CLN3 clinches lysosomes in clearance of glycerophospholipids

CLN3 is a lysosomal transmembrane protein and loss of CLN3 mutation is known to cause a juvenile lethal neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder (LSD), called Batten disease. In a recent study published in Nature, Laqtom et al. reported a novel function of CLN3 in the clearance of glycerophospholipid from lysosomes via lysosomal efflux of glycerophosphodiesters (GPDs), not only establishing a deeper mechanistic understanding of Batten disease, also suggesting both the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of CLN3-GPDs in this type of neurodegenerative LSD.