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The mitochondrion is an essential cell organelle known as the powerhouse of the cell. Mitochondrial ribosomal proteins (MRPs) are nuclear encoded, synthesised in the cytoplasm but perform their main functions in the mitochondria, which includes translation, transcription, cell death and maintenance. However, MRPs have also been implicated in cancer, particularly advanced disease and metastasis across a broad range of cancer types, where they play a central role in cell survival and progression. For some, their altered expression has been investigated as potential prognostic markers, and/or therapeutic targets, which is the focus of this review. Several therapies targeting MRPs are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for use in other diseases, revealing the opportunity for repurposing their use in advanced and metastatic cancer. Herein, we review the evidence supporting key MRPs as molecular drivers of advanced disease in multiple cancer types. We also highlight promising avenues for future use of MRPs as precision targets in the treatment of late-stage cancers for which there are currently very limited effective treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variants in the two lens-expressed gap junction genes GJA3 and GJA8 are among the most common causes of inherited pediatric cataract. These two genes alone account for up to 18% of the cases, second only to the crystallin gene family. All published cataract-associated variants in the GJA3 and GJA8 genes were reviewed for a role in pediatric cataract. Autosomal dominant inheritance was most frequently reported, alongside instances of reduced penetrance and autosomal recessive disease. Variant curation using the ACMG-AMP guidelines identified that many variants do not meet the modern standards for clinical interpretation of pathogenicity. There is broad phenotypic heterogeneity of cataract associated with gap junction gene variants. Pathogenic variants are located throughout both proteins with an enrichment in the N-terminal, first two transmembrane domains, and two extracellular loops. Nearly half the gap junction gene variants observed in cataract patients lack sufficient evidence of pathogenicity to form a useful clinical opinion. For many variants, this may be rectified over time as the variant is observed in additional patients but would be vastly accelerated by the generation of well-characterized and standardized functional data evaluating the specific effect of each variant on protein function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zebrafish are an outstanding model for assessing the involvement of genes in paediatric cataracts. Gene discovery for cataracts is enhanced by manipulation of the genome of zebrafish embryos and comparing the phenotypes of mutant progeny with the wildtype embryos. However, wildtype laboratory fish can also develop cataracts, potentially confounding the results. In this study, we compared the baseline cataract rate between two commonly used wildtype laboratory strains, AB and TL, and also an outbred transgenic line with mCherry reporter. We assessed a total of 805 lens images of fish at 4 days post-fertilisation for cataracts and scored each cataract observed as mild, moderate or severe. We found that the AB strain had a cataract rate of 16.2%, TL had 8.9%, and mCherry had 0.7% and these rates were significantly different. We found that TL strain had a lower rate of mild cataracts than AB fish, however, the rate of moderate and severe phenotypes in the AB and the TL strain was similar. Overall, we showed that the baseline cataract rate varies significantly between the strains housed in a single facility and conclude that baseline rates of cataracts should be assessed when planning experiments to assess the genetic causes of cataracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]