@article {670, title = {CTCF variants in 39 individuals with a variable neurodevelopmental disorder broaden the mutational and clinical spectrum.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {21}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 12}, pages = {2723-2733}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Pathogenic variants in the chromatin organizer CTCF were previously reported in seven individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD).

METHODS: Through international collaboration we collected data from 39 subjects with variants in CTCF. We performed transcriptome analysis on RNA from blood samples and utilized Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the impact of Ctcf dosage alteration on nervous system development and function.

RESULTS: The individuals in our cohort carried 2 deletions, 8 likely gene-disruptive, 2 splice-site, and 20 different missense variants, most of them de novo. Two cases were familial. The associated phenotype was of variable severity extending from mild developmental delay or normal IQ to severe intellectual disability. Feeding difficulties and behavioral abnormalities were common, and variable other findings including growth restriction and cardiac defects were observed. RNA-sequencing in five individuals identified 3828 deregulated genes enriched for known NDD genes and biological processes such as transcriptional regulation. Ctcf dosage alteration in Drosophila resulted in impaired gross neurological functioning and learning and memory deficits.

CONCLUSION: We significantly broaden the mutational and clinical spectrum ofCTCF-associated NDDs. Our data shed light onto the functional role of CTCF by identifying deregulated genes and show that Ctcf alterations result in nervous system defects in Drosophila.

}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/s41436-019-0585-z}, author = {Konrad, Enrico D H and Nardini, Niels and Caliebe, Almuth and Nagel, Inga and Young, Dana and Horvath, Gabriella and Santoro, Stephanie L and Shuss, Christine and Ziegler, Alban and Bonneau, Dominique and Kempers, Marlies and Pfundt, Rolph and Legius, Eric and Bouman, Arjan and Stuurman, Kyra E and {\~O}unap, Katrin and Pajusalu, Sander and Wojcik, Monica H and Vasileiou, Georgia and Le Guyader, Gwena{\"e}l and Schnelle, Hege M and Berland, Siren and Zonneveld-Huijssoon, Evelien and Kersten, Simone and Gupta, Aditi and Blackburn, Patrick R and Ellingson, Marissa S and Ferber, Matthew J and Dhamija, Radhika and Klee, Eric W and McEntagart, Meriel and Lichtenbelt, Klaske D and Kenney, Amy and Vergano, Samantha A and Abou Jamra, Rami and Platzer, Konrad and Ella Pierpont, Mary and Khattar, Divya and Hopkin, Robert J and Martin, Richard J and Jongmans, Marjolijn C J and Chang, Vivian Y and Martinez-Agosto, Julian A and Kuismin, Outi and Kurki, Mitja I and Pietil{\"a}inen, Olli and Palotie, Aarno and Maarup, Timothy J and Johnson, Diana S and Venborg Pedersen, Katja and Laulund, Lone W and Lynch, Sally A and Blyth, Moira and Prescott, Katrina and Canham, Natalie and Ibitoye, Rita and Brilstra, Eva H and Shinawi, Marwan and Fassi, Emily and Sticht, Heinrich and Gregor, Anne and Van Esch, Hilde and Zweier, Christiane} } @article {579, title = {Bi-allelic POLR3A Loss-of-Function Variants Cause Autosomal-Recessive Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {103}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 12 06}, pages = {968-975}, abstract = {

Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome (WRS), also known as neonatal progeroid syndrome, is a rare disorder of unknown etiology. It has been proposed to be autosomal-recessive and is characterized by variable clinical features, such as intrauterine growth restriction and poor postnatal weight gain, characteristic facial features (triangular appearance to the face, convex nasal profile or pinched nose, and small mouth), widened fontanelles, pseudohydrocephalus, prominent scalp veins, lipodystrophy, and teeth abnormalities. A previous report described a single WRS patient with bi-allelic truncating and splicing variants in POLR3A. Here we present seven additional infants, children, and adults with WRS and bi-allelic truncating and/or splicing variants in POLR3A. POLR3A, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase III, is a DNA-directed RNA polymerase that transcribes many small noncoding RNAs that regulate transcription, RNA processing, and translation. Bi-allelic missense variants in POLR3A have been associated with phenotypes distinct from WRS: hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and hypomyelinating leukodystrophy with or without oligodontia. Our findings confirm the association of bi-allelic POLR3A variants with WRS, expand the clinical phenotype of WRS, and suggest specific POLR3A genotypes associated with WRS and hypomyelinating leukodystrophy.

}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.10.010}, author = {Wambach, Jennifer A and Wegner, Daniel J and Patni, Nivedita and Kircher, Martin and Willing, Marcia C and Baldridge, Dustin and Xing, Chao and Agarwal, Anil K and Vergano, Samantha A Schrier and Patel, Chirag and Grange, Dorothy K and Kenney, Amy and Najaf, Tasnim and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Cole, F Sessions and Garg, Abhimanyu} }