POC5, or Proteome Of Centriole 5, is a centriolar protein crucial for cell cycle progression and centriole elongation. It binds centrins through Sfi1p-like repeats and is part of the inner centriole scaffold that ensures centriolar integrity [1,2,5]. It may be involved in cilia-related pathways as it impacts cilia length maintenance and basal body maturation [1,2].

POC5 has been implicated in multiple disease conditions. Mutations in POC5 are associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). In AIS-related POC5 mutations like POC5A429V, there are cellular alterations including impaired cell-cycle progression, ciliary retraction, and disrupted centrosome protein interactions [3,4]. In zebrafish models, expression of human AIS-associated POC5 variant mRNAs led to spine deformity [4]. Also, a homozygous nonsense mutation in POC5 was found in a patient with retinitis pigmentosa, short stature, microcephaly, and recurrent glomerulonephritis, and zebrafish poc5 knockdown resulted in decreased photoreceptor outer segment length and visual motor response [6].

In conclusion, POC5 is essential for normal centriole and cilia function, which in turn impacts cell cycle and development. Model-based research, such as zebrafish models for POC5-related AIS and retinitis pigmentosa, has revealed its role in these disease conditions, highlighting its importance in understanding the pathogenesis of scoliosis and retinal dystrophies.