@article {812, title = {A genome-wide case-only test for the detection of digenic inheritance in human exomes.}, journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}, volume = {117}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 08 11}, pages = {19367-19375}, abstract = {

Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has facilitated the discovery of genetic lesions underlying monogenic disorders. Incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity suggest a contribution of additional genetic lesions to clinical manifestations and outcome. Some monogenic disorders may therefore actually be digenic. However, only a few digenic disorders have been reported, all discovered by candidate gene approaches applied to at least one locus. We propose here a two-locus genome-wide test for detecting digenic inheritance in WES data. This approach uses the gene as the unit of analysis and tests all pairs of genes to detect pairwise gene {\texttimes} gene interactions underlying disease. It is a case-only method, which has several advantages over classic case-control tests, in particular by avoiding recruitment of controls. Our simulation studies based on real WES data identified two major sources of type I error inflation in this case-only test: linkage disequilibrium and population stratification. Both were corrected by specific procedures. Moreover, our case-only approach is more powerful than the corresponding case-control test for detecting digenic interactions in various population stratification scenarios. Finally, we confirmed the potential of our unbiased, genome-wide approach by successfully identifying a previously reported digenic lesion in patients with craniosynostosis. Our case-only test is a powerful and timely tool for detecting digenic inheritance in WES data from patients.

}, keywords = {Craniosynostoses, Epistasis, Genetic, Exome, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Variation, Genome-Wide Association Study, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Models, Genetic, Multifactorial Inheritance, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1920650117}, author = {Kerner, Gaspard and Bouaziz, Matthieu and Cobat, Aurelie and Bigio, Benedetta and Timberlake, Andrew T and Bustamante, Jacinta and Lifton, Richard P and Casanova, Jean-Laurent and Abel, Laurent} } @article {525, title = {MendelProb: probability and sample size calculations for Mendelian studies of exome and whole genome sequence data.}, journal = {Bioinformatics}, volume = {35}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 02 01}, pages = {529-531}, abstract = {

Motivation: For the design of genetic studies, it is necessary to perform power calculations. Although for Mendelian traits the power of detecting linkage for pedigree(s) can be determined, it is also of great interest to determine the probability of identifying multiple pedigrees or unrelated cases with variants in the same gene. For many diseases, due to extreme locus heterogeneity this probability can be small. If only one family is observed segregating a variant classified as likely pathogenic or of unknown significance, the gene cannot be implicated in disease etiology. The probability of identifying several disease families or cases is dependent on the gene-specific disease prevalence and the sample size. The observation of multiple disease families or cases with variants in the same gene as well as evidence of pathogenicity from other sources, e.g. in silico prediction, expression and functional studies, can aid in implicating a gene in disease etiology. MendelProb can determine the probability of detecting a minimum number of families or cases with variants in the same gene. It can also calculate the probability of detecting genes with variants in different data types, e.g. identifying a variant in at least one family that can establish linkage and more the two additional families regardless of their size. Additionally, for a specified probability MendelProb can determine the number of probands which need to be screened to detect a minimum number of individuals with variants within the same gene.

Results: A single Mendelian disease family is not sufficient to implicate a gene in disease etiology. It is necessary to observe multiple families or cases with potentially pathogenic variants in the same gene. MendelProb, an R library, was developed to determine the probability of observing multiple families and cases with variants within a gene and to also establish the numbers of probands to screen to detect multiple observations of variants within a gene.

Availability and implementation: https://github.com/statgenetics/mendelprob.

}, keywords = {Exome, Genetic Linkage, Genomics, Humans, Pedigree, Probability, Sample Size, Software}, issn = {1367-4811}, doi = {10.1093/bioinformatics/bty542}, author = {He, Zongxiao and Wang, Lu and DeWan, Andrew T and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {512, title = {Confirmation of the Role of DHX38 in the Etiology of Early-Onset Retinitis Pigmentosa.}, journal = {Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci}, volume = {59}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 09 04}, pages = {4552-4557}, abstract = {

Purpose: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous trait with autosomal-recessive (ar) inheritance underlying 50\% of genetic disease cases. Sixty-one arRP genes have been identified, and recently, DHX38 has been reported as a potential candidate gene for arRP with only a single family reported with a variant of unknown significance. We identified a missense variant in DHX38 that co-segregates with the arRP phenotype in two Pakistani families confirming the involvement of DHX38 in the etiology of early-onset RP.

Methods: Exome sequencing was performed using two DNA samples from affected members of Pakistani families (MA88 and MA157) with early onset arRP. Sanger sequencing of DNA samples from all family members confirmed the segregation of candidate variant within both families.

Results: A novel missense DHX38 variant c.971G>A; p.(Arg324Gln) was identified which segregates with the arRP phenotype and yielded a logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of 5.0 and 4.3 for families MA88 and MA157, respectively. This variant is predicted to be conserved and deleterious by several bioinformatics tools.

Conclusions: We identified a second deleterious DHX38 variant that segregates with arRP in two families, providing additional evidence that DHX38 is involved in RP etiology. DHX38 encodes for pre-mRNA splicing factor PRP16, which is important in catalyzing pre-mRNA splicing.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Cataract, Computational Biology, DEAD-box RNA Helicases, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Linkage, Humans, Male, Mutation, Missense, Nucleotide Mapping, Ophthalmoscopy, Pedigree, Retinitis Pigmentosa, RNA Splicing Factors, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-5783}, doi = {10.1167/iovs.18-23849}, author = {Latif, Zahid and Chakchouk, Imen and Schrauwen, Isabelle and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Abbe, Izoduwa and Acharya, Anushree and Jarral, Afeefa and Ali, Imran and Ullah, Ehsan and Khan, Muhammad Nasim and Ali, Ghazanfar and Tahir, Tufail Hussain and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Ahmad, Wasim and Ansar, Muhammad and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {385, title = {Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies Novel Variants for Tooth Agenesis.}, journal = {J Dent Res}, volume = {97}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jan}, pages = {49-59}, abstract = {

Tooth agenesis is a common craniofacial abnormality in humans and represents failure to develop 1 or more permanent teeth. Tooth agenesis is complex, and variations in about a dozen genes have been reported as contributing to the etiology. Here, we combined whole-exome sequencing, array-based genotyping, and linkage analysis to identify putative pathogenic variants in candidate disease genes for tooth agenesis in 10 multiplex Turkish families. Novel homozygous and heterozygous variants in LRP6, DKK1, LAMA3, and COL17A1 genes, as well as known variants in WNT10A, were identified as likely pathogenic in isolated tooth agenesis. Novel variants in KREMEN1 were identified as likely pathogenic in 2 families with suspected syndromic tooth agenesis. Variants in more than 1 gene were identified segregating with tooth agenesis in 2 families, suggesting oligogenic inheritance. Structural modeling of missense variants suggests deleterious effects to the encoded proteins. Functional analysis of an indel variant (c.3607+3_6del) in LRP6 suggested that the predicted resulting mRNA is subject to nonsense-mediated decay. Our results support a major role for WNT pathways genes in the etiology of tooth agenesis while revealing new candidate genes. Moreover, oligogenic cosegregation was suggestive for complex inheritance and potentially complex gene product interactions during development, contributing to improved understanding of the genetic etiology of familial tooth agenesis.

}, keywords = {Anodontia, Female, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Variation, Humans, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Laminin, Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-6, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Turkey, Whole Exome Sequencing, Wnt Proteins}, issn = {1544-0591}, doi = {10.1177/0022034517724149}, author = {Dinckan, N and Du, R and Petty, L E and Coban-Akdemir, Z and Jhangiani, S N and Paine, I and Baugh, E H and Erdem, A P and Kayserili, H and Doddapaneni, H and Hu, J and Muzny, D M and Boerwinkle, E and Gibbs, R A and Lupski, J R and Uyguner, Z O and Below, J E and Letra, A} } @article {448, title = {SLC13A5 is the second gene associated with Kohlsch{\"u}tter-T{\"o}nz syndrome.}, journal = {J Med Genet}, volume = {54}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 01}, pages = {54-62}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Kohlsch{\"u}tter-T{\"o}nz syndrome (KTZS) is a rare autosomal-recessive disease characterised by epileptic encephalopathy, intellectual disability and amelogenesis imperfecta (AI). It is frequently caused by biallelic mutations in ROGDI. Here, we report on individuals with ROGDI-negative KTZS carrying biallelic SLC13A5 mutations.

METHODS: In the present cohort study, nine individuals from four families with the clinical diagnosis of KTZS and absence of ROGDI mutations as well as one patient with unexplained epileptic encephalopathy were investigated by clinical and dental evaluation, parametric linkage analysis (one family), and exome and/or Sanger sequencing. Dental histological investigations were performed on teeth from individuals with SLC13A5-associated and ROGDI-associated KTZS.

RESULTS: Biallelic mutations in SLC13A5 were identified in 10 affected individuals. Epileptic encephalopathy usually presents in the neonatal and (less frequently) early infantile period. Yellowish to orange discolouration of both deciduous and permanent teeth, as well as wide interdental spaces and abnormal crown forms are major clinical signs of individuals with biallelic SLC13A5 mutations. Histological dental investigations confirmed the clinical diagnosis of hypoplastic AI. In comparison, the histological evaluation of a molar assessed from an individual with ROGDI-associated KTZS revealed hypocalcified AI.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that SLC13A5 is the second major gene associated with the clinical diagnosis of KTZS, characterised by neonatal epileptic encephalopathy and hypoplastic AI. Careful clinical and dental delineation provides clues whether ROGDI or SLC13A5 is the causative gene. Hypersensitivity of teeth as well as high caries risk requires individual dental prophylaxis and attentive dental management.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Amelogenesis Imperfecta, Brain Diseases, Cohort Studies, Dementia, Epilepsy, Exome, Female, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mutation, Nuclear Proteins, Pedigree, Symporters, Tooth}, issn = {1468-6244}, doi = {10.1136/jmedgenet-2016-103988}, author = {Schossig, Anna and Bloch-Zupan, Agn{\`e}s and Lussi, Adrian and Wolf, Nicole I and Raskin, Salmo and Cohen, Monika and Giuliano, Fabienne and Jurgens, Julie and Krabichler, Birgit and Koolen, David A and de Macena Sobreira, Nara Lygia and Maurer, Elisabeth and Muller-Bolla, Mich{\`e}le and Penzien, Johann and Zschocke, Johannes and Kapferer-Seebacher, Ines} } @article {49, title = {Ataxia-Pancytopenia Syndrome Is Caused by Missense Mutations in SAMD9L.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {98}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jun 02}, pages = {1146-1158}, abstract = {

Ataxia-pancytopenia (AP) syndrome is characterized by cerebellar ataxia, variable hematologic cytopenias, and predisposition to marrow failure and myeloid leukemia, sometimes associated with monosomy 7. Here, in the four-generation family UW-AP, linkage analysis revealed four regions that provided the maximal LOD scores possible, one of which was in a commonly microdeleted chromosome 7q region. Exome sequencing identified a missense mutation (c.2640C>A, p.His880Gln) in the sterile alpha motif domain containing 9-like gene (SAMD9L) that completely cosegregated with disease. By targeted sequencing of SAMD9L, we subsequently identified a different missense mutation (c.3587G>C, p.Cys1196Ser) in affected members of the first described family with AP syndrome, Li-AP. Neither variant is reported in the public databases, both affect highly conserved amino acid residues, and both are predicted to be damaging. With time in culture, lymphoblastic cell lines (LCLs) from two affected individuals in family UW-AP exhibited copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity for large portions of the long arm of chromosome 7, resulting in retention of only the wild-type SAMD9L allele. Newly established LCLs from both individuals demonstrated the same phenomenon. In addition, targeted capture and sequencing of SAMD9L in uncultured blood DNA from both individuals showed bias toward the wild-type allele. These observations indicate in~vivo hematopoietic mosaicism. The hematopoietic cytopenias that characterize AP syndrome and the selective advantage for clones that have lost the mutant allele support the postulated role of SAMD9L in the regulation of cell proliferation. Furthermore, we show that AP syndrome is distinct from the dyskeratoses congenita telomeropathies, with which it shares some clinical characteristics.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Cerebellar Ataxia, Child, Chromosome Aberrations, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7, Exome, Female, Genetic Linkage, Genotype, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Loss of Heterozygosity, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, Pancytopenia, Pedigree, Proteins, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.04.009}, author = {Chen, Dong-Hui and Below, Jennifer E and Shimamura, Akiko and Keel, Sioban B and Matsushita, Mark and Wolff, John and Sul, Youngmee and Bonkowski, Emily and Castella, Maria and Taniguchi, Toshiyasu and Nickerson, Deborah and Papayannopoulou, Thalia and Bird, Thomas D and Raskind, Wendy H} } @article {533, title = {Family Based Whole Exome Sequencing Reveals the Multifaceted Role of Notch Signaling in Congenital Heart Disease.}, journal = {PLoS Genet}, volume = {12}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Oct}, pages = {e1006335}, abstract = {

Left-ventricular outflow tract obstructions (LVOTO) encompass a wide spectrum of phenotypically heterogeneous heart malformations which frequently cluster in families. We performed family based whole-exome and targeted re-sequencing on 182 individuals from 51 families with multiple affected members. Central to our approach is the family unit which serves as a reference to identify causal genotype-phenotype correlations. Screening a multitude of 10 overlapping phenotypes revealed disease associated and co-segregating variants in 12 families. These rare or novel protein altering mutations cluster predominantly in genes (NOTCH1, ARHGAP31, MAML1, SMARCA4, JARID2, JAG1) along the Notch signaling cascade. This is in line with a significant enrichment (Wilcoxon, p< 0.05) of variants with a higher pathogenicity in the Notch signaling pathway in patients compared to controls. The significant enrichment of novel protein truncating and missense mutations in NOTCH1 highlights the allelic and phenotypic heterogeneity in our pediatric cohort. We identified novel co-segregating pathogenic mutations in NOTCH1 associated with left and right-sided cardiac malformations in three independent families with a total of 15 affected individuals. In summary, our results suggest that a small but highly pathogenic fraction of family specific mutations along the Notch cascade are a common cause of LVOTO.

}, keywords = {Aortic Valve, Codon, Nonsense, Constriction, Pathologic, Exome, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Linkage, Genome, Human, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Male, Pedigree, Receptor, Notch1, Receptors, Notch, Sequence Deletion, Signal Transduction, Ventricular Outflow Obstruction}, issn = {1553-7404}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1006335}, author = {Preuss, Christoph and Capredon, Melanie and W{\"u}nnemann, Florian and Chetaille, Philippe and Prince, Andrea and Godard, Beatrice and Leclerc, Severine and Sobreira, Nara and Ling, Hua and Awadalla, Philip and Thibeault, Maryse and Khairy, Paul and Samuels, Mark E and Andelfinger, Gregor} } @article {64, title = {Genetic Candidate Variants in Two Multigenerational Families with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {2016}, pages = {e0153864}, abstract = {

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a severe and socially debilitating form of speech sound disorder with suspected genetic involvement, but the genetic etiology is not yet well understood. Very few known or putative causal genes have been identified to date, e.g., FOXP2 and BCL11A. Building a knowledge base of the genetic etiology of CAS will make it possible to identify infants at genetic risk and motivate the development of effective very early intervention programs. We investigated the genetic etiology of CAS in two large multigenerational families with familial CAS. Complementary genomic methods included Markov chain Monte Carlo linkage analysis, copy-number analysis, identity-by-descent sharing, and exome sequencing with variant filtering. No overlaps in regions with positive evidence of linkage between the two families were found. In one family, linkage analysis detected two chromosomal regions of interest, 5p15.1-p14.1, and 17p13.1-q11.1, inherited separately from the two founders. Single-point linkage analysis of selected variants identified CDH18 as a primary gene of interest and additionally, MYO10, NIPBL, GLP2R, NCOR1, FLCN, SMCR8, NEK8, and ANKRD12, possibly with additive effects. Linkage analysis in the second family detected five regions with LOD scores approaching the highest values possible in the family. A gene of interest was C4orf21 (ZGRF1) on 4q25-q28.2. Evidence for previously described causal copy-number variations and validated or suspected genes was not found. Results are consistent with a heterogeneous CAS etiology, as is expected in many neurogenic disorders. Future studies will investigate genome variants in these and other families with CAS.

}, keywords = {Apraxias, DNA Copy Number Variations, Exome, Female, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Humans, Lod Score, Male, Pedigree, Risk, Speech}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0153864}, author = {Peter, Beate and Wijsman, Ellen M and Nato, Alejandro Q and Matsushita, Mark M and Chapman, Kathy L and Stanaway, Ian B and Wolff, John and Oda, Kaori and Gabo, Virginia B and Raskind, Wendy H} } @article {83, title = {Mitral regurgitation as a phenotypic manifestation of nonphotosensitive trichothiodystrophy due to a splice variant in MPLKIP.}, journal = {BMC Med Genet}, volume = {17}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Feb 16}, pages = {13}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Nonphotosensitive trichothiodystrophy (TTDN) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of neuroectodermal origin. The condition is marked by hair abnormalities, intellectual impairment, nail dystrophies and susceptibility to infections but with no UV sensitivity.

METHODS: We identified three consanguineous Pakistani families with varied TTDN features and used homozygosity mapping, linkage analysis, and Sanger and exome sequencing in order to identify pathogenic variants. Haplotype analysis was performed and haplotype age estimated. A splicing assay was used to validate the effect of the MPLKIP splice variant on expression.

RESULTS: Affected individuals from all families exhibit several TTDN features along with a heart-specific feature, i.e. mitral regurgitation. Exome sequencing in the probands from families ED168 and ED241 identified a homozygous splice mutation c.339 + 1G > A within MPLKIP. The same splice variant co-segregates with TTDN in a third family ED210. The MPLKIP splice variant was not found in public databases, e.g. the Exome Aggregation Consortium, and in unrelated Pakistani controls. Functional analysis of the splice variant confirmed intron retention, which leads to protein truncation and loss of a phosphorylation site. Haplotype analysis identified a 585.1-kb haplotype which includes the MPLKIP variant, supporting the existence of a founder haplotype that is estimated to be 25,900 years old.

CONCLUSION: This study extends the allelic and phenotypic spectra of MPLKIP-related TTDN, to include a splice variant that causes cardiomyopathy as part of the TTDN phenotype.

}, keywords = {Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Child, Cloning, Molecular, Exome, Female, Genetic Linkage, Haplotypes, HEK293 Cells, Homozygote, Humans, Introns, Male, Mitral Valve Insufficiency, Pakistan, Pedigree, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, RNA Splicing, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Trichothiodystrophy Syndromes, Young Adult}, issn = {1471-2350}, doi = {10.1186/s12881-016-0275-5}, author = {Shah, Khadim and Ali, Raja Hussain and Ansar, Muhammad and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Chishti, Muhammad Salman and Abbe, Izoduwa and Li, Biao and Smith, Joshua D and Nickerson, Deborah A and Shendure, Jay and Coucke, Paul J and Steyaert, Wouter and Bamshad, Michael J and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Leal, Suzanne M and Ahmad, Wasim} } @article {84, title = {Mutations in nuclear pore genes NUP93, NUP205 and XPO5 cause steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {48}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Apr}, pages = {457-65}, abstract = {

Nucleoporins are essential components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Only a few diseases have been attributed to NPC dysfunction. Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease, is caused by dysfunction of glomerular podocytes. Here we identify in eight families with SRNS mutations in NUP93, its interaction partner NUP205 or XPO5 (encoding exportin 5) as hitherto unrecognized monogenic causes of SRNS. NUP93 mutations caused disrupted NPC assembly. NUP93 knockdown reduced the presence of NUP205 in the NPC, and, reciprocally, a NUP205 alteration abrogated NUP93 interaction. We demonstrate that NUP93 and exportin 5 interact with the signaling protein SMAD4 and that NUP93 mutations abrogated interaction with SMAD4. Notably, NUP93 mutations interfered with BMP7-induced SMAD transcriptional reporter activity. We hereby demonstrate that mutations of NUP genes cause a distinct renal disease and identify aberrant SMAD signaling as a new disease mechanism of SRNS, opening a potential new avenue for treatment.

}, keywords = {Age of Onset, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Cell Movement, Cell Proliferation, Cells, Cultured, Child, Child, Preschool, Drug Resistance, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Linkage, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Infant, Karyopherins, Male, Mice, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Nephrotic Syndrome, Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins, Oxidative Stress, Podocytes, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Steroids, Xenopus laevis}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.3512}, author = {Braun, Daniela A and Sadowski, Carolin E and Kohl, Stefan and Lovric, Svjetlana and Astrinidis, Susanne A and Pabst, Werner L and Gee, Heon Yung and Ashraf, Shazia and Lawson, Jennifer A and Shril, Shirlee and Airik, Merlin and Tan, Weizhen and Schapiro, David and Rao, Jia and Choi, Won-Il and Hermle, Tobias and Kemper, Markus J and Pohl, Martin and Ozaltin, Fatih and Konrad, Martin and Bogdanovic, Radovan and B{\"u}scher, Rainer and Helmchen, Udo and Serdaroglu, Erkin and Lifton, Richard P and Antonin, Wolfram and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm} } @article {430, title = {Variants in SKP1, PROB1, and IL17B genes at keratoconus 5q31.1-q35.3 susceptibility locus identified by whole-exome sequencing.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {25}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 01}, pages = {73-78}, abstract = {

Keratoconus (KTCN) is a protrusion and thinning of the cornea, resulting in impairment of visual function. The extreme genetic heterogeneity makes it difficult to discover factors unambiguously influencing the KTCN phenotype. In this study, we used whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing to reduce the number of candidate genes at the 5q31.1-q35.3 locus and to prioritize other potentially relevant variants in an Ecuadorian family with KTCN. We applied WES in two affected KTCN individuals from the Ecuadorian family that showed a suggestive linkage between the KTCN phenotype and the 5q31.1-q35.3 locus. Putative variants identified by WES were further evaluated in this family using Sanger sequencing. Exome capture discovered a total of 173 rare (minor allele frequency <0.001 in control population) nonsynonymous variants in both affected individuals. Among them, 16 SNVs were selected for further evaluation. Segregation analysis revealed that variants c.475T>G in SKP1, c.671G>A in PROB1, and c.527G>A in IL17B in the 5q31.1-q35.3 linkage region, and c.850G>A in HKDC1 in the 10q22 locus completely segregated with the phenotype in the studied KTCN family. We demonstrate that a combination of various techniques significantly narrowed the studied genomic region and reduced the list of the putative exonic variants. Moreover, since this locus overlapped two other chromosomal regions previously recognized in distinct KTCN studies, our findings suggest that this 5q31.1-q35.3 locus might be linked with KTCN.

}, keywords = {Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5, Exome, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome, Human, Hexokinase, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Interleukin-17, Keratoconus, Male, Pedigree, Phenotype, Proteins, S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2016.130}, author = {Karolak, Justyna A and Gambin, Tomasz and Pitarque, Jose A and Molinari, Andrea and Jhangiani, Shalini and Stankiewicz, Pawel and Lupski, James R and Gajecka, Marzena} } @article {122, title = {Allelic Mutations of KITLG, Encoding KIT Ligand, Cause Asymmetric and Unilateral Hearing Loss and Waardenburg Syndrome Type 2.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {97}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Nov 05}, pages = {647-60}, abstract = {

Linkage analysis combined with whole-exome sequencing in a large family with congenital and stable non-syndromic unilateral and asymmetric hearing loss (NS-UHL/AHL) revealed a heterozygous truncating mutation, c.286_303delinsT (p.Ser96Ter), in KITLG. This mutation co-segregated with NS-UHL/AHL as a dominant trait with reduced penetrance. By screening a panel of probands with NS-UHL/AHL, we found an additional mutation, c.200_202del (p.His67_Cys68delinsArg). In~vitro studies revealed that the p.His67_Cys68delinsArg transmembrane isoform of KITLG is not detectable at the cell membrane, supporting pathogenicity. KITLG encodes a ligand for the KIT receptor. Also, KITLG-KIT signaling and MITF are suggested to mutually interact in melanocyte development. Because mutations in MITF are causative of Waardenburg syndrome type 2 (WS2), we screened KITLG in suspected WS2-affected probands. A heterozygous missense mutation, c.310C>G (p.Leu104Val), that segregated with WS2 was identified in a small family. In~vitro studies revealed that the p.Leu104Val transmembrane isoform of KITLG is located at the cell membrane, as is wild-type KITLG. However, in culture media of transfected cells, the p.Leu104Val soluble isoform of KITLG was reduced, and no soluble p.His67_Cys68delinsArg and p.Ser96Ter KITLG could be detected. These data suggest that mutations in KITLG associated with NS-UHL/AHL have a loss-of-function effect. We speculate that the mechanism of the mutation underlying WS2 and leading to membrane incorporation and reduced secretion of KITLG occurs via a dominant-negative or gain-of-function effect. Our study unveils different phenotypes associated with KITLG, previously associated with pigmentation abnormalities, and will thereby improve the genetic counseling given to individuals with KITLG variants.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Animals, Female, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Genetic Linkage, Hearing Loss, Unilateral, Humans, Male, Mice, Mutation, NIH 3T3 Cells, Pedigree, Phenotype, Prognosis, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, RNA, Messenger, Stem Cell Factor, Waardenburg Syndrome}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.09.011}, author = {Zazo Seco, Celia and Serr{\~a}o de Castro, Luciana and van Nierop, Josephine W and Mor{\'\i}n, Mat{\'\i}as and Jhangiani, Shalini and Verver, Eva J J and Schraders, Margit and Maiwald, Nadine and Wesdorp, Mieke and Venselaar, Hanka and Spruijt, Liesbeth and Oostrik, Jaap and Schoots, Jeroen and van Reeuwijk, Jeroen and Lelieveld, Stefan H and Huygen, Patrick L M and Insenser, Mar{\'\i}a and Admiraal, Ronald J C and Pennings, Ronald J E and Hoefsloot, Lies H and Arias-V{\'a}squez, Alejandro and de Ligt, Joep and Yntema, Helger G and Jansen, Joop H and Muzny, Donna M and Huls, Gerwin and van Rossum, Michelle M and Lupski, James R and Moreno-Pelayo, Miguel Angel and Kunst, Henricus P M and Kremer, Hannie} } @article {204, title = {Challenges and solutions for gene identification in the presence of familial locus heterogeneity.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {23}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Sep}, pages = {1207-15}, abstract = {

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of exomes and genomes has accelerated the identification of genes involved in Mendelian phenotypes. However, many NGS studies fall short of identifying causal variants, with estimates for success rates as low as 25\% for uncovering the pathological variant underlying disease etiology. An important reason for such failures is familial locus heterogeneity, where within a single pedigree causal variants in two or more genes underlie Mendelian trait etiology. As examples of intra- and inter-sibship familial locus heterogeneity, we present 10 consanguineous Pakistani families segregating hearing impairment due to homozygous variants in two different hearing impairment genes and a European-American pedigree in which hearing impairment is caused by four variants in three different genes. We have identified 41 additional pedigrees with syndromic and nonsyndromic hearing impairment for which a single previously reported hearing impairment gene has been identified but only segregates with the phenotype in a subset of affected pedigree members. We estimate that locus heterogeneity occurs in 15.3\% (95\% confidence interval: 11.9\%, 19.9\%) of the families in our collection. We demonstrate novel approaches to apply linkage analysis and homozygosity mapping (for autosomal recessive consanguineous pedigrees), which can be used to detect locus heterogeneity using either NGS or SNP array data. Results from linkage analysis and homozygosity mapping can also be used to group sibships or individuals most likely to be segregating the same causal variants and thereby increase the success rate of gene identification.

}, keywords = {Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Calcium-Binding Proteins, Chromosome Mapping, Connexin 26, Connexins, Consanguinity, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Heterogeneity, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Loci, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome, Human, Genotype, Hearing Loss, Hepatocyte Growth Factor, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Membrane Transport Proteins, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, Sulfate Transporters}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2014.266}, author = {Rehman, Atteeq U and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Drummond, Meghan C and Shahzad, Mohsin and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Morell, Robert J and Ansar, Muhammad and Jan, Abid and Wang, Xin and Aziz, Abdul and Riazuddin, Saima and Smith, Joshua D and Wang, Gao T and Ahmed, Zubair M and Gul, Khitab and Shearer, A Eliot and Smith, Richard J H and Shendure, Jay and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Hinnant, John and Khan, Shaheen N and Fisher, Rachel A and Ahmad, Wasim and Friderici, Karen H and Riazuddin, Sheikh and Friedman, Thomas B and Wilch, Ellen S and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {178, title = {Collapsed haplotype pattern method for linkage analysis of next-generation sequence data.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {23}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Dec}, pages = {1739-43}, abstract = {

Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) make it possible to directly sequence genomes and exomes of individuals with Mendelian diseases and screen sequence data for causal variants. With the reduction in cost of NGS, DNA samples from entire families can be sequenced and linkage analysis can be performed directly using NGS data. Inspired by {\textquoteright}burden{\textquoteright} tests, which are used for complex trait rare variant association studies, we developed the collapsed haplotype pattern (CHP) method for linkage analysis. Using data from several deafness genes we demonstrate that the CHP method is substantially more powerful than analyzing individual variants. Unlike applying NGS data filtering approaches, the CHP method provides statistical evidence of a gene{\textquoteright}s involvement in disease etiology and is also less likely to exclude causal variants in the presence of phenocopies and/or reduced penetrance. The CHP method was implemented in the SEQLinkage software package, which can perform linkage analysis on NGS data or can generate data compatible with many linkage analysis programs, reviving them for use in NGS era.

}, keywords = {Chromosome Mapping, Genetic Linkage, Haplotypes, Hearing Loss, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Software}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2015.64}, author = {Wang, Gao T and Zhang, Di and Li, Biao and Dai, Hang and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {168, title = {Exome sequencing reveals pathogenic mutations in 91 strains of mice with Mendelian disorders.}, journal = {Genome Res}, volume = {25}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jul}, pages = {948-57}, abstract = {

Spontaneously arising mouse mutations have served as the foundation for understanding gene function for more than 100 years. We have used exome sequencing in an effort to identify the causative mutations for 172 distinct, spontaneously arising mouse models of Mendelian disorders, including a broad range of clinically relevant phenotypes. To analyze the resulting data, we developed an analytics pipeline that is optimized for mouse exome data and a variation database that allows for reproducible, user-defined data mining as well as nomination of mutation candidates through knowledge-based integration of sample and variant data. Using these new tools, putative pathogenic mutations were identified for 91 (53\%) of the strains in our study. Despite the increased power offered by potentially unlimited pedigrees and controlled breeding, about half of our exome cases remained unsolved. Using a combination of manual analyses of exome alignments and whole-genome sequencing, we provide evidence that a large fraction of unsolved exome cases have underlying structural mutations. This result directly informs efforts to investigate the similar proportion of apparently Mendelian human phenotypes that are recalcitrant to exome sequencing.

}, keywords = {Animals, Exome, Female, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Variation, Genome-Wide Association Study, Genomics, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Male, Mice, Mutation, Phenotype, Reproducibility of Results}, issn = {1549-5469}, doi = {10.1101/gr.186882.114}, author = {Fairfield, Heather and Srivastava, Anuj and Ananda, Guruprasad and Liu, Rangjiao and Kircher, Martin and Lakshminarayana, Anuradha and Harris, Belinda S and Karst, Son Yong and Dionne, Louise A and Kane, Coleen C and Curtain, Michelle and Berry, Melissa L and Ward-Bailey, Patricia F and Greenstein, Ian and Byers, Candice and Czechanski, Anne and Sharp, Jocelyn and Palmer, Kristina and Gudis, Polyxeni and Martin, Whitney and Tadenev, Abby and Bogdanik, Laurent and Pratt, C Herbert and Chang, Bo and Schroeder, David G and Cox, Gregory A and Cliften, Paul and Milbrandt, Jeffrey and Murray, Stephen and Burgess, Robert and Bergstrom, David E and Donahue, Leah Rae and Hamamy, Hanan and Masri, Amira and Santoni, Federico A and Makrythanasis, Periklis and Antonarakis, Stylianos E and Shendure, Jay and Reinholdt, Laura G} } @article {182, title = {Genetic linkage analysis in the age of whole-genome sequencing.}, journal = {Nat Rev Genet}, volume = {16}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 May}, pages = {275-84}, abstract = {

For many years, linkage analysis was the primary tool used for the genetic mapping of Mendelian and complex traits with familial aggregation. Linkage analysis was largely supplanted by the wide adoption of genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, with the recent increased use of whole-genome sequencing (WGS), linkage analysis is again emerging as an important and powerful analysis method for the identification of genes involved in disease aetiology, often in conjunction with WGS filtering approaches. Here, we review the principles of linkage analysis and provide practical guidelines for carrying out linkage studies using WGS data.

}, keywords = {Algorithms, Female, Genetic Linkage, Genome, Human, Genome-Wide Association Study, Genotyping Techniques, Humans, Lod Score, Male, Pedigree, Penetrance, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Software}, issn = {1471-0064}, doi = {10.1038/nrg3908}, author = {Ott, Jurg and Wang, Jing and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {205, title = {Biallelic truncating mutations in FMN2, encoding the actin-regulatory protein Formin 2, cause nonsyndromic autosomal-recessive intellectual disability.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec 04}, pages = {721-8}, abstract = {

Dendritic spines represent the major site of neuronal activity in the brain; they serve as the receiving point for neurotransmitters and undergo rapid activity-dependent morphological changes that correlate with learning and memory. Using a combination of homozygosity mapping and next-generation sequencing in two consanguineous families affected by nonsyndromic autosomal-recessive intellectual disability, we identified truncating mutations in formin 2 (FMN2), encoding a protein that belongs to the formin family of actin cytoskeleton nucleation factors and is highly expressed in the maturing brain. We found that FMN2 localizes to punctae along dendrites and that germline inactivation of mouse Fmn2 resulted in animals with decreased spine density; such mice were previously demonstrated to have a conditioned fear-learning defect. Furthermore, patient neural cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells showed correlated decreased synaptic density. Thus, FMN2 mutations link intellectual disability either directly or indirectly to the regulation of actin-mediated synaptic spine density.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Base Sequence, Chromosome Disorders, Cohort Studies, Consanguinity, Egypt, Exome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Linkage, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Homozygote, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Microfilament Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Nuclear Proteins, Pakistan, Pedigree, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.10.016}, author = {Law, Rosalind and Dixon-Salazar, Tracy and Jerber, Julie and Cai, Na and Abbasi, Ansar A and Zaki, Maha S and Mittal, Kirti and Gabriel, Stacey B and Rafiq, Muhammad Arshad and Khan, Valeed and Nguyen, Maria and Ali, Ghazanfar and Copeland, Brett and Scott, Eric and Vasli, Nasim and Mikhailov, Anna and Khan, Muhammad Nasim and Andrade, Danielle M and Ayaz, Muhammad and Ansar, Muhammad and Ayub, Muhammad and Vincent, John B and Gleeson, Joseph G} } @article {247, title = {A form of the metabolic syndrome associated with mutations in DYRK1B.}, journal = {N Engl J Med}, volume = {370}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 May 15}, pages = {1909-1919}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Genetic analysis has been successful in identifying causative mutations for individual cardiovascular risk factors. Success has been more limited in mapping susceptibility genes for clusters of cardiovascular risk traits, such as those in the metabolic syndrome.

METHODS: We identified three large families with coinheritance of early-onset coronary artery disease, central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. We used linkage analysis and whole-exome sequencing to identify the disease-causing gene.

RESULTS: A founder mutation was identified in DYRK1B, substituting cysteine for arginine at position 102 in the highly conserved kinase-like domain. The mutation precisely cosegregated with the clinical syndrome in all the affected family members and was absent in unaffected family members and unrelated controls. Functional characterization of the disease gene revealed that nonmutant protein encoded by DYRK1B inhibits the SHH (sonic hedgehog) and Wnt signaling pathways and consequently enhances adipogenesis. Furthermore, DYRK1B promoted the expression of the key gluconeogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase. The R102C allele showed gain-of-function activities by potentiating these effects. A second mutation, substituting proline for histidine 90, was found to cosegregate with a similar clinical syndrome in an ethnically distinct family.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate a role for DYRK1B in adipogenesis and glucose homeostasis and associate its altered function with an inherited form of the metabolic syndrome. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health.).

}, keywords = {Coronary Artery Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Exome, Female, Founder Effect, Genetic Linkage, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Glucose-6-Phosphatase, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Metabolic Syndrome, Mutation, Obesity, Abdominal, Pedigree, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, Protein-Tyrosine Kinases}, issn = {1533-4406}, doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa1301824}, author = {Keramati, Ali R and Fathzadeh, Mohsen and Go, Gwang-Woong and Singh, Rajvir and Choi, Murim and Faramarzi, Saeed and Mane, Shrikant and Kasaei, Mohammad and Sarajzadeh-Fard, Kazem and Hwa, John and Kidd, Kenneth K and Babaee Bigi, Mohammad A and Malekzadeh, Reza and Hosseinian, Adallat and Babaei, Masoud and Lifton, Richard P and Mani, Arya} } @article {295, title = {Mutations in DSTYK and dominant urinary tract malformations.}, journal = {N Engl J Med}, volume = {369}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Aug 15}, pages = {621-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and the urinary tract are the most common cause of pediatric kidney failure. These disorders are highly heterogeneous, and the etiologic factors are poorly understood.

METHODS: We performed genomewide linkage analysis and whole-exome sequencing in a family with an autosomal dominant form of congenital abnormalities of the kidney or urinary tract (seven affected family members). We also performed a sequence analysis in 311 unrelated patients, as well as histologic and functional studies.

RESULTS: Linkage analysis identified five regions of the genome that were shared among all affected family members. Exome sequencing identified a single, rare, deleterious variant within these linkage intervals, a heterozygous splice-site mutation in the dual serine-threonine and tyrosine protein kinase gene (DSTYK). This variant, which resulted in aberrant splicing of messenger RNA, was present in all affected family members. Additional, independent DSTYK mutations, including nonsense and splice-site mutations, were detected in 7 of 311 unrelated patients. DSTYK is highly expressed in the maturing epithelia of all major organs, localizing to cell membranes. Knockdown in zebrafish resulted in developmental defects in multiple organs, which suggested loss of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. Consistent with this finding is the observation that DSTYK colocalizes with FGF receptors in the ureteric bud and metanephric mesenchyme. DSTYK knockdown in human embryonic kidney cells inhibited FGF-stimulated phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the principal signal downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases.

CONCLUSIONS: We detected independent DSTYK mutations in 2.3\% of patients with congenital abnormalities of the kidney or urinary tract, a finding that suggests that DSTYK is a major determinant of human urinary tract development, downstream of FGF signaling. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.).

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Base Sequence, Child, Exome, Female, Gene Knockdown Techniques, Genetic Linkage, Genome-Wide Association Study, Heterozygote, Humans, Infant, Kidney, Male, Mice, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Pedigree, Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases, RNA, Small Interfering, Urinary Tract, Urogenital Abnormalities, Young Adult}, issn = {1533-4406}, doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa1214479}, author = {Sanna-Cherchi, Simone and Sampogna, Rosemary V and Papeta, Natalia and Burgess, Katelyn E and Nees, Shannon N and Perry, Brittany J and Choi, Murim and Bodria, Monica and Liu, Yan and Weng, Patricia L and Lozanovski, Vladimir J and Verbitsky, Miguel and Lugani, Francesca and Sterken, Roel and Paragas, Neal and Caridi, Gianluca and Carrea, Alba and Dagnino, Monica and Materna-Kiryluk, Anna and Santamaria, Giuseppe and Murtas, Corrado and Ristoska-Bojkovska, Nadica and Izzi, Claudia and Kacak, Nilgun and Bianco, Beatrice and Giberti, Stefania and Gigante, Maddalena and Piaggio, Giorgio and Gesualdo, Loreto and Vukic, Durdica Kosuljandic and Vukojevic, Katarina and Saraga-Babic, Mirna and Saraga, Marijan and Gucev, Zoran and Allegri, Landino and Latos-Bielenska, Anna and Casu, Domenica and State, Matthew and Scolari, Francesco and Ravazzolo, Roberto and Kiryluk, Krzysztof and Al-Awqati, Qais and D{\textquoteright}Agati, Vivette D and Drummond, Iain A and Tasic, Velibor and Lifton, Richard P and Ghiggeri, Gian Marco and Gharavi, Ali G} } @article {314, title = {Mutations in ECEL1 cause distal arthrogryposis type 5D.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {92}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jan 10}, pages = {150-6}, abstract = {

Distal arthrogryposis (DA) syndromes are the most common of the heritable congenital-contracture disorders, and ~50\% of cases are caused by mutations in genes that encode contractile proteins of skeletal myofibers. DA type 5D (DA5D) is a rare, autosomal-recessive DA previously defined by us and is characterized by congenital contractures of the hands and feet, along with distinctive facial features, including ptosis. We used linkage analysis and whole-genome sequencing of a multiplex consanguineous family to identify in endothelin-converting enzyme-like 1 (ECEL1) mutations that result in DA5D. Evaluation of a total of seven families affected by DA5D revealed in five families ECEL1 mutations that explain ~70\% of cases overall. ECEL1 encodes a neuronal endopeptidase and is expressed in the brain and peripheral nerves. Mice deficient in Ecel1 exhibit perturbed terminal branching of motor neurons to the endplate of skeletal muscles, resulting in poor formation of the neuromuscular junction. Our results distinguish a second developmental pathway that causes congenital-contracture syndromes.

}, keywords = {Arthrogryposis, Consanguinity, Female, Genetic Linkage, Humans, Male, Metalloendopeptidases, Mutation, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.014}, author = {McMillin, Margaret J and Below, Jennifer E and Shively, Kathryn M and Beck, Anita E and Gildersleeve, Heidi I and Pinner, Jason and Gogola, Gloria R and Hecht, Jacqueline T and Grange, Dorothy K and Harris, David J and Earl, Dawn L and Jagadeesh, Sujatha and Mehta, Sarju G and Robertson, Stephen P and Swanson, James M and Faustman, Elaine M and Mefford, Heather C and Shendure, Jay and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J} } @article {299, title = {Mutations in KARS, encoding lysyl-tRNA synthetase, cause autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment DFNB89.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {93}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jul 11}, pages = {132-40}, abstract = {

Previously, DFNB89, a locus associated with autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI), was mapped to chromosomal region 16q21-q23.2 in three unrelated, consanguineous Pakistani families. Through whole-exome sequencing of a hearing-impaired individual from each family, missense mutations were identified at highly conserved residues of lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KARS): the c.1129G>A (p.Asp377Asn) variant was found in one family, and the c.517T>C (p.Tyr173His) variant was found in the other two families. Both variants were predicted to be damaging by multiple bioinformatics tools. The two variants both segregated with the nonsyndromic-hearing-impairment phenotype within the three families, and neither mutation was identified in ethnically matched controls or within variant databases. Individuals homozygous for KARS mutations had symmetric, severe hearing impairment across all frequencies but did not show evidence of auditory or limb neuropathy. It has been demonstrated that KARS is expressed in hair cells of zebrafish, chickens, and mice. Moreover, KARS has strong localization to the spiral ligament region of the cochlea, as well as to Deiters{\textquoteright} cells, the sulcus epithelium, the basilar membrane, and the surface of the spiral limbus. It is hypothesized that KARS variants affect aminoacylation in inner-ear cells by interfering with binding activity to tRNA or p38 and with tetramer formation. The identification of rare KARS variants in ARNSHI-affected families defines a gene that is associated with ARNSHI.

}, keywords = {Animals, Case-Control Studies, Chickens, Cochlea, Computational Biology, Consanguinity, Female, Genetic Linkage, Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner, Haplotypes, Hearing Loss, Homozygote, Humans, Lysine-tRNA Ligase, Male, Mice, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Transfer RNA Aminoacylation, Zebrafish}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.05.018}, author = {Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Azeem, Zahid and Antonellis, Patrick J and Pollock, Lana M and Khan, Saadullah and Andrade-Elizondo, Paula B and Chiu, Ilene and Adams, Mark D and Basit, Sulman and Smith, Joshua D and Nickerson, Deborah A and McDermott, Brian M and Ahmad, Wasim and Leal, Suzanne M} }