Surprising culprit found in cell recycling defect: Protein ends up in the wrong place

To remain healthy, the body's cells must properly manage their waste recycling centers. Problems with these compartments, known as lysosomes, lead to a number of debilitating and sometimes lethal conditions. An unusual cause of the lysosomal storage disorder called mucolipidosis III, has been identified, at least in a subset of patients. Unlike most genetic diseases that involve dysfunctional or missing proteins, the culprit is a normal protein that ends up in the wrong place.