Peters plus syndrome mutations affect the function and stability of human ß1,3-glucosyltransferase.

Peters Plus Syndrome (PTRPLS OMIM #261540) is a severe congenital disorder of glycosylation where patients have multiple structural anomalies, including Peters anomaly of the eye (anterior segment dysgenesis), disproportionate short stature, brachydactyly, dysmorphic facial features, developmental delay, and variable additional abnormalities. PTRPLS patients and some Peters Plus-like (PTRPLS-like) patients (who only have a subset of PTRPLS phenotypes) have mutations in the gene encoding ß1,3-glucosyltransferase (B3GLCT). B3GLCT catalyzes the transfer of glucose to O-linked fucose on thrombospondin type-1 repeats. Most B3GLCT substrate proteins belong to the ADAMTS superfamily and play critical roles in extracellular matrix. We sought to determine whether the PTRPLS or PTRPLS-like mutations abrogated B3GLCT activity. B3GLCT has two putative active sites, one in the N-terminal region and the other in the C-terminal glycosyltransferase domain. Using sequence analysis and in vitro activity assays, we demonstrated that the C-terminal domain catalyzes transfer of glucose to O-linked fucose. We also generated a homology model of B3GLCT and identified D421 as the catalytic base. PTRPLS and PTRPLS-like mutations were individually introduced into B3GLCT, and the mutated enzymes were evaluated using in vitro enzyme assays and cell-based functional assays. Our results demonstrated that PTRPLS mutations caused loss of B3GLCT enzymatic activity and/or significantly reduced protein stability. In contrast, B3GLCT with PTRPLS-like mutations retained enzymatic activity, although some showed a minor destabilizing effect. Overall, our data supports the hypothesis that loss of glucose from B3GLCT substrate proteins is responsible for the defects observed in PTRPLS patients, but not for those observed in PTRPLS-like patients.

ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 are differentially affected by loss of B3GLCT in mouse model of Peters plus syndrome.

Peters plus syndrome (MIM #261540 PTRPLS), characterized by defects in eye development, prominent forehead, hypertelorism, short stature and brachydactyly, is caused by mutations in the ß3-glucosyltransferase (B3GLCT) gene. Protein O-fucosyltransferase 2 (POFUT2) and B3GLCT work sequentially to add an O-linked glucose ß1-3fucose disaccharide to properly folded thrombospondin type 1 repeats (TSRs). Forty-nine proteins are predicted to be modified by POFUT2, and nearly half are members of the ADAMTS superfamily. Previous studies suggested that O-linked fucose is essential for folding and secretion of POFUT2-modified proteins and that B3GLCT-mediated extension to the disaccharide is essential for only a subset of targets. To test this hypothesis and gain insight into the origin of PTRPLS developmental defects, we developed and characterized two mouse B3glct knockout alleles. Using these models, we tested the role of B3GLCT in enabling function of ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20, two highly conserved targets whose functions are well characterized in mouse development. The mouse B3glct mutants developed craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities comparable to PTRPLS. In addition, we observed highly penetrant hydrocephalus, white spotting and soft tissue syndactyly. We provide strong genetic and biochemical evidence that hydrocephalus and white spotting in B3glct mutants resulted from loss of ADAMTS20, eye abnormalities from partial reduction of ADAMTS9 and cleft palate from loss of ADAMTS20 and partially reduced ADAMTS9 function. Combined, these results provide compelling evidence that ADAMTS9 and ADAMTS20 were differentially sensitive to B3GLCT inactivation and suggest that the developmental defects in PTRPLS result from disruption of a subset of highly sensitive POFUT2/B3GLCT targets such as ADAMTS20.

Human RecQL4 helicase plays multifaceted roles in the genomic stability of normal and cancer cells.

Human RecQ helicases that share homology with E. coli RecQ helicase play critical roles in diverse biological activities such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination and repair. Mutations in three of the five human RecQ helicases (RecQ1, WRN, BLM, RecQL4 and RecQ5) result in autosomal recessive syndromes characterized by accelerated aging symptoms and cancer incidence. Mutational inactivation of Werner (WRN) and Bloom (BLM) genes results in Werner syndrome (WS) and Bloom syndrome (BS) respectively. However, mutations in RecQL4 result in three human disorders: (I) Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS), (II) RAPADILINO and (III) Baller-Gerold syndrome (BGS). Cells from WS, BS and RTS are characterized by a unique chromosomal anomaly indicating that each of the RecQ helicases performs specialized function(s) in a non-redundant manner. Elucidating the biological functions of RecQ helicases will enable us to understand not only the aging process but also to determine the cause for age-associated human diseases. Recent biochemical and molecular studies have given new insights into the multifaceted roles of RecQL4 that range from genomic stability to carcinogenesis and beyond. This review summarizes some of the existing and emerging knowledge on diverse biological functions of RecQL4 and its significance as a potential molecular target for cancer therapy.

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase depletion hampers mitochondrial function and osteogenic differentiation in osteoblasts.

Mutation of the dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) gene is responsible for Miller syndrome, which is characterized by craniofacial malformations with limb abnormalities. We previously demonstrated that DHODH was involved in forming a mitochondrial supercomplex and that mutated DHODH led to protein instability, loss of enzyme activity, and increased levels of reactive oxygen species in HeLa cells. To explore the etiology of Miller syndrome in more detail, we investigated the effects of DHODH inhibition in the cells involved in skeletal structure. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in MC3T3-E1 cells derived from mouse calvaria osteoblast precursor cells was knocked down by specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and cell proliferation, ATP production, and expression of bone-related genes were investigated in these cells. After depletion of DHODH using specific siRNAs, inhibition of cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest occurred in MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, ATP production was reduced in whole cells, especially in mitochondria. Furthermore, the levels of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (Ocn) mRNAs were lower in DHODH siRNA-treated cells compared with controls. These data suggest that depletion of DHODH affects the differentiation and maturation of osteoblasts. This study shows that mitochondrial dysfunction by DHODH depletion in osteoblasts can be directly linked to the abnormal bone formation in Miller syndrome.

PCSK5 mutation in a patient with the VACTERL association.

BACKGROUND: The VACTERL association is a typically sporadic, non-random collection of congenital anomalies that includes vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula with esophageal atresia, renal anomalies, and limb abnormalities. Although several chromosomal aberrations and gene mutations have been reported as disease-causative, these findings have been sparsely replicated to date. CASE PRESENTATION: In the present study, whole exome sequencing of a case with the VACTERL association uncovered a novel frameshift mutation in the PCSK5 gene, which has been reported as one of the causative genes for the VACTERL association. Although this mutation appears potentially pathogenic in its functional aspects, it was also carried by the healthy father. Furthermore, a database survey revealed several other deleterious variants in the PCSK5 gene in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are necessary to clarify the etiological role of the PCSK5 mutation in the VACTERL association.

ADAMTS proteins as modulators of microfibril formation and function.

The ADAMTS (a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin-type 1 motifs) protein superfamily includes 19 secreted metalloproteases and 7 secreted ADAMTS-like (ADAMTSL) glycoproteins. The possibility of functional linkage between ADAMTS proteins and fibrillin microfibrils was first revealed by a human genetic consilience, in which mutations in ADAMTS10, ADAMTS17, ADAMTSL2 and ADAMTSL4 were found to phenocopy rare genetic disorders caused by mutations affecting fibrillin-1 (FBN1), the major microfibril component in adults. The manifestations of these ADAMTS gene disorders in humans and animals suggested that they participated in the structural and regulatory roles of microfibrils. Whereas two such disorders, Weill-Marchesani syndrome 1 and Weill-Marchesani-like syndrome involve proteases (ADAMTS10 and ADAMTS17, respectively), geleophysic dysplasia and isolated ectopia lentis in humans involve ADAMTSL2 and ADAMTSL4, respectively, which are not proteases. In addition to broadly similar dysmorphology, individuals affected by Weill-Marchesani syndrome 1, Weill-Marchesani-like syndrome or geleophysic dysplasia each show characteristic anomalies suggesting molecule-, tissue-, or context-specific functions for the respective ADAMTS proteins. Ectopia lentis occurs in each of these conditions except geleophysic dysplasia, and is due to a defect in the ciliary zonule, which is predominantly composed of FBN1 microfibrils. Together, this strongly suggests that ADAMTS proteins are involved either in microfibril assembly, stability, and anchorage, or the formation of function-specific supramolecular networks having microfibrils as their foundation. Here, the genetics and molecular biology of this subset of ADAMTS proteins is discussed from the perspective of how they might contribute to fully functional or function-specific microfibrils.

N-acetylglucosamine modification in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.

BACKGROUND: O-linked ß-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of epidermal growth factor (EGF) domains catalyzed by EGF domain O-GlcNAc transferase (EOGT) is the first example of GlcNAc modification in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). SCOPE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes current knowledge on the EOGT-catalyzed O-GlcNAc modification of EGF domains obtained through biochemical characterization, genetic analysis in Drosophila, and identification of human EOGT mutation. Additionally, this review discusses GTDC2-another ER protein homologous to EOGT that catalyzes the GlcNAc modification of O-mannosylated α-dystroglycan-and other components of the biosynthetic pathway involved in GlcNAc modification in the ER lumen. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: GlcNAc modification in the ER lumen has been identified as a novel type of protein modification that regulates specific protein function. Moreover, abnormal GlcNAc modification in the ER lumen is responsible for Adams-Oliver syndrome and Walker-Warburg syndrome. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Elucidation of the biological function of GlcNAc modification in the ER lumen will provide new insights into the unique roles of O-glycans, whose importance has been demonstrated in multifunctional glycoproteins such as Notch receptors and α-dystroglyan.

Mendelian disorders of PI metabolizing enzymes.

More than twenty different genetic diseases have been described that are caused by mutations in phosphoinositide metabolizing enzymes, mostly in phosphoinositide phosphatases. Although generally ubiquitously expressed, mutations in these enzymes, which are mainly loss-of-function, result in tissue-restricted clinical manifestations through mechanisms that are not completely understood. Here we analyze selected disorders of phosphoinositide metabolism grouped according to the principle tissue affected: the nervous system, muscle, kidney, the osteoskeletal system, the eye, and the immune system. We will highlight what has been learnt so far from the study of these disorders about not only the cellular and molecular pathways that are involved or are governed by phosphoinositides, but also the many gaps that remain to be filled to gain a full understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the clinical manifestations of this steadily growing class of diseases, most of which still remain orphan in terms of treatment. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phosphoinositides.

Autosomal recessive Adams-Oliver syndrome caused by homozygous mutation in EOGT, encoding an EGF domain-specific O-GlcNAc transferase.

Autosomal recessive Adams-Oliver syndrome was diagnosed in three remotely related Bedouin consanguineous families. Genome-wide linkage analysis ruled out association with known Adams-Oliver syndrome genes, identifying a single-homozygosity ∼1.8-Mb novel locus common to affected individuals (LOD score 3.37). Whole-exome sequencing followed by Sanger sequencing identified only a single mutation within this locus, shared by all affected individuals and found in patients from five additional apparently unrelated Bedouin families: a 1-bp deletion mutation in a predicted alternative splice variant of EOGT, leading to a putative truncated protein. RT-PCR demonstrated that the EOGT-predicted alternative splice variant is ubiquitously expressed. EOGT encodes EGF-domain-specific O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase, responsible for extracellular O-GlcNAcylation of epidermal growth factor-like domain-containing proteins, and is essential for epithelial cell-matrix interactions. F-actin staining in diseased fibroblasts showed apparently intact cell cytoskeleton and morphology, suggesting the EOGT mutation acts not through perturbation of cytoskeleton but through other mechanisms yet to be elucidated.

The role of abnormalities in the distal pathway of cholesterol synthesis in the Congenital Hemidysplasia with Ichthyosiform erythroderma and Limb Defects (CHILD) syndrome.

CHILD syndrome (Congenital Hemidysplasia with Ichthyosiform erythroderma and Limb Defects) is a rare X-linked dominant ichthyotic disorder. CHILD syndrome results from loss of function mutations in the NSDHL gene, which leads to inhibition of cholesterol synthesis and accumulation of toxic metabolic intermediates in affected tissues. The CHILD syndrome skin is characterized by plaques topped by waxy scales and a variety of developmental defects in extracutaneous tissues, particularly limb hypoplasia or aplasia. Strikingly, these alterations are commonly segregated to either the right or left side of the body midline with little to no manifestations on the ipsilateral side. By understanding the underlying disease mechanism of CHILD syndrome, a pathogenesis-based therapy has been developed that successfully reverses the CHILD syndrome skin phenotype and has potential applications to the treatment of other ichthyoses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled The Important Role of Lipids in the Epidermis and their Role in the Formation and Maintenance of the Cutaneous Barrier. Guest Editors: Kenneth R. Feingold and Peter Elias.

FGFR1 mutations cause Hartsfield syndrome, the unique association of holoprosencephaly and ectrodactyly.

BACKGROUND: Harstfield syndrome is the rare and unique association of holoprosencephaly (HPE) and ectrodactyly, with or without cleft lip and palate, and variable additional features. All the reported cases occurred sporadically. Although several causal genes of HPE and ectrodactyly have been identified, the genetic cause of Hartsfield syndrome remains unknown. We hypothesised that a single key developmental gene may underlie the co-occurrence of HPE and ectrodactyly. METHODS: We used whole exome sequencing in four isolated cases including one case-parents trio, and direct Sanger sequencing of three additional cases, to investigate the causative variants in Hartsfield syndrome. RESULTS: We identified a novel FGFR1 mutation in six out of seven patients. Affected residues are highly conserved and are located in the extracellular binding domain of the receptor (two homozygous mutations) or the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain (four heterozygous de novo variants). Strikingly, among the six novel mutations, three are located in close proximity to the ATP's phosphates or the coordinating magnesium, with one position required for kinase activity, and three are adjacent to known mutations involved in Kallmann syndrome plus other developmental anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: Dominant or recessive FGFR1 mutations are responsible for Hartsfield syndrome, consistent with the known roles of FGFR1 in vertebrate ontogeny and conditional Fgfr1-deficient mice. Our study shows that, in humans, lack of accurate FGFR1 activation can disrupt both brain and hand/foot midline development, and that FGFR1 loss-of-function mutations are responsible for a wider spectrum of clinical anomalies than previously thought, ranging in severity from seemingly isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, through Kallmann syndrome with or without additional features, to Hartsfield syndrome at its most severe end.

Loss of function of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase UBE3B causes Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome (KOS) is a developmental disorder characterised by reduced growth, microcephaly, ocular anomalies (microcornea, strabismus, myopia, and pale optic disk), distinctive facial features (narrow palpebral fissures, telecanthus, sparse and laterally broad eyebrows, preauricular tags, and micrognathia), mental retardation, and generalised hypotonia. KOS is a rare, possibly underestimated condition, with fewer than 10 cases reported to date. Here we investigate the molecular cause underlying KOS. METHODS: An exome sequencing approach was used on a single affected individual of an Italian consanguineous family coupled with mutation scanning using Sanger sequencing on a second unrelated subject with clinical features fitting the disorder. RESULTS: Exome sequencing was able to identify homozygosity for a novel truncating mutation (c.556C>T, p.Arg186stop) in UBE3B, which encodes a widely expressed HECT (homologous to the E6-AP carboxyl terminus) domain E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. Homozygosity for a different nonsense lesion affecting the gene (c.1166G>A, p.Trp389stop) was documented in the second affected subject, supporting the recessive mode of inheritance of the disorder. Mutation scanning of the entire UBE3B coding sequence on a selected cohort of subjects with features overlapping, in part, those recurring in KOS did not reveal disease-causing mutations, suggesting phenotypic homogeneity of UBE3B lesions. DISCUSSION: Our data provide evidence that KOS is caused by UBE3B loss of function, and further demonstrate the impact of misregulation of protein ubiquitination on development and growth. The available clinical records, including those referring to four UBE3B mutation-positive subjects recently described as belonging to a previously unreported entity, which fits KOS, document the clinical homogeneity of this disorder.

Protein instability and functional defects caused by mutations of dihydro-orotate dehydrogenase in Miller syndrome patients.

Miller syndrome is a recessive inherited disorder characterized by postaxial acrofacial dysostosis. It is caused by dysfunction of the DHODH (dihydroorotate dehydrogenase) gene, which encodes a key enzyme in the pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis pathway and is localized at mitochondria intermembrane space. We investigated the consequence of three missense mutations, G202A, R346W and R135C of DHODH, which were previously identified in patients with Miller syndrome. First, we established HeLa cell lines stably expressing DHODH with Miller syndrome-causative mutations: G202A, R346W and R135C. These three mutant proteins retained the proper mitochondrial localization based on immunohistochemistry and mitochondrial subfractionation studies. The G202A, R346W DHODH proteins showed reduced protein stability. On the other hand, the third one R135C, in which the mutation lies at the ubiquinone-binding site, was stable but possessed no enzymatic activity. In conclusion, the G202A and R346W mutation causes deficient protein stability, and the R135C mutation does not affect stability but impairs the substrate-induced enzymatic activity, suggesting that impairment of DHODH activity is linked to the Miller syndrome phenotype.

An overgrowth disorder associated with excessive production of cGMP due to a gain-of-function mutation of the natriuretic peptide receptor 2 gene.

We describe a three-generation family with tall stature, scoliosis and macrodactyly of the great toes and a heterozygous p.Val883Met mutation in Npr2, the gene that encodes the CNP receptor NPR2 (natriuretic peptide receptor 2). When expressed in HEK293A cells, the mutant Npr2 cDNA generated intracellular cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) in the absence of CNP ligand. In the presence of CNP, cGMP production was greater in cells that had been transfected with the mutant Npr2 cDNA compared to wild-type cDNA. Transgenic mice in which the mutant Npr2 was expressed in chondrocytes driven by the promoter and intronic enhancer of the Col11a2 gene exhibited an enhanced production of cGMP in cartilage, leading to a similar phenotype to that observed in the patients. In addition, blood cGMP concentrations were elevated in the patients. These results indicate that p.Val883Met is a constitutive active gain-of-function mutation and elevated levels of cGMP in growth plates lead to the elongation of long bones. Our findings reveal a critical role for NPR2 in skeletal growth in both humans and mice, and may provide a potential target for prevention and treatment of diseases caused by impaired production of cGMP.

Miller (Genee-Wiedemann) syndrome represents a clinically and biochemically distinct subgroup of postaxial acrofacial dysostosis associated with partial deficiency of DHODH.

Biallelic mutations in the gene encoding DHOdehase [dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH)], an enzyme required for de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, have been identified as the cause of Miller (Genée-Weidemann or postaxial acrofacial dysostosis) syndrome (MIM 263750). We report compound heterozygous DHODH mutations in four additional families with typical Miller syndrome. Complementation in auxotrophic yeast demonstrated reduced pyrimidine synthesis and in vitro enzymatic analysis confirmed reduced DHOdehase activity in 11 disease-associated missense mutations, with 7 alleles showing discrepant activity between the assays. These discrepancies are partly explained by the domain structure of DHODH and suggest both assays are useful for interpretation of individual alleles. However, in all affected individuals, the genotype predicts that there should be significant residual DHOdehase activity. Urine samples obtained from two mutation-positive cases showed elevated levels of orotic acid (OA) but not dihydroorotate (DHO), an unexpected finding since these represent the product and the substrate of DHODH enzymatic activity, respectively. Screening of four unrelated cases with overlapping but atypical clinical features showed no mutations in either DHODH or the other de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis genes (CAD, UMPS), with these cases also showing normal levels of urinary OA and DHO. In situ analysis of mouse embryos showed Dhodh, Cad and Umps to be strongly expressed in the pharyngeal arch and limb bud, supporting a site- and stage-specific requirement for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. The developmental sensitivity to reduced pyrimidine synthesis capacity may reflect the requirement for an exceptional mitogenic response to growth factor signalling in the affected tissues.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2 play essential roles in osteoblast differentiation and in supporting osteoclastogenesis.

Osteoblasts and chondrocytes arise from common osteo-chondroprogenitor cells. We show here that inactivation of ERK1 and ERK2 in osteo-chondroprogenitor cells causes a block in osteoblast differentiation and leads to ectopic chondrogenic differentiation in the bone-forming region in the perichondrium. Furthermore, increased mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in mesenchymal cells enhances osteoblast differentiation and inhibits chondrocyte differentiation. These observations indicate that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2 play essential roles in the lineage specification of mesenchymal cells. The inactivation of ERK1 and ERK2 resulted in reduced beta-catenin expression, suggesting a role for canonical Wnt signaling in ERK1 and ERK2 regulation of skeletal lineage specification. Furthermore, inactivation of ERK1 and ERK2 significantly reduced RANKL expression, accounting for a delay in osteoclast formation. Thus, our results indicate that ERK1 and ERK2 not only play essential roles in the lineage specification of osteo-chondroprogenitor cells but also support osteoclast formation in vivo.

Cholesterol metabolism: the main pathway acting downstream of cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase in skeletal development of the limb.

Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is the obligate electron donor for all microsomal cytochrome P450 enzymes, which catalyze the metabolism of a wide spectrum of xenobiotic and endobiotic compounds. Point mutations in POR have been found recently in patients with Antley-Bixler-like syndrome, which includes limb skeletal defects. In order to study P450 function during limb and skeletal development, we deleted POR specifically in mouse limb bud mesenchyme. Forelimbs and hind limbs in conditional knockout (CKO) mice were short with thin skeletal elements and fused joints. POR deletion occurred earlier in forelimbs than in hind limbs, leading additionally to soft tissue syndactyly and loss of wrist elements and phalanges due to changes in growth, cell death, and skeletal segmentation. Transcriptional analysis of E12.5 mouse forelimb buds demonstrated the expression of P450s involved in retinoic acid, cholesterol, and arachidonic acid metabolism. Biochemical analysis of CKO limbs confirmed retinoic acid excess. In CKO limbs, expression of genes throughout the whole cholesterol biosynthetic pathway was upregulated, and cholesterol deficiency can explain most aspects of the phenotype. Thus, cellular POR-dependent cholesterol synthesis is essential during limb and skeletal development. Modulation of P450 activity could contribute to susceptibility of the embryo and developing organs to teratogenesis.

Thalidomide induces limb anomalies by PTEN stabilization, Akt suppression, and stimulation of caspase-dependent cell death.

Thalidomide, a drug used for the treatment of multiple myeloma and inflammatory diseases, is also a teratogen that causes birth defects, such as limb truncations and microphthalmia, in humans. Thalidomide-induced limb truncations result from increased cell death during embryonic limb development and consequential disturbance of limb outgrowth. Here we demonstrate in primary human embryonic cells and in the chicken embryo that thalidomide-induced signaling through bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps) protects active PTEN from proteasomal degradation, resulting in suppression of Akt signaling. As a consequence, caspase-dependent cell death is stimulated by the intrinsic and Fas death receptor apoptotic pathway. Most importantly, thalidomide-induced limb deformities and microphthalmia in chicken embryos could be rescued by a pharmacological PTEN inhibitor as well as by insulin, a stimulant of Akt signaling. We therefore conclude that perturbation of PTEN/Akt signaling and stimulation of caspase activity is central to the teratogenic effects of thalidomide.

Cloning and expression pattern of chicken Ror2 and functional characterization of truncating mutations in Brachydactyly type B and Robinow syndrome.

Ror2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase mutated in the human syndromes Brachydactyly type B (BDB) and recessive Robinow syndrome (RS). In this study, we used the chick as a model to investigate the role of Ror2 in skeletogenesis and to elucidate the functional consequences of Ror2 mutations. For this purpose, we cloned chicken Ror2 and analyzed its expression pattern at various embryonic stages by in situ hybridization and immunolabeling. We document expression of cRor2 in several organs, including mesonephros, heart, nervous system, intestine and cartilage. The high conservation of expression when compared with the mouse underlines the validity of the chick as a model system. Using replication-competent retroviral vector-mediated overexpression, we analyzed the functional consequences of truncating BDB and RS mutations in the developing chick limb. Overexpression of Ror2 mutants led to a disturbance of growth plate architecture and a severe block of chondrocyte differentiation, demonstrating the functional importance of Ror2 in skeletogenesis.