells. In liver cells, all mitochondria contain Kglu-modified proteins. Glutarylation reduces the catalytic activities of the most abundant glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and the brain-specific carbonic anhydrase 5b and interferes with GDH-protein interactions. We propose that Kglu contributes to the functional heterogeneity of mitochondria and may metabolically adapt glial cells to the activity and metabolic demands of neighboring GCDH-deficient neurons.

15 October 2013 in EMBO Molecular Medicine
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KKKatrin Kollmann
Katrin Kollmann
JPJan Malte Pestka
Jan Malte Pestka
SKSonja Christin Kühn
Sonja Christin Kühn
ESElisabeth Schöne
Elisabeth Schöne
MSMichaela Schweizer
Michaela Schweizer
TSThorsten Schinke
Thorsten Schinke
Mucolipidosis type II (MLII) is a severe multi‐systemic genetic disorder caused by missorting of lysosomal proteins and the subsequent lysosomal storage of undegraded macromolecules. Although affected children develop disabling skeletal abnormalities, their pathogenesis is not understood. Here we report that MLII knock‐in mice, recapitulating the human storage disease, are runted with accompanying growth plate widening, low trabecular bone mass and cortical porosity. Intralysosomal deficiency of numerous acid hydrolases results in accumulation of storage material in chondrocytes and osteoblasts, and impaired bone formation. In osteoclasts, no morphological or functional abnormalities are detected whereas osteoclastogenesis is dramatically increased in MLII mice. The high number of osteoclasts in MLII is associated with enhanced osteoblastic expression of the pro‐osteoclastogenic cytokine interleukin‐6, and pharmacological inhibition of bone resorption prevented the osteoporotic phenotype of MLII mice. Our findings show that progressive bone loss in MLII is due to the presence of dysfunctional osteoblasts combined with excessive osteoclastogenesis. They further underscore the importance of a deep skeletal phenotyping approach for other lysosomal diseases in which bone loss is a prominent feature.