Use of a novel knock-in allele of Pkd1 identifies nicotinamide nucleotide dehydrogenase as a mitochondrial binding partner of polycystin-1

The localization and function of Polycystin-1, the protein encoded by the gene most commonly mutated in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, remains controversial. We have recently reported that its C-terminus is cleaved and traffics to the mitochondria rather than to the nucleus as had been previously described, and we found that absence of PC1 resulted in fragmented mitochondrial networks and increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Direct visualization of PC1 in mitochondria was only possible, however, after over-expression of recombinant, fluorescently labeled-PC1 in a cell culture system. To resolve the issue, we generated a new mouse model with three copies of the HA epitope and eGFP knocked-in frame into the endogenous mouse Pkd1 gene by CRISPR/Cas9. We show that the modified allele is fully functional but the eGFP-tagged protein cannot be detected without antibody amplification methods. We were, however, able to use nanobody-coupled beads and large quantities of tissue to isolate a PC1 interactome and verify nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt) as a mitochondrial partner, linking PC1 to regulation of reactive oxygen species levels in the mitochondria. Loss of Nnt function had no significant effect on renal cystic disease in Pkd1 mutants but treatment of young mice with early onset cystic disease with n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) provided modest benefit only in the Nnt+/+ genetic background. These studies suggest that new methods and brighter tags will be required to track endogenous PC1, but this new mouse model will be a valuable resource for characterizing the protein interactome of endogenous PC1. The data also support our prior findings that the PC1 C-terminus localizes to mitochondria and regulates their function.