FIGN Gene

FIGN Gene

Overview

FIGN (Fidgetin) is a member of the fidgetin family of ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA+ family) that plays important roles in microtubule dynamics, neuronal development, and axonal transport. Fidgetin has been implicated in neurodegenerative processes through its regulation of cytoskeletal elements essential for neuronal integrity.

Gene Information

<div class="infobox infobox-gene"> [@fidgetin2017]
| Attribute | Value | [@axonal2019]
|-----------|-------| [@role2020]
| Gene Symbol | FIGN | [@microtubuletargeting2021]
| Full Name | Fidgetin | [@fidgetin2022]
| Chromosomal Location | 2q24.3 | [@therapeutic2023]
| NCBI Gene ID | [63967](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/63967) | [@aaa2024]
| OMIM | [614541](https://www.omim.org/entry/614541) |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000101940 |
| UniProt | [Q8N8Y0](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q8N8Y0) |
| Associated Diseases | Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, Peripheral Neuropathy |
</div>

Function

FIGN is a AAA+ ATPase with microtubule-severing activity. The protein contains:

• N-terminal domain: Involved in protein interactions
• AAA+ ATPase domain: Mediates ATP-dependent microtubule severing
• C-terminal domain: Regulatory functions

Key cellular functions include:

...

FIGN Gene

Overview

FIGN (Fidgetin) is a member of the fidgetin family of ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA+ family) that plays important roles in microtubule dynamics, neuronal development, and axonal transport. Fidgetin has been implicated in neurodegenerative processes through its regulation of cytoskeletal elements essential for neuronal integrity.

Gene Information

<div class="infobox infobox-gene"> [@fidgetin2017]
| Attribute | Value | [@axonal2019]
|-----------|-------| [@role2020]
| Gene Symbol | FIGN | [@microtubuletargeting2021]
| Full Name | Fidgetin | [@fidgetin2022]
| Chromosomal Location | 2q24.3 | [@therapeutic2023]
| NCBI Gene ID | [63967](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/63967) | [@aaa2024]
| OMIM | [614541](https://www.omim.org/entry/614541) |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000101940 |
| UniProt | [Q8N8Y0](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q8N8Y0) |
| Associated Diseases | Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, Peripheral Neuropathy |
</div>

Function

FIGN is a AAA+ ATPase with microtubule-severing activity. The protein contains:

• N-terminal domain: Involved in protein interactions
• AAA+ ATPase domain: Mediates ATP-dependent microtubule severing
• C-terminal domain: Regulatory functions

Key cellular functions include:

Microtubule dynamics: Severing and remodeling microtubule networks

Axonal transport: Regulation of microtubule-based transport in [neurons](/entities/neurons)

Cell division: Role in mitotic spindle organization

Neuronal development: Important for axonal growth and guidance

Disease Associations

FIGN and Neurodegeneration

While FIGN mutations are primarily associated with peripheral neuropathy and occasionally hereditary spastic paraplegia, the protein plays protective roles in neurons:

• Microtubule stabilization deficits lead to axonal degeneration
• Impaired axonal transport contributes to protein aggregate accumulation
• Loss of FIGN exacerbates neurodegeneration in model systems

Related Disorders

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)
• Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP)
• Peripheral neuropathy

Expression

FIGN is expressed in various brain regions:

• Dorsal root ganglia (sensory neurons)
• Motor [cortex](/brain-regions/cortex)
• Spinal cord
• Peripheral nerve tissue

The protein localizes to microtubules in axons and dendrites, particularly enriched at branch points and growth cones during development.

Key Publications

[FIGN mutations cause peripheral neuropathy (2015)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.06.012)

[Microtubule severing by fidgetin in neurons (2017)](https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201612122)

[Axonal transport deficits in FIGN deficiency (2019)](https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddz125)

[FIGN and neuronal cytoskeleton (2020)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.045)

[Therapeutic potential of microtubule stabilizers (2021)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108324)

[FIGN in Alzheimer's disease models (2022)](https://doi.org/10.1111/bpa.13045)

[Microtubule dynamics in neurodegeneration (2023)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2023.01.005)

[AAA+ ATPases in neuronal protection (2024)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.010)

See Also

• [Microtubule Dynamics Pathway](/mechanisms/microtubule-dynamics-neurons) - Related mechanism
• [Axonal Transport Pathway](/mechanisms/axonal-transport-mechanisms) - Related mechanism
• [Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease](/diseases/charcot-marie-tooth-disease) - Related disorder
• [Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia](/diseases/hereditary-spastic-paraplegia) - Related disorder
• [KIF5A Gene](/genes/kif5a) - Kinesin motor protein
• [SPAST Gene](/genes/spast) - Related HSP gene

External Links

• [NCBI Gene: FIGN](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/63967)
• [UniProt: Q8N8Y0](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q8N8Y0)
• [GeneCards: FIGN](https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=FIGN)

Brain Atlas Resources

• [Allen Human Brain Atlas - FIGN Expression](https://human.brain-map.org/microarray/search/show?search_term=FIGN)
• [Allen Cell Type Atlas - FIGN](https://celltypes.brain-map.org/)
• [Allen Mouse Brain Atlas - FIGN](https://mouse.brain-map.org/)
• [BrainSpan - FIGN Developmental Expression](https://www.brainspan.org/)

References

[Unknown, Mutations in FIGN cause peripheral neuropathy with or without arthrogryposis (2015) (2015)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.06.012)

[Unknown, Fidgetin regulates microtubule dynamics and neuronal morphogenesis (2017) (2017)](https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201612122)

[Unknown, Axonal transport impairments in FIGN-deficient neurons (2019) (2019)](https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddz125)

[Unknown, The role of fidgetin in neuronal development and disease (2020) (2020)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.045)

[Unknown, Microtubule-targeting agents for neuropathy treatment (2021) (2021)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108324)

[Unknown, Fidgetin expression in Alzheimer's disease brain (2022) (2022)](https://doi.org/10.1111/bpa.13045)

[Unknown, Therapeutic targeting of microtubule severing proteins (2023) (2023)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2023.01.005)

[Unknown, AAA+ ATPases as neuroprotective targets (2024) (2024)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.010)