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Tau proteins with FTDP-17 mutations have a reduced ability to promote microtubule assembly
Hasegawa M, Smith MJ, Goedert M.. FEBS letters, 1998-10-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Recently exonic and intronic mutations in the gene for microtubule-associated protein tau have been discovered in cases of familial frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). Intronic mutations have been shown to lead to an abnormal preponderance of four-repeat tau isoforms. The effects of the exonic mutations are unknown. We report here that the G272V, P301L, V337M and R406W mutations lead to a marked reduction in the ability of tau to promote microtubule assembly. This partial loss-of-function may be the primary effect of the known missense mutations in tau.
Key findings
- Recently exonic and intronic mutations in the gene for microtubule-associated protein tau have been discovered in cases of familial frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17).
- Intronic mutations have been shown to lead to an abnormal preponderance of four-repeat tau isoforms.
- The effects of the exonic mutations are unknown.
- We report here that the G272V, P301L, V337M and R406W mutations lead to a marked reduction in the ability of tau to promote microtubule assembly.
- This partial loss-of-function may be the primary effect of the known missense mutations in tau.
Why it matters
The tau mutations G272V, P301L, V337M, and R406W each markedly reduced tau's ability to promote microtubule assembly in this laboratory study. This partial loss of function is proposed as a possible primary effect of these missense mutations, but no treatment or prevention is tested.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (FEBS letters) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | FEBS Letters: journal h-index 393 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1998 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 485 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.2 citations a year over 30 year(s) since 1998 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 20.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 19 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 28 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Michel Goedert: h-index 147 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Medical Research Council: institution h-index 1,249 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9824291) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hasegawa, M., Smith, M. J., & Goedert, M. (1998). Tau proteins with FTDP-17 mutations have a reduced ability to promote microtubule assembly. FEBS letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01217-4
Vancouver
Hasegawa M, Smith MJ, Goedert M. Tau proteins with FTDP-17 mutations have a reduced ability to promote microtubule assembly. FEBS letters. 1998. doi:10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01217-4. PMID: 9824291.
BibTeX
@article{hasegawa1998-9824291,
author = {Hasegawa, M. and Smith, M. J. and Goedert, M.},
title = {{Tau proteins with FTDP-17 mutations have a reduced ability to promote microtubule assembly}},
journal = {FEBS letters},
year = {1998},
doi = {10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01217-4},
pmid = {9824291},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01217-4}
}
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