@article {963, title = {Absent B cells, agammaglobulinemia, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in folliculin-interacting protein 1 deficiency.}, journal = {Blood}, volume = {137}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 01 28}, pages = {493-499}, abstract = {

Agammaglobulinemia is the most profound primary antibody deficiency that can occur due to an early termination of B-cell development. We here investigated 3 novel patients, including the first known adult, from unrelated families with agammaglobulinemia, recurrent infections, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Two of them also presented with intermittent or severe chronic neutropenia. We identified homozygous or compound-heterozygous variants in the gene for folliculin interacting protein 1 (FNIP1), leading to loss of the FNIP1 protein. B-cell metabolism, including mitochondrial numbers and activity and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, was impaired. These defects recapitulated the Fnip1-/- animal model. Moreover, we identified either uniparental disomy or copy-number variants (CNVs) in 2 patients, expanding the variant spectrum of this novel inborn error of immunity. The results indicate that FNIP1 deficiency can be caused by complex genetic mechanisms and support the clinical utility of exome sequencing and CNV analysis in patients with broad phenotypes, including agammaglobulinemia and HCM. FNIP1 deficiency is a novel inborn error of immunity characterized by early and severe B-cell development defect, agammaglobulinemia, variable neutropenia, and HCM. Our findings elucidate a functional and relevant role of FNIP1 in B-cell development and metabolism and potentially neutrophil activity.

}, keywords = {Adult, Agammaglobulinemia, Animals, B-Lymphocytes, Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic, Carrier Proteins, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5, Codon, Nonsense, Consanguinity, Crohn Disease, Developmental Disabilities, Disease Models, Animal, Disease Susceptibility, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes, Infections, Loss of Function Mutation, Lymphopenia, Male, Mice, Neutropenia, Pedigree, Uniparental Disomy, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1528-0020}, doi = {10.1182/blood.2020006441}, author = {Saettini, Francesco and Poli, Cecilia and Vengoechea, Jaime and Bonanomi, Sonia and Orellana, Julio C and Fazio, Grazia and Rodriguez, Fred H and Noguera, Loreani P and Booth, Claire and Jarur-Chamy, Valentina and Shams, Marissa and Iascone, Maria and Vukic, Maja and Gasperini, Serena and Quadri, Manuel and Barroeta Seijas, Amairelys and Rivers, Elizabeth and Mauri, Mario and Badolato, Raffaele and Cazzaniga, Gianni and Bugarin, Cristina and Gaipa, Giuseppe and Kroes, Wilma G M and Moratto, Daniele and van Oostaijen-Ten Dam, Monique M and Baas, Frank and van der Maarel, Silv{\`e}re and Piazza, Rocco and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep H and Lupski, James R and Yuan, Bo and Chinn, Ivan K and Daxinger, Lucia and Biondi, Andrea} } @article {1019, title = {Association of De Novo Variants With Childhood Onset Moyamoya Disease and Diffuse Occlusive Vasculopathy.}, journal = {Neurology}, volume = {96}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 03 30}, pages = {e1783-e1791}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that de novo genetic variants are responsible for moyamoya disease (MMD) in children with unaffected relatives, we performed exome sequencing of 28 affected children and their unaffected parents.

METHODS: Exome sequencing was performed on 28 trios of affected patients with MMD and unaffected parents.

RESULTS: We identified 3 novel rare de novo variants, 1 in the RING domain and 2 in a highly conserved region distal to the RING domain (4,114-4,120). These de novo cases of MMD present at a young age with aggressive MMD and uniquely have additional occlusive vascular lesions, including renal artery stenosis. Two previously reported cases had de novo variants in the same limited region and presented young with aggressive MMD, and 1 case had narrowing of the inferior abdominal aorta.

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a novel syndrome associated with rare variants defined by de novo mutations disrupting highly conserved amino acids in the RING domain and a discrete region distal to the RING domain delimited by amino acids 4,114 to 4,120 leading to onset of severe MMD before 3 years of age and occlusion of other arteries, including the abdominal aorta, renal, iliac, and femoral arteries.

}, keywords = {Adenosine Triphosphatases, Adult, Age of Onset, Aortic Diseases, Arterial Occlusive Diseases, Child, Preschool, Female, Femoral Artery, Humans, Iliac Artery, Male, Moyamoya Disease, Mutation, Renal Artery Obstruction, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases}, issn = {1526-632X}, doi = {10.1212/WNL.0000000000011653}, author = {Pinard, Amelie and Fiander, Maximillian D J and Cecchi, Alana C and Rideout, Andrea L and Azouz, Mohamed and Fraser, Stuart M and McNeely, P Daniel and Walling, Simon and Novara, Sarah C and Hurst, Anna C E and Guo, Dongchuan and Parkash, Sandhya and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Vandersteen, Anthony M and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {1016, title = {Auto-antibodies to type I IFNs can underlie adverse reactions to yellow fever live attenuated vaccine.}, journal = {J Exp Med}, volume = {218}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 04 05}, abstract = {

Yellow fever virus (YFV) live attenuated vaccine can, in rare cases, cause life-threatening disease, typically in patients with no previous history of severe viral illness. Autosomal recessive (AR) complete IFNAR1 deficiency was reported in one 12-yr-old patient. Here, we studied seven other previously healthy patients aged 13 to 80 yr with unexplained life-threatening YFV vaccine-associated disease. One 13-yr-old patient had AR complete IFNAR2 deficiency. Three other patients vaccinated at the ages of 47, 57, and 64 yr had high titers of circulating auto-Abs against at least 14 of the 17 individual type I IFNs. These antibodies were recently shown to underlie at least 10\% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia. The auto-Abs were neutralizing in vitro, blocking the protective effect of IFN-α2 against YFV vaccine strains. AR IFNAR1 or IFNAR2 deficiency and neutralizing auto-Abs against type I IFNs thus accounted for more than half the cases of life-threatening YFV vaccine-associated disease studied here. Previously healthy subjects could be tested for both predispositions before anti-YFV vaccination.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Autoantibodies, Autoimmune Diseases, COVID-19, Female, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Interferon-alpha, Male, Middle Aged, Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta, SARS-CoV-2, Vaccines, Attenuated, Yellow Fever Vaccine, Yellow fever virus}, issn = {1540-9538}, doi = {10.1084/jem.20202486}, author = {Bastard, Paul and Michailidis, Eleftherios and Hoffmann, Hans-Heinrich and Chbihi, Marwa and Le Voyer, Tom and Rosain, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and Philippot, Quentin and Seeleuthner, Yoann and Gervais, Adrian and Materna, Marie and de Oliveira, Patricia Mouta Nunes and Maia, Maria de Lourdes S and Dinis Ano Bom, Ana Paula and Azamor, Tamiris and Ara{\'u}jo da Concei{\c c}{\~a}o, Deborah and Goudouris, Ekaterini and Homma, Akira and Slesak, G{\"u}nther and Sch{\"a}fer, Johannes and Pulendran, Bali and Miller, Joseph D and Huits, Ralph and Yang, Rui and Rosen, Lindsey B and Bizien, Lucy and Lorenzo, Lazaro and Chrabieh, Maya and Erazo, Lucia V and Rozenberg, Flore and Jeljeli, Mohamed Maxime and B{\'e}ziat, Vivien and Holland, Steven M and Cobat, Aurelie and Notarangelo, Luigi D and Su, Helen C and Ahmed, Rafi and Puel, Anne and Zhang, Shen-Ying and Abel, Laurent and Seligman, Stephen J and Zhang, Qian and MacDonald, Margaret R and Jouanguy, Emmanuelle and Rice, Charles M and Casanova, Jean-Laurent} } @article {1007, title = {De novo TRIM8 variants impair its protein localization to nuclear bodies and cause developmental delay, epilepsy, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {108}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 02 04}, pages = {357-367}, abstract = {

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the main pathology underlying steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and a leading cause of chronic kidney disease. Monogenic forms of pediatric SRNS are predominantly caused by recessive mutations, while the contribution of de novo variants (DNVs) to this trait is poorly understood. Using exome sequencing (ES) in a proband with FSGS/SRNS, developmental delay, and epilepsy, we discovered a nonsense DNV in TRIM8, which encodes the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif containing 8. To establish whether TRIM8 variants represent a cause of FSGS, we aggregated exome/genome-sequencing data for 2,501 pediatric FSGS/SRNS-affected individuals and 48,556 control subjects, detecting eight heterozygous TRIM8 truncating variants in affected subjects but none in control subjects (p = 3.28~{\texttimes} 10). In all six cases with available parental DNA, we demonstrated de novo inheritance (p~=~2.21~{\texttimes} 10). Reverse phenotyping revealed neurodevelopmental disease in all eight families. We next analyzed ES from 9,067 individuals with epilepsy, yielding three additional families with truncating TRIM8 variants. Clinical review revealed FSGS in all. All TRIM8 variants cause protein truncation clustering within the last exon between residues 390 and 487 of the 551 amino acid protein, indicating a correlation between this syndrome and loss of the TRIM8 C-terminal region. Wild-type TRIM8 overexpressed in immortalized human podocytes and neuronal cells localized to nuclear bodies, while constructs harboring patient-specific variants mislocalized diffusely to the nucleoplasm. Co-localization studies demonstrated that Gemini and Cajal bodies frequently abut a TRIM8 nuclear body. Truncating TRIM8 DNVs cause a neuro-renal syndrome via aberrant TRIM8 localization, implicating nuclear bodies in FSGS and developmental brain disease.

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Carrier Proteins, Cell Line, Child, Child, Preschool, Codon, Nonsense, Developmental Disabilities, Epilepsy, Female, Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental, Humans, Intranuclear Space, Kidney, Male, Mice, Mutation, Nephrotic Syndrome, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Phenotype, Podocytes, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.01.008}, author = {Weng, Patricia L and Majmundar, Amar J and Khan, Kamal and Lim, Tze Y and Shril, Shirlee and Jin, Gina and Musgrove, John and Wang, Minxian and Ahram, Dina F and Aggarwal, Vimla S and Bier, Louise E and Heinzen, Erin L and Onuchic-Whitford, Ana C and Mann, Nina and Buerger, Florian and Schneider, Ronen and Deutsch, Konstantin and Kitzler, Thomas M and Kl{\"a}mbt, Verena and Kolb, Amy and Mao, Youying and Moufawad El Achkar, Christelle and Mitrotti, Adele and Martino, Jeremiah and Beck, Bodo B and Altm{\"u}ller, Janine and Benz, Marcus R and Yano, Shoji and Mikati, Mohamad A and Gunduz, Talha and Cope, Heidi and Shashi, Vandana and Trachtman, Howard and Bodria, Monica and Caridi, Gianluca and Pisani, Isabella and Fiaccadori, Enrico and AbuMaziad, Asmaa S and Martinez-Agosto, Julian A and Yadin, Ora and Zuckerman, Jonathan and Kim, Arang and John-Kroegel, Ulrike and Tyndall, Amanda V and Parboosingh, Jillian S and Innes, A Micheil and Bierzynska, Agnieszka and Koziell, Ania B and Muorah, Mordi and Saleem, Moin A and Hoefele, Julia and Riedhammer, Korbinian M and Gharavi, Ali G and Jobanputra, Vaidehi and Pierce-Hoffman, Emma and Seaby, Eleanor G and O{\textquoteright}Donnell-Luria, Anne and Rehm, Heidi L and Mane, Shrikant and D{\textquoteright}Agati, Vivette D and Pollak, Martin R and Ghiggeri, Gian Marco and Lifton, Richard P and Goldstein, David B and Davis, Erica E and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm and Sanna-Cherchi, Simone} } @article {894, title = {Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting the expression of COVID-19-relevant genes in the large airway epithelium.}, journal = {Genome Med}, volume = {13}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 04 21}, pages = {66}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The large airway epithelial barrier provides one of the first lines of defense against respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. Substantial inter-individual variability in individual disease courses is hypothesized to be partially mediated by the differential regulation of the genes that interact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or are involved in the subsequent host response. Here, we comprehensively investigated non-genetic and genetic factors influencing COVID-19-relevant bronchial epithelial gene expression.

METHODS: We analyzed RNA-sequencing data from bronchial epithelial brushings obtained from uninfected individuals. We related ACE2 gene expression to host and environmental factors in the SPIROMICS cohort of smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and replicated these associations in two asthma cohorts, SARP and MAST. To identify airway biology beyond ACE2 binding that may contribute to increased susceptibility, we used gene set enrichment analyses to determine if gene expression changes indicative of a suppressed airway immune response observed early in SARS-CoV-2 infection are also observed in association with host factors. To identify host genetic variants affecting COVID-19 susceptibility in SPIROMICS, we performed expression quantitative trait (eQTL) mapping and investigated the phenotypic associations of the eQTL variants.

RESULTS: We found that ACE2 expression was higher in relation to active smoking, obesity, and hypertension that are known risk factors of COVID-19 severity, while an association with interferon-related inflammation was driven by the truncated, non-binding ACE2 isoform. We discovered that expression patterns of a suppressed airway immune response to early SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared to other viruses, are similar to patterns associated with obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, which may thus contribute to a COVID-19-susceptible airway environment. eQTL mapping identified regulatory variants for genes implicated in COVID-19, some of which had pheWAS evidence for their potential role in respiratory infections.

CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that clinically relevant variation in the expression of COVID-19-related genes is associated with host factors, environmental exposures, and likely host genetic variation.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2, Asthma, Bronchi, Cardiovascular Diseases, COVID-19, Gene Expression, Genetic Variation, Humans, Middle Aged, Obesity, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Quantitative Trait Loci, Respiratory Mucosa, Risk Factors, SARS-CoV-2, Smoking}, issn = {1756-994X}, doi = {10.1186/s13073-021-00866-2}, author = {Kasela, Silva and Ortega, Victor E and Martorella, Molly and Garudadri, Suresh and Nguyen, Jenna and Ampleford, Elizabeth and Pasanen, Anu and Nerella, Srilaxmi and Buschur, Kristina L and Barjaktarevic, Igor Z and Barr, R Graham and Bleecker, Eugene R and Bowler, Russell P and Comellas, Alejandro P and Cooper, Christopher B and Couper, David J and Criner, Gerard J and Curtis, Jeffrey L and Han, MeiLan K and Hansel, Nadia N and Hoffman, Eric A and Kaner, Robert J and Krishnan, Jerry A and Martinez, Fernando J and McDonald, Merry-Lynn N and Meyers, Deborah A and Paine, Robert and Peters, Stephen P and Castro, Mario and Denlinger, Loren C and Erzurum, Serpil C and Fahy, John V and Israel, Elliot and Jarjour, Nizar N and Levy, Bruce D and Li, Xingnan and Moore, Wendy C and Wenzel, Sally E and Zein, Joe and Langelier, Charles and Woodruff, Prescott G and Lappalainen, Tuuli and Christenson, Stephanie A} } @article {980, title = {IFN-α2a Therapy in Two Patients with Inborn Errors of TLR3 and IRF3 Infected with SARS-CoV-2.}, journal = {J Clin Immunol}, volume = {41}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 01}, pages = {26-27}, keywords = {Adult, COVID-19, Female, Humans, Interferon Regulatory Factor-3, Interferon Type I, Interferon-alpha, Polyethylene Glycols, Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases, Recombinant Proteins, SARS-CoV-2, Toll-Like Receptor 3, Treatment Outcome}, issn = {1573-2592}, doi = {10.1007/s10875-020-00933-0}, author = {L{\'e}vy, Romain and Bastard, Paul and Lanternier, Fanny and Lecuit, Marc and Zhang, Shen-Ying and Casanova, Jean-Laurent} } @article {1003, title = {Inhibition of HECT E3 ligases as potential therapy for COVID-19.}, journal = {Cell Death Dis}, volume = {12}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 03 24}, pages = {310}, abstract = {

SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the ongoing world-wide pandemic which has already taken more than two million lives. Effective treatments are urgently needed. The enzymatic activity of the HECT-E3 ligase family members has been implicated in the cell egression phase of deadly RNA viruses such as Ebola through direct interaction of its VP40 Protein. Here we report that HECT-E3 ligase family members such as NEDD4 and WWP1 interact with and ubiquitylate the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Furthermore, we find that HECT family members are overexpressed in primary samples derived from COVID-19 infected patients and COVID-19 mouse models. Importantly, rare germline activating variants in the NEDD4 and WWP1 genes are associated with severe COVID-19 cases. Critically, I3C, a natural NEDD4 and WWP1 inhibitor from Brassicaceae, displays potent antiviral effects and inhibits viral egression. In conclusion, we identify the HECT family members of E3 ligases as likely novel biomarkers for COVID-19, as well as new potential targets of therapeutic strategy easily testable in clinical trials in view of the established well-tolerated nature of the Brassicaceae natural compounds.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Animals, Antiviral Agents, Chlorocebus aethiops, COVID-19, Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport, Female, Humans, Indoles, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Middle Aged, Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases, SARS-CoV-2, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Ubiquitination, Vero Cells}, issn = {2041-4889}, doi = {10.1038/s41419-021-03513-1}, author = {Novelli, Giuseppe and Liu, Jing and Biancolella, Michela and Alonzi, Tonino and Novelli, Antonio and Patten, J J and Cocciadiferro, Dario and Agolini, Emanuele and Colona, Vito Luigi and Rizzacasa, Barbara and Giannini, Rosalinda and Bigio, Benedetta and Goletti, Delia and Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria and Grelli, Sandro and Mann, Justin and McKee, Trevor D and Cheng, Ke and Amanat, Fatima and Krammer, Florian and Guarracino, Andrea and Pepe, Gerardo and Tomino, Carlo and Tandjaoui-Lambiotte, Yacine and Uzunhan, Yurdagul and Tubiana, Sarah and Ghosn, Jade and Notarangelo, Luigi D and Su, Helen C and Abel, Laurent and Cobat, Aurelie and Elhanan, Gai and Grzymski, Joseph J and Latini, Andrea and Sidhu, Sachdev S and Jain, Suresh and Davey, Robert A and Casanova, Jean-Laurent and Wei, Wenyi and Pandolfi, Pier Paolo} } @article {941, title = {MED27 Variants Cause Developmental Delay, Dystonia, and Cerebellar Hypoplasia.}, journal = {Ann Neurol}, volume = {89}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 04}, pages = {828-833}, abstract = {

The Mediator multiprotein complex functions as a regulator of RNA polymerase II-catalyzed gene transcription. In this study, exome sequencing detected biallelic putative disease-causing variants in MED27, encoding Mediator complex subunit 27, in 16 patients from 11 families with a novel neurodevelopmental syndrome. Patient phenotypes are highly homogeneous, including global developmental delay, intellectual disability, axial hypotonia with distal spasticity, dystonic movements, and cerebellar hypoplasia. Seizures and cataracts were noted in severely affected individuals. Identification of multiple patients with biallelic MED27 variants supports the critical role of MED27 in normal human neural development, particularly for the cerebellum. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:828-833.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Cataract, Cerebellum, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Dystonia, Epilepsy, Genetic Variation, Humans, Infant, Mediator Complex, Nervous System Malformations, Phenotype, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1531-8249}, doi = {10.1002/ana.26019}, author = {Meng, Linyan and Isohanni, Pirjo and Shao, Yunru and GrAHm, Brett H and Hickey, Scott E and Brooks, Stephanie and Suomalainen, Anu and Joset, Pascal and Steindl, Katharina and Rauch, Anita and Hackenberg, Annette and High, Frances A and Armstrong-Javors, Amy and Mencacci, Niccol{\`o} E and Gonz{\`a}lez-Latapi, Paulina and Kamel, Walaa A and Al-Hashel, Jasem Y and Bustos, Bernab{\'e} I and Hernandez, Alejandro V and Krainc, Dimitri and Lubbe, Steven J and Van Esch, Hilde and De Luca, Chiara and Ballon, Katleen and Ravelli, Claudia and Burglen, Lydie and Qebibo, Leila and Calame, Daniel G and Mitani, Tadahiro and Marafi, Dana and Pehlivan, Davut and Saadi, Nebal W and Sahin, Yavuz and Maroofian, Reza and Efthymiou, Stephanie and Houlden, Henry and Maqbool, Shazia and Rahman, Fatima and Gu, Shen and Posey, Jennifer E and Lupski, James R and Hunter, Jill V and Wangler, Michael F and Carroll, Christopher J and Yang, Yaping} } @article {983, title = {Perturbations of genes essential for M{\"u}llerian duct and W{\"o}lffian duct development in Mayer-Rokitansky-K{\"u}ster-Hauser syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {108}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 02 04}, pages = {337-345}, abstract = {

Mayer-Rokitansky-K{\"u}ster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS) is associated with congenital absence of the uterus, cervix, and the upper part of the vagina; it is a sex-limited trait. Disrupted development of the M{\"u}llerian ducts (MD)/W{\"o}lffian ducts (WD) through multifactorial mechanisms has been proposed to underlie MRKHS. In this study, exome sequencing (ES) was performed on a Chinese discovery cohort (442 affected subjects and 941 female control subjects) and a replication MRKHS cohort (150 affected subjects of mixed ethnicity from North America, South America, and Europe). Phenotypic follow-up of the female reproductive system was performed on an additional cohort of PAX8-associated congenital hypothyroidism (CH) (n = 5, Chinese). By analyzing 19 candidate genes essential for MD/WD development, we identified 12 likely gene-disrupting (LGD) variants in 7 genes: PAX8 (n = 4), BMP4 (n = 2), BMP7 (n = 2), TBX6 (n = 1), HOXA10 (n = 1), EMX2 (n = 1), and WNT9B (n = 1), while LGD variants in these genes were not detected in control samples (p = 1.27E-06). Interestingly, a sex-limited penetrance with paternal inheritance was observed in multiple families. One additional PAX8 LGD variant from the replication cohort and two missense variants from both cohorts were revealed to cause loss-of-function of the protein. From the PAX8-associated CH cohort, we identified one individual presenting a syndromic condition characterized by CH and MRKHS (CH-MRKHS). Our study demonstrates the comprehensive utilization of knowledge from developmental biology toward elucidating genetic perturbations, i.e., rare pathogenic alleles involving the same loci, contributing to human birth defects.

}, keywords = {46, XX Disorders of Sex Development, Adult, Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4, Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7, Codon, Nonsense, Congenital Abnormalities, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Pleiotropy, Homeobox A10 Proteins, Homeodomain Proteins, Humans, Mullerian Ducts, Mutation, Paternal Inheritance, PAX8 Transcription Factor, Penetrance, T-Box Domain Proteins, Transcription Factors, Wnt Proteins, Wolffian Ducts}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.12.014}, author = {Chen, Na and Zhao, Sen and Jolly, Angad and Wang, Lianlei and Pan, Hongxin and Yuan, Jian and Chen, Shaoke and Koch, Andr{\'e} and Ma, Congcong and Tian, Weijie and Jia, Ziqi and Kang, Jia and Zhao, Lina and Qin, Chenglu and Fan, Xin and Rall, Katharina and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep and Chen, Zefu and Jhangiani, Shalini and Liang, Ze and Niu, Yuchen and Li, Xiaoxin and Yan, Zihui and Wu, Yong and Dong, Shuangshuang and Song, Chengcheng and Qiu, Guixing and Zhang, Shuyang and Liu, Pengfei and Posey, Jennifer E and Zhang, Feng and Luo, Guangnan and Wu, Zhihong and Su, Jianzhong and Zhang, Jianguo and Chen, Eugenia Y and Rouskas, Konstantinos and Glentis, Stavros and Bacopoulou, Flora and Deligeoroglou, Efthymios and Chrousos, George and Lyonnet, Stanislas and Polak, Michel and Rosenberg, Carla and Dingeldein, Irene and Bonilla, Ximena and Borel, Christelle and Gibbs, Richard A and Dietrich, Jennifer E and Dimas, Antigone S and Antonarakis, Stylianos E and Brucker, Sara Y and Lupski, James R and Wu, Nan and Zhu, Lan} } @article {1002, title = {Plasma Exchange to Rescue Patients with Autoantibodies Against Type I Interferons and Life-Threatening COVID-19 Pneumonia.}, journal = {J Clin Immunol}, volume = {41}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 04}, pages = {536-544}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: To report four cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with high blood concentrations of neutralizing autoantibodies against type I interferons (IFNs), who were treated with plasma exchange (PE) as a rescue therapy.

METHODS: Prospective case series, which included patients, diagnosed with RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and positive autoantibodies against type I IFNs in two French intensive care units (ICUs) between October 8 and November 14, 2020. Six critically ill COVID-19 patients with no anti-IFN antibodies were used as controls. Anti-IFN autoantibodies and IFN concentrations, together with the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, were measured sequentially in serum. Viral load was determined in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Patients were followed during hospital stay.

RESULTS: Three men and one woman were included. Three of the patients had four PE sessions each, while another had three PE sessions. PE decreased the concentrations of autoantibodies against type I IFN in all four patients, whereas anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels remained stable. Autoantibodies against type I IFN levels were high in tracheal aspirates of one patient and decreased after three PE sessions. By contrast, anti-IFN autoantibodies were not detected in tracheal aspirates from five control patients without detectable anti-IFN autoantibodies in serum. During PE, serum IFN-α levels slightly increased in three out of four patients, and upper respiratory tract viral load decreased in all patients. All patients were alive at day 28 of ICU admission. Two patients eventually died in the ICU, while the two survivors were discharged from the ICU at days 50 and 66.

CONCLUSIONS: PE efficiently removes autoantibodies against type I IFNs, including those detected in tracheal aspirates, without affecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels, in patients with life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia. The clinical benefit of PE in patients with autoantibodies against type I IFNs should be tested in a larger study.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Autoantibodies, COVID-19, Female, Humans, Interferon Type I, Male, Plasma Exchange, Prospective Studies, SARS-CoV-2}, issn = {1573-2592}, doi = {10.1007/s10875-021-00994-9}, author = {de Prost, Nicolas and Bastard, Paul and Arrestier, Romain and Fourati, Slim and Mah{\'e}vas, Mathieu and Burrel, Sonia and Dorgham, Karim and Gorochov, Guy and Tandjaoui-Lambiotte, Yacine and Azzaoui, Iname and Fernandes, Ignacio and Combes, Alain and Casanova, Jean-Laurent and Mekontso-Dessap, Armand and Luyt, Charles-Edouard} } @article {1022, title = {POLRMT mutations impair mitochondrial transcription causing neurological disease.}, journal = {Nat Commun}, volume = {12}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 02 18}, pages = {1135}, abstract = {

While >300 disease-causing variants have been identified in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymerase γ, no mitochondrial phenotypes have been associated with POLRMT, the RNA polymerase responsible for transcription of the mitochondrial genome. Here, we characterise the clinical and molecular nature of POLRMT variants in eight individuals from seven unrelated families. Patients present with global developmental delay, hypotonia, short stature, and speech/intellectual disability in childhood; one subject displayed an indolent progressive external ophthalmoplegia phenotype. Massive parallel sequencing of all subjects identifies recessive and dominant variants in the POLRMT gene. Patient fibroblasts have a defect in mitochondrial mRNA synthesis, but no mtDNA deletions or copy number abnormalities. The in vitro characterisation of the recombinant POLRMT mutants reveals variable, but deleterious effects on mitochondrial transcription. Together, our in vivo and in vitro functional studies of POLRMT variants establish defective mitochondrial transcription as an important disease mechanism.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, DNA, Mitochondrial, DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases, Female, Fibroblasts, Humans, Infant, Male, Mitochondria, Mutation, Nervous System Diseases, Oxidative Phosphorylation, Pedigree, Protein Domains, Protein Subunits, RNA, Messenger, Transcription, Genetic, Young Adult}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-021-21279-0}, author = {Ol{\'a}hov{\'a}, Monika and Peter, Bradley and Szilagyi, Zsolt and Diaz-Maldonado, Hector and Singh, Meenakshi and Sommerville, Ewen W and Blakely, Emma L and Collier, Jack J and Hoberg, Emily and Str{\'a}neck{\'y}, Viktor and Hartmannov{\'a}, Hana and Bleyer, Anthony J and McBride, Kim L and Bowden, Sasigarn A and Korandov{\'a}, Zuzana and Pecinov{\'a}, Alena and Ropers, Hans-Hilger and Kahrizi, Kimia and Najmabadi, Hossein and Tarnopolsky, Mark A and Brady, Lauren I and Weaver, K Nicole and Prada, Carlos E and {\~O}unap, Katrin and Wojcik, Monica H and Pajusalu, Sander and Syeda, Safoora B and Pais, Lynn and Estrella, Elicia A and Bruels, Christine C and Kunkel, Louis M and Kang, Peter B and Bonnen, Penelope E and Mr{\'a}{\v c}ek, Tom{\'a}{\v s} and Kmoch, Stanislav and Gorman, Gr{\'a}inne S and Falkenberg, Maria and Gustafsson, Claes M and Taylor, Robert W} } @article {1017, title = {Preexisting autoantibodies to type I IFNs underlie critical COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with APS-1.}, journal = {J Exp Med}, volume = {218}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 07 05}, abstract = {

Patients with biallelic loss-of-function variants of AIRE suffer from autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-1 (APS-1) and produce a broad range of autoantibodies (auto-Abs), including circulating auto-Abs neutralizing most type I interferons (IFNs). These auto-Abs were recently reported to account for at least 10\% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in the general population. We report 22 APS-1 patients from 21 kindreds in seven countries, aged between 8 and 48 yr and infected with SARS-CoV-2 since February 2020. The 21 patients tested had auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-α subtypes and/or IFN-ω; one had anti-IFN-β and another anti-IFN-ε, but none had anti-IFN-κ. Strikingly, 19 patients (86\%) were hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, including 15 (68\%) admitted to an intensive care unit, 11 (50\%) who required mechanical ventilation, and four (18\%) who died. Ambulatory disease in three patients (14\%) was possibly accounted for by prior or early specific interventions. Preexisting auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs in APS-1 patients confer a very high risk of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia at any age.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Autoantibodies, Child, COVID-19, Female, Humans, Interferon Type I, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune, SARS-CoV-2, Young Adult}, issn = {1540-9538}, doi = {10.1084/jem.20210554}, author = {Bastard, Paul and Orlova, Elizaveta and Sozaeva, Leila and L{\'e}vy, Romain and James, Alyssa and Schmitt, Monica M and Ochoa, Sebastian and Kareva, Maria and Rodina, Yulia and Gervais, Adrian and Le Voyer, Tom and Rosain, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and Philippot, Quentin and Neehus, Anna-Lena and Shaw, Elana and Migaud, M{\'e}lanie and Bizien, Lucy and Ekwall, Olov and Berg, Stefan and Beccuti, Guglielmo and Ghizzoni, Lucia and Thiriez, G{\'e}rard and Pavot, Arthur and Goujard, C{\'e}cile and Fr{\'e}mond, Marie-Louise and Carter, Edwin and Rothenbuhler, Anya and Linglart, Agn{\`e}s and Mignot, Brigite and Comte, Aur{\'e}lie and Cheikh, Nathalie and Hermine, Olivier and Breivik, Lars and Husebye, Eystein S and Humbert, S{\'e}bastien and Rohrlich, Pierre and Coaquette, Alain and Vuoto, Fanny and Faure, Karine and Mahlaoui, Nizar and Kotnik, Primo{\v z} and Battelino, Tadej and Trebu{\v s}ak Podkraj{\v s}ek, Katarina and Kisand, Kai and Ferr{\'e}, Elise M N and DiMaggio, Thomas and Rosen, Lindsey B and Burbelo, Peter D and McIntyre, Martin and Kann, Nelli Y and Shcherbina, Anna and Pavlova, Maria and Kolodkina, Anna and Holland, Steven M and Zhang, Shen-Ying and Crow, Yanick J and Notarangelo, Luigi D and Su, Helen C and Abel, Laurent and Anderson, Mark S and Jouanguy, Emmanuelle and Neven, B{\'e}n{\'e}dicte and Puel, Anne and Casanova, Jean-Laurent and Lionakis, Michail S} } @article {737, title = {ASC-1 Is a Cell Cycle Regulator Associated with Severe and Mild Forms of Myopathy.}, journal = {Ann Neurol}, volume = {87}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 02}, pages = {217-232}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Recently, the ASC-1 complex has been identified as a mechanistic link between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and 3 mutations of the ASC-1 gene TRIP4 have been associated with SMA or congenital myopathy. Our goal was to define ASC-1 neuromuscular function and the phenotypical spectrum associated with TRIP4 mutations.

METHODS: Clinical, molecular, histological, and magnetic resonance imaging studies were made in 5 families with 7 novel TRIP4 mutations. Fluorescence activated cell sorting and Western blot were performed in patient-derived fibroblasts and muscles and in Trip4 knocked-down C2C12 cells.

RESULTS: All mutations caused ASC-1 protein depletion. The clinical phenotype was purely myopathic, ranging from lethal neonatal to mild ambulatory adult patients. It included early onset axial and proximal weakness, scoliosis, rigid spine, dysmorphic facies, cutaneous involvement, respiratory failure, and in the older cases, dilated cardiomyopathy. Muscle biopsies showed multiminicores, nemaline rods, cytoplasmic bodies, caps, central nuclei, rimmed fibers, and/or mild endomysial fibrosis. ASC-1 depletion in C2C12 and in patient-derived fibroblasts and muscles caused accelerated proliferation, altered expression of cell cycle proteins, and/or shortening of the G0/G1 cell cycle phase leading to cell size reduction.

INTERPRETATION: Our results expand the phenotypical and molecular spectrum of TRIP4-associated disease to include mild adult forms with or without cardiomyopathy, associate ASC-1 depletion with isolated primary muscle involvement, and establish TRIP4 as a causative gene for several congenital muscle diseases, including nemaline, core, centronuclear, and cytoplasmic-body myopathies. They also identify ASC-1 as a novel cell cycle regulator with a key role in cell proliferation, and underline transcriptional coregulation defects as a novel pathophysiological mechanism. ANN NEUROL 2020;87:217-232.

}, keywords = {Adult, Amino Acid Transport System y+, Cell Cycle, Cells, Cultured, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Fibroblasts, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle Proteins, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscular Diseases, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, Transcription Factors}, issn = {1531-8249}, doi = {10.1002/ana.25660}, author = {Villar-Quiles, Roc{\'\i}o N and Catervi, Fabio and Cabet, Eva and Juntas-Morales, Raul and Genetti, Casie A and Gidaro, Teresa and Koparir, Asuman and Yuksel, Adnan and Coppens, Sandra and Deconinck, Nicolas and Pierce-Hoffman, Emma and Lornage, Xavi{\`e}re and Durigneux, Julien and Laporte, Jocelyn and Rendu, John and Romero, Norma B and Beggs, Alan H and Servais, Laurent and Coss{\'e}e, Mireille and Oliv{\'e}, Montse and B{\"o}hm, Johann and Duband-Goulet, Isabelle and Ferreiro, Ana} } @article {904, title = {Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {370}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 10 23}, abstract = {

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-ω (IFN-ω) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-α (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6\% of women and 12.5\% of men.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Asymptomatic Infections, Autoantibodies, Betacoronavirus, Case-Control Studies, Coronavirus Infections, COVID-19, Critical Illness, Female, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Interferon alpha-2, Interferon Type I, Male, Middle Aged, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral, SARS-CoV-2}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.abd4585}, author = {Bastard, Paul and Rosen, Lindsey B and Zhang, Qian and Michailidis, Eleftherios and Hoffmann, Hans-Heinrich and Zhang, Yu and Dorgham, Karim and Philippot, Quentin and Rosain, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and B{\'e}ziat, Vivien and Manry, Jeremy and Shaw, Elana and Haljasm{\"a}gi, Liis and Peterson, P{\"a}rt and Lorenzo, Lazaro and Bizien, Lucy and Trouillet-Assant, Sophie and Dobbs, Kerry and de Jesus, Adriana Almeida and Belot, Alexandre and Kallaste, Anne and Catherinot, Emilie and Tandjaoui-Lambiotte, Yacine and Le Pen, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and Kerner, Gaspard and Bigio, Benedetta and Seeleuthner, Yoann and Yang, Rui and Bolze, Alexandre and Spaan, Andr{\'a}s N and Delmonte, Ottavia M and Abers, Michael S and Aiuti, Alessandro and Casari, Giorgio and Lampasona, Vito and Piemonti, Lorenzo and Ciceri, Fabio and Bilguvar, Kaya and Lifton, Richard P and Vasse, Marc and Smadja, David M and Migaud, M{\'e}lanie and Hadjadj, J{\'e}rome and Terrier, Benjamin and Duffy, Darragh and Quintana-Murci, Lluis and van de Beek, Diederik and Roussel, Lucie and Vinh, Donald C and Tangye, Stuart G and Haerynck, Filomeen and Dalmau, David and Martinez-Picado, Javier and Brodin, Petter and Nussenzweig, Michel C and Boisson-Dupuis, St{\'e}phanie and Rodr{\'\i}guez-Gallego, Carlos and Vogt, Guillaume and Mogensen, Trine H and Oler, Andrew J and Gu, Jingwen and Burbelo, Peter D and Cohen, Jeffrey I and Biondi, Andrea and Bettini, Laura Rachele and D{\textquoteright}Angio, Mariella and Bonfanti, Paolo and Rossignol, Patrick and Mayaux, Julien and Rieux-Laucat, Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric and Husebye, Eystein S and Fusco, Francesca and Ursini, Matilde Valeria and Imberti, Luisa and Sottini, Alessandra and Paghera, Simone and Quiros-Roldan, Eugenia and Rossi, Camillo and Castagnoli, Riccardo and Montagna, Daniela and Licari, Amelia and Marseglia, Gian Luigi and Duval, Xavier and Ghosn, Jade and Tsang, John S and Goldbach-Mansky, Raphaela and Kisand, Kai and Lionakis, Michail S and Puel, Anne and Zhang, Shen-Ying and Holland, Steven M and Gorochov, Guy and Jouanguy, Emmanuelle and Rice, Charles M and Cobat, Aurelie and Notarangelo, Luigi D and Abel, Laurent and Su, Helen C and Casanova, Jean-Laurent} } @article {976, title = {Beyond the tubule: pathological variants of , encoding the megalin receptor, result in glomerular loss and early progressive chronic kidney disease.}, journal = {Am J Physiol Renal Physiol}, volume = {319}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 12 01}, pages = {F988-F999}, abstract = {

Pathogenic variants in the gene, encoding the multiligand receptor megalin, cause a rare autosomal recessive syndrome: Donnai-Barrow/Facio-Oculo-Acoustico-Renal (DB/FOAR) syndrome. Because of the rarity of the syndrome, the long-term consequences of the tubulopathy on human renal health have been difficult to ascertain, and the human clinical condition has hitherto been characterized as a benign tubular condition with asymptomatic low-molecular-weight proteinuria. We investigated renal function and morphology in a murine model of DB/FOAR syndrome and in patients with DB/FOAR. We analyzed glomerular filtration rate in mice by FITC-inulin clearance and clinically characterized six families, including nine patients with DB/FOAR and nine family members. Urine samples from patients were analyzed by Western blot analysis and biopsy materials were analyzed by histology. In the mouse model, we used histological methods to assess nephrogenesis and postnatal renal structure and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to assess glomerular number. In megalin-deficient mice, we found a lower glomerular filtration rate and an increase in the abundance of injury markers, such as kidney injury molecule-1 and -acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase. Renal injury was validated in patients, who presented with increased urinary kidney injury molecule-1, classical markers of chronic kidney disease, and glomerular proteinuria early in life. Megalin-deficient mice had normal nephrogenesis, but they had 19\% fewer nephrons in early adulthood and an increased fraction of nephrons with disconnected glomerulotubular junction. In conclusion, megalin dysfunction, as present in DB/FOAR syndrome, confers an increased risk of progression into chronic kidney disease.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Humans, Kidney Glomerulus, Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2, Male, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Middle Aged, Renal Insufficiency, Chronic, Young Adult}, issn = {1522-1466}, doi = {10.1152/ajprenal.00295.2020}, author = {Charlton, Jennifer R and Tan, Weizhen and Daouk, Ghaleb and Teot, Lisa and Rosen, Seymour and Bennett, Kevin M and Cwiek, Aleksandra and Nam, Sejin and Emma, Francesco and Jouret, Fran{\c c}ois and Oliveira, Jo{\~a}o Paulo and Tranebj{\ae}rg, Lisbeth and Frykholm, Carina and Mane, Shrikant and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm and Srivastava, Tarak and Storm, Tina and Christensen, Erik Ils{\o} and Nielsen, Rikke} } @article {886, title = {Community-based recruitment and exome sequencing indicates high diagnostic yield in adults with intellectual disability.}, journal = {Mol Genet Genomic Med}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 10}, pages = {e1439}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Establishing a genetic diagnosis for individuals with intellectual disability (ID) benefits patients and their families as it may inform the prognosis, lead to appropriate therapy, and facilitate access to medical and supportive services. Exome sequencing has been successfully applied in a diagnostic setting, but most clinical exome referrals are pediatric patients, with many adults with ID lacking a comprehensive genetic evaluation.

METHODS: Our unique recruitment strategy involved partnering with service and education providers for individuals with ID. We performed exome sequencing and analysis, and clinical variant interpretation for each recruited family.

RESULTS: All five families enrolled in the study opted-in for the return of genetic results. In three out of five families exome sequencing analysis identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in KANSL1, TUSC3, and MED13L genes. Families discussed the results and any potential medical follow-up in an appointment with a board certified clinical geneticist.

CONCLUSION: Our study suggests high yield of exome sequencing as a diagnostic tool in adult patients with ID who have not undergone comprehensive sequencing-based genetic testing. Research studies including an option of return of results through a genetic clinic could help minimize the disparity in exome diagnostic testing between pediatric and adult patients with ID.

}, keywords = {Adult, Female, Genetic Testing, Humans, Independent Living, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mediator Complex, Membrane Proteins, Nuclear Proteins, Patient Selection, Sensitivity and Specificity, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {2324-9269}, doi = {10.1002/mgg3.1439}, author = {Sabo, Aniko and Murdock, David and Dugan, Shannon and Meng, Qingchang and Gingras, Marie-Claude and Hu, Jianhong and Muzny, Donna and Gibbs, Richard} } @article {756, title = {Congenital myasthenic syndrome with mild intellectual disability caused by a recurrent SLC25A1 variant.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {28}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 03}, pages = {373-377}, abstract = {

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders caused by mutations which lead to impaired neuromuscular transmission. SLC25A1 encodes a mitochondrial citrate carrier, associated mainly with the severe neurometabolic disease combined D-2- and L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (D/L-2-HGA). We previously reported a single family with a homozygous missense variant in SLC25A1 with a phenotype restricted to relatively mild CMS with intellectual disability, but to date no additional cases of this CMS subtype had been reported. Here, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) in three additional and unrelated families presenting with CMS and mild intellectual disability to identify the underlying causative gene. The WES analysis revealed the presence of a homozygous c.740G>A; p.(Arg247Gln) missense SLC25A1 variant, the same SLC25A1 variant as identified in the original family with this phenotype. Electron microscopy of muscle from two cases revealed enlarged and accumulated mitochondria. Haplotype analysis performed in two unrelated families suggested that this variant is a result of recurrent mutation and not a founder effect. This suggests that p.(Arg247Gln) is associated with a relatively mild CMS phenotype with subtle mitochondrial abnormalities, while other variants in this gene cause more severe neurometabolic disease. In conclusion, the p.(Arg247Gln) SLC25A1 variant should be considered in patients presenting with a presynaptic CMS phenotype, particularly with accompanying intellectual disability.

}, keywords = {Adult, Female, Haplotypes, Homozygote, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mitochondrial Proteins, Muscle, Skeletal, Mutation, Missense, Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital, Organic Anion Transporters}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/s41431-019-0506-2}, author = {Balaraju, Sunitha and Topf, Ana and McMacken, Grace and Kumar, Veeramani Preethish and Pechmann, Astrid and Roper, Helen and Vengalil, Seena and Polavarapu, Kiran and Nashi, Saraswati and MAHjan, Niranjan Prakash and Barbosa, Ines A and Deshpande, Charu and Taylor, Robert W and Cossins, Judith and Beeson, David and Laurie, Steven and Kirschner, Janbernd and Horvath, Rita and McFarland, Robert and Nalini, Atchayaram and Lochm{\"u}ller, Hanns} } @article {769, title = {Delineation of a Human Mendelian Disorder of the DNA Demethylation Machinery: TET3 Deficiency.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {106}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 02 06}, pages = {234-245}, abstract = {

Germline pathogenic variants in chromatin-modifying enzymes are a common cause of pediatric developmental disorders. These enzymes catalyze reactions that regulate epigenetic inheritance via histone post-translational modifications and DNA methylation. Cytosine methylation (5-methylcytosine [5mC]) of DNA is the quintessential epigenetic mark, yet no human Mendelian disorder of DNA demethylation has yet been delineated. Here, we describe in detail a Mendelian disorder caused by the disruption of DNA demethylation. TET3 is a methylcytosine dioxygenase that initiates DNA demethylation during early zygote formation, embryogenesis, and neuronal differentiation and is intolerant to haploinsufficiency in mice and humans. We identify and characterize 11 cases of human TET3 deficiency in eight families with the common phenotypic features of intellectual disability and/or global developmental delay; hypotonia; autistic traits; movement disorders; growth abnormalities; and facial dysmorphism. Mono-allelic frameshift and nonsense variants in TET3 occur throughout the coding region. Mono-allelic and bi-allelic missense variants localize to conserved residues; all but one such variant occur within the catalytic domain, and most display hypomorphic function in an assay of catalytic activity. TET3 deficiency and other Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery show substantial phenotypic overlap, including features of intellectual disability and abnormal growth, underscoring shared disease mechanisms.

}, keywords = {Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Autistic Disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Dioxygenases, DNA Demethylation, Embryonic Development, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Growth Disorders, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Movement Disorders, Pedigree, Protein Conformation, Sequence Homology, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.12.007}, author = {Beck, David B and Petracovici, Ana and He, Chongsheng and Moore, Hannah W and Louie, Raymond J and Ansar, Muhammad and Douzgou, Sofia and Sithambaram, Sivagamy and Cottrell, Trudie and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Prijoles, Eloise J and Bend, Renee and Keren, Boris and Mignot, Cyril and Nougues, Marie-Christine and {\~O}unap, Katrin and Reimand, Tiia and Pajusalu, Sander and Zahid, Muhammad and Saqib, Muhammad Arif Nadeem and Buratti, Julien and Seaby, Eleanor G and McWalter, Kirsty and Telegrafi, Aida and Baldridge, Dustin and Shinawi, Marwan and Leal, Suzanne M and Schaefer, G Bradley and Stevenson, Roger E and Banka, Siddharth and Bonasio, Roberto and Fahrner, Jill A} } @article {776, title = {Estimation of the carrier frequency of fumarate hydratase alterations and implications for kidney cancer risk in hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cancer.}, journal = {Cancer}, volume = {126}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 08 15}, pages = {3657-3666}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cancer (HLRCC) is a cancer syndrome associated with a germline mutation in fumarate hydratase (FH). The syndrome is associated with cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas, and some patients develop a lethal form of kidney cancer. This study provides estimates for the FH carrier frequency and kidney cancer penetrance.

METHODS: Data sets containing sequencing data for the FH gene were used: the 1000 Genomes Project (1000GP) and the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC). Alterations in the FH gene were characterized on the basis of different variant risk tiers: 1) ClinVar annotated variants, 2) loss-of-function alterations, and 3) highly impactful missense alterations. The cumulative incidence of FH alterations overall and by different world populations was evaluated in 1000GP and ExAC. A lifetime penetrance of HLRCC kidney cancer risk was generated with 3 estimates of the annual incidence.

RESULTS: The overall allele frequencies of tier 1 to 3 FH alterations in the ExAC and 1000GP data sets were 2.54 {\texttimes} 10 (1 in 393) and 1.20 {\texttimes} 10 (1 in 835), respectively. There were differences in the allele frequencies of FH alterations between world populations. Based on various estimates of the percentage of kidney cancers with FH alterations, the lifetime kidney cancer penetrance for carrier estimate 3 in ExAC was 1.7\% to 5.8\%.

CONCLUSIONS: FH alterations are common and are carried by approximately 1 in 1000 individuals according to the more conservative estimates. The lifetime kidney cancer penetrance appears lower than previously estimated. Although databases are not population cohorts, they provide a useful quantitative estimate of rare variants with low penetrance.

}, keywords = {Adult, Exome, Female, Fumarate Hydratase, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Germ-Line Mutation, Heterozygote, Humans, Kidney, Kidney Neoplasms, Leiomyomatosis, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary, Risk Factors, Skin Neoplasms, Uterine Neoplasms}, issn = {1097-0142}, doi = {10.1002/cncr.32914}, author = {Shuch, Brian and Li, Shantao and Risch, Harvey and Bindra, Ranjit S and McGillivray, Patrick D and Gerstein, Mark} } @article {750, title = {Exome sequencing reveals a novel variant in causing intracranial aneurysm in a Chinese family.}, journal = {J Neurointerv Surg}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 Feb}, pages = {221-226}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Genetic risk factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of familial intracranial aneurysms (FIAs); however, the molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential FIA-causing genetic variants by rare variant interrogation and a family-based genomics approach in a large family with an extensive multigenerational pedigree with FIAs.

METHOD: Exome sequencing (ES) was performed in a dominant likely family with intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Variants were analyzed by an in-house developed pipeline and prioritized using various filtering strategies, including population frequency, variant type, and predicted variant pathogenicity. Sanger sequencing was also performed to evaluate the segregation of the variants with the phenotype.

RESULTS: Based on the ES data obtained from five individuals from a family with 7/21 living members affected with IAs, a total of 14 variants were prioritized as candidate variants. Familial segregation analysis revealed that c.2519T>C (p.Leu840Pro) segregated in accordance with Mendelian expectations with the phenotype within the family-that is, present in all IA-affected cases and absent from all unaffected members of the second generation. This missense variant is absent from public databases (1000genome, ExAC, gnomAD, ESP5400), and has damaging predictions by bioinformatics tools (Gerp ++ score = 5.88, CADD score = 16.43, MutationTaster score = 1, LRT score = 0). In addition, 840Leu in NFX1 is robustly conserved in mammals and maps in a region before the RING-type zinc finger domain.

CONCLUSION: c.2519T>C (p.Leu840Pro) may contribute to the pathogenetics of a subset of FIAs.

}, keywords = {Adult, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Computational Biology, Exome, Female, Genetic Variation, Humans, Intracranial Aneurysm, Male, Middle Aged, Pedigree, Phenotype, Repressor Proteins}, issn = {1759-8486}, doi = {10.1136/neurintsurg-2019-014900}, author = {Ding, Xinghuan and Zhao, Sen and Zhang, Qianqian and Yan, Zihui and Wang, Yang and Wu, Yong and Li, Xiaoxin and Liu, Jian and Niu, Yuchen and Zhang, Yisen and Zhang, Mingqi and Wang, Huizi and Zhang, Ying and Chen, Weisheng and Yang, Xin-Zhuang and Liu, Pengfei and Posey, Jennifer E and Lupski, James R and Wu, Zhihong and Yang, Xinjian and Wu, Nan and Wang, Kun} } @article {766, title = {Expanding the phenotypic spectrum in RDH12-associated retinal disease.}, journal = {Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud}, volume = {6}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 02}, abstract = {

Retinol dehydrogenase 12, RDH12, plays a pivotal role in the visual cycle to ensure the maintenance of normal vision. Alterations in activity of this protein result in photoreceptor death and decreased vision beginning at an early age and progressing to substantial vision loss later in life. Here we describe 11 patients with retinal degeneration that underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a targeted panel of all currently known inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) genes and whole-exome sequencing to identify the genetic causality of their retinal disease. These patients display a range of phenotypic severity prompting clinical diagnoses of macular dystrophy, cone-rod dystrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, and early-onset severe retinal dystrophy all attributed to biallelic recessive mutations in We report 15 causal alleles and expand the repertoire of known mutations with four novel variants: c.215A > G (p.Asp72Gly); c.362T > C (p.Ile121Thr); c.440A > C (p.Asn147Thr); and c.697G > A (p.Val233Ille). The broad phenotypic spectrum observed with biallelic mutations has been observed in other genetic forms of IRDs, but the diversity is particularly notable here given the prior association of primarily with severe early-onset disease. This breadth emphasizes the importance of broad genetic testing for inherited retinal disorders and extends the pool of individuals who may benefit from imminent gene-targeted therapies.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Oxidoreductases, Alleles, Amino Acid Substitution, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Loci, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Mutation, Optical Imaging, Pedigree, Phenotype, Retinal Diseases, Tomography, Optical Coherence, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {2373-2873}, doi = {10.1101/mcs.a004754}, author = {Scott, Hilary A and Place, Emily M and Ferenchak, Kevin and Zampaglione, Erin and Wagner, Naomi E and Chao, Katherine R and DiTroia, Stephanie P and Navarro-Gomez, Daniel and Mukai, Shizuo and Huckfeldt, Rachel M and Pierce, Eric A and Bujakowska, Kinga M} } @article {973, title = {Four Individuals with a Homozygous Mutation in Exon 1f of the Gene and Associated Myasthenic Features.}, journal = {Genes (Basel)}, volume = {11}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 06 27}, abstract = {

We identified the known c.1_9del mutation in the gene in four unrelated females from consanguineous families of Turkish origin. All individuals presented with slowly progressive limb-girdle weakness without any dermatological findings, and dystrophic changes observed in their muscle biopsies. Additionally, the neurological examination revealed ptosis, facial weakness, fatigability, and muscle cramps in all four cases. In two patients, repetitive nerve stimulation showed a borderline decrement and a high jitter was detected in all patients by single-fiber electromyography. Clinical improvement was observed after treatment with pyridostigmine and salbutamol was started. We further characterize the phenotype of patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R17 clinically, by muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and by describing a common 3.8 Mb haplotype in three individuals from the same geographical region. In addition, we review the neuromuscular symptoms associated with mutations and the role of plectin in the neuromuscular junction.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Exons, Female, Homozygote, Humans, Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle, Mutation, Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital, Phenotype, Plectin}, issn = {2073-4425}, doi = {10.3390/genes11070716}, author = {Mroczek, Magdalena and Durmus, Hacer and Topf, Ana and Parman, Yesim and Straub, Volker} } @article {822, title = {Gene-based analyses of the maternal genome implicate maternal effect genes as risk factors for conotruncal heart defects.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {15}, year = {2020}, month = {2020}, pages = {e0234357}, abstract = {

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect approximately 1\% of newborns. Epidemiological studies have identified several genetically-mediated maternal phenotypes (e.g., pregestational diabetes, chronic hypertension) that are associated with the risk of CHDs in offspring. However, the role of the maternal genome in determining CHD risk has not been defined. We present findings from gene-level, genome-wide studies that link CHDs to maternal effect genes as well as to maternal genes related to hypertension and proteostasis. Maternal effect genes, which provide the mRNAs and proteins in the oocyte that guide early embryonic development before zygotic gene activation, have not previously been implicated in CHD risk. Our findings support a role for and suggest new pathways by which the maternal genome may contribute to the development of CHDs in offspring.

}, keywords = {Adult, Case-Control Studies, Child, Preschool, Family, Female, Genetic Testing, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Hypertension, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Maternal Exposure, Maternal Inheritance, Middle Aged, Oocytes, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Proteostasis, Risk Factors}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0234357}, author = {Sewda, Anshuman and Agopian, A J and Goldmuntz, Elizabeth and Hakonarson, Hakon and Morrow, Bernice E and Musfee, Fadi and Taylor, Deanne and Mitchell, Laura E} } @article {708, title = {Genetic and molecular mechanism for distinct clinical phenotypes conveyed by allelic truncating mutations implicated in FBN1.}, journal = {Mol Genet Genomic Med}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 01}, pages = {e1023}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The molecular and genetic mechanisms by which different single nucleotide variant alleles in specific genes, or at the same genetic locus, cause distinct disease phenotypes often remain unclear. Allelic truncating mutations of FBN1 could cause either classical Marfan syndrome (MFS) or a more complicated phenotype associated with Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome (MPLS).

METHODS: We investigated a small cohort, encompassing two classical MFS and one MPLS subjects~from China, whose clinical presentation included scoliosis potentially requiring surgical intervention. Targeted next generation sequencing was performed on all the participants. We analyzed the molecular diagnosis, clinical features, and the potential molecular mechanism involved in the MPLS subject in our cohort.

RESULTS: We report a novel de novo FBN1 mutation for the first Chinese subject~with MPLS, a more complicated fibrillinopathy, and two subjects~with more classical MFS. We further predict that the MPLS truncating mutation, and others previously reported, is prone to escape the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), while MFS mutations are predicted to be subjected to NMD. Also, the MPLS mutation occurs within the glucogenic hormone asprosin domain of FBN1. In vitro experiments showed that the single MPLS mutation p.Glu2759Cysfs*9 appears to perturb proper FBN1 protein aggregation as compared with the~classical MFS mutation p.Tyr2596Thrfs*86. Both mutations appear to upregulate SMAD2 phosphorylation in vitro.

CONCLUSION: We provide direct evidence that a dominant-negative interaction of FBN1 potentially explains the complex MPLS phenotypes through genetic and functional analysis. Our study expands the mutation spectrum of FBN1 and highlights the potential molecular mechanism for MPLS.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Female, Fibrillin-1, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Lipodystrophy, Marfan Syndrome, Mutation, Phenotype, Progeria, Protein Domains, Smad2 Protein}, issn = {2324-9269}, doi = {10.1002/mgg3.1023}, author = {Lin, Mao and Liu, Zhenlei and Liu, Gang and Zhao, Sen and Li, Chao and Chen, Weisheng and Coban Akdemir, Zeynep and Lin, Jiachen and Song, Xiaofei and Wang, Shengru and Xu, Qiming and Zhao, Yanxue and Wang, Lianlei and Zhang, Yuanqiang and Yan, Zihui and Liu, Sen and Liu, Jiaqi and Chen, Yixin and Zuo, Yuzhi and Yang, Xu and Sun, Tianshu and Yang, Xin-Zhuang and Niu, Yuchen and Li, Xiaoxin and You, Wesley and Qiu, Bintao and Ding, Chen and Liu, Pengfei and Zhang, Shuyang and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Posey, Jennifer E and Qiu, Guixing and Lupski, James R and Wu, Zhihong and Zhang, Jianguo and Wu, Nan} } @article {846, title = {Genetic diagnoses in epilepsy: The impact of dynamic exome analysis in a pediatric cohort.}, journal = {Epilepsia}, volume = {61}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 02}, pages = {249-258}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the yield of systematic analysis and/or reanalysis of whole exome sequencing (WES) data from a cohort of well-phenotyped pediatric patients with epilepsy and suspected but previously undetermined genetic etiology.

METHODS: We identified and phenotyped 125 participants with pediatric epilepsy. Etiology was unexplained at the time of enrollment despite clinical testing, which included chromosomal microarray (57 patients), epilepsy gene panel (n = 48), both (n = 28), or WES (n = 8). Clinical epilepsy diagnoses included developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome, Rasmussen encephalitis, and other focal and generalized epilepsies. We analyzed WES data and compared the yield in participants with and without prior clinical genetic testing.

RESULTS: Overall, we identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 40\% (50/125) of our study participants. Nine patients with DEE had genetic variants in recently published genes that had not been recognized as epilepsy-related at the time of clinical testing (FGF12, GABBR1, GABBR2, ITPA, KAT6A, PTPN23, RHOBTB2, SATB2), and eight patients had genetic variants in candidate epilepsy genes (CAMTA1, FAT3, GABRA6, HUWE1, PTCHD1). Ninety participants had concomitant or subsequent clinical genetic testing, which was ultimately explanatory for 26\% (23/90). Of the 67 participants whose molecular diagnoses were "unsolved" through clinical genetic testing, we identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 17 (25\%).

SIGNIFICANCE: Our data argue for early consideration of WES with iterative reanalysis for patients with epilepsy, particularly those with DEE or epilepsy with intellectual disability. Rigorous analysis of WES data of well-phenotyped patients with epilepsy leads to a broader understanding of gene-specific phenotypic spectra as well as candidate disease gene identification. We illustrate the dynamic nature of genetic diagnosis over time, with analysis and in some cases reanalysis of exome data leading to the identification of disease-associated variants among participants with previously nondiagnostic results from a variety of clinical testing strategies.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Age of Onset, Brain Diseases, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Cohort Studies, Epilepsy, Epilepsy, Generalized, Exome, Female, Genetic Testing, Genetic Variation, Humans, Infant, Male, Microarray Analysis, Phenotype, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1528-1167}, doi = {10.1111/epi.16427}, author = {Rochtus, Anne and Olson, Heather E and Smith, Lacey and Keith, Louisa G and El Achkar, Christelle and Taylor, Alan and Mahida, Sonal and Park, Meredith and Kelly, McKenna and Shain, Catherine and Rockowitz, Shira and Rosen Sheidley, Beth and Poduri, Annapurna} } @article {855, title = {Genome-Wide Polygenic Score, Clinical Risk Factors, and Long-Term Trajectories of Coronary Artery Disease.}, journal = {Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol}, volume = {40}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 11}, pages = {2738-2746}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship of a genome-wide polygenic score for coronary artery disease (GPS) with lifetime trajectories of CAD risk, directly compare its predictive capacity to traditional risk factors, and assess its interplay with the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) clinical risk estimator. Approach and Results: We studied GPS in 28 556 middle-aged participants of the Malm{\"o} Diet and Cancer Study, of whom 4122 (14.4\%) developed CAD over a median follow-up of 21.3 years. A pronounced gradient in lifetime risk of CAD was observed-16\% for those in the lowest GPS decile to 48\% in the highest. We evaluated the discriminative capacity of the GPS-as assessed by change in the C-statistic from a baseline model including age and sex-among 5685 individuals with PCE risk estimates available. The increment for the GPS (+0.045, <0.001) was higher than for any of 11 traditional risk factors (range +0.007 to +0.032). Minimal correlation was observed between GPS and 10-year risk defined by the PCE (=0.03), and addition of GPS improved the C-statistic of the PCE model by 0.026. A significant gradient in lifetime risk was observed for the GPS, even among individuals within a given PCE clinical risk stratum. We replicated key findings-noting strikingly consistent results-in 325 003 participants of the UK Biobank.

CONCLUSIONS: GPS-a risk estimator available from birth-stratifies individuals into varying trajectories of clinical risk for CAD. Implementation of GPS may enable identification of high-risk individuals early in life, decades in advance of manifest risk factors or disease.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Coronary Artery Disease, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome-Wide Association Study, Heart Disease Risk Factors, Heredity, Humans, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Multifactorial Inheritance, Phenotype, Prognosis, Risk Assessment, Sweden, Time Factors, United Kingdom}, issn = {1524-4636}, doi = {10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.314856}, author = {Hindy, George and Aragam, Krishna G and Ng, Kenney and Chaffin, Mark and Lotta, Luca A and Baras, Aris and Drake, Isabel and Orho-Melander, Marju and Melander, Olle and Kathiresan, Sekar and Khera, Amit V} } @article {917, title = {Human CRY1 variants associate with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.}, journal = {J Clin Invest}, volume = {130}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 07 01}, pages = {3885-3900}, abstract = {

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and heritable phenotype frequently accompanied by insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Here, using a reverse phenotyping approach, we report heterozygous coding variations in the core circadian clock gene cryptochrome 1 in 15 unrelated multigenerational families with combined ADHD and insomnia. The variants led to functional alterations in the circadian molecular rhythms, providing a mechanistic link to the behavioral symptoms. One variant, CRY1Δ11 c.1657+3A>C, is present in approximately 1\% of Europeans, therefore standing out as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker. We showed by exome sequencing in an independent cohort of patients with combined ADHD and insomnia that 8 of 62 patients and 0 of 369 controls carried CRY1Δ11. Also, we identified a variant, CRY1Δ6 c.825+1G>A, that shows reduced affinity for BMAL1/CLOCK and causes an arrhythmic phenotype. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis revealed that this variant segregated with ADHD and delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) in the affected family. Finally, we found in a phenome-wide association study involving 9438 unrelated adult Europeans that CRY1Δ11 was associated with major depressive disorder, insomnia, and anxiety. These results defined a distinctive group of circadian psychiatric phenotypes that we propose to designate as "circiatric" disorders.

}, keywords = {Adult, ARNTL Transcription Factors, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, CLOCK Proteins, Cryptochromes, Female, Genetic Association Studies, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Male, Mutation, Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm}, issn = {1558-8238}, doi = {10.1172/JCI135500}, author = {Onat, O Emre and Kars, M Ece and G{\"u}l, {\c S}eref and Bilguvar, Kaya and Wu, Yiming and {\"O}zhan, Ay{\c s}e and Ayd{\i}n, Cihan and Ba{\c s}ak, A Nazl{\i} and Trusso, M Allegra and Goracci, Arianna and Fallerini, Chiara and Renieri, Alessandra and Casanova, Jean-Laurent and Itan, Yuval and Atba{\c s}o{\u g}lu, Cem E and Saka, Meram C and Kavakl{\i}, {\.I} Halil and Ozcelik, Tayfun} } @article {903, title = {Inborn errors of type I IFN immunity in patients with life-threatening COVID-19.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {370}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 10 23}, abstract = {

Clinical outcome upon infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ranges from silent infection to lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We have found an enrichment in rare variants predicted to be loss-of-function (LOF) at the 13 human loci known to govern Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)- and interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7)-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity to influenza virus in 659 patients with life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia relative to 534 subjects with asymptomatic or benign infection. By testing these and other rare variants at these 13 loci, we experimentally defined LOF variants underlying autosomal-recessive or autosomal-dominant deficiencies in 23 patients (3.5\%) 17 to 77 years of age. We show that human fibroblasts with mutations affecting this circuit are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2. Inborn errors of TLR3- and IRF7-dependent type I IFN immunity can underlie life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with no prior severe infection.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alleles, Asymptomatic Infections, Betacoronavirus, Child, Child, Preschool, Coronavirus Infections, COVID-19, Female, Genetic Loci, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Infant, Interferon Regulatory Factor-7, Interferon Type I, Loss of Function Mutation, Male, Middle Aged, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral, Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta, SARS-CoV-2, Toll-Like Receptor 3, Young Adult}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.abd4570}, author = {Zhang, Qian and Bastard, Paul and Liu, Zhiyong and Le Pen, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and Moncada-Velez, Marcela and Chen, Jie and Ogishi, Masato and Sabli, Ira K D and Hodeib, Stephanie and Korol, Cecilia and Rosain, J{\'e}r{\'e}mie and Bilguvar, Kaya and Ye, Junqiang and Bolze, Alexandre and Bigio, Benedetta and Yang, Rui and Arias, Andr{\'e}s Augusto and Zhou, Qinhua and Zhang, Yu and Onodi, Fanny and Korniotis, Sarantis and Karpf, L{\'e}a and Philippot, Quentin and Chbihi, Marwa and Bonnet-Madin, Lucie and Dorgham, Karim and Smith, Nika{\"\i}a and Schneider, William M and Razooky, Brandon S and Hoffmann, Hans-Heinrich and Michailidis, Eleftherios and Moens, Leen and Han, Ji Eun and Lorenzo, Lazaro and Bizien, Lucy and Meade, Philip and Neehus, Anna-Lena and Ugurbil, Aileen Camille and Corneau, Aur{\'e}lien and Kerner, Gaspard and Zhang, Peng and Rapaport, Franck and Seeleuthner, Yoann and Manry, Jeremy and Masson, Cecile and Schmitt, Yohann and Schluter, Agatha and Le Voyer, Tom and Khan, Taushif and Li, Juan and Fellay, Jacques and Roussel, Lucie and Shahrooei, Mohammad and Alosaimi, Mohammed F and Mansouri, Davood and Al-Saud, Haya and Al-Mulla, Fahd and Almourfi, Feras and Al-Muhsen, Saleh Zaid and Alsohime, FAHd and Al Turki, Saeed and Hasanato, Rana and van de Beek, Diederik and Biondi, Andrea and Bettini, Laura Rachele and D{\textquoteright}Angio{\textquoteright}, Mariella and Bonfanti, Paolo and Imberti, Luisa and Sottini, Alessandra and Paghera, Simone and Quiros-Roldan, Eugenia and Rossi, Camillo and Oler, Andrew J and Tompkins, Miranda F and Alba, Camille and Vandernoot, Isabelle and Goffard, Jean-Christophe and Smits, Guillaume and Migeotte, Isabelle and Haerynck, Filomeen and Soler-Palacin, Pere and Martin-Nalda, Andrea and Colobran, Roger and Morange, Pierre-Emmanuel and Keles, Sevgi and {\c C}{\"o}lkesen, Fatma and Ozcelik, Tayfun and Yasar, Kadriye Kart and Senoglu, Sevtap and Karabela, {\c S}emsi Nur and Rodr{\'\i}guez-Gallego, Carlos and Novelli, Giuseppe and Hraiech, Sami and Tandjaoui-Lambiotte, Yacine and Duval, Xavier and Laou{\'e}nan, C{\'e}dric and Snow, Andrew L and Dalgard, Clifton L and Milner, Joshua D and Vinh, Donald C and Mogensen, Trine H and Marr, Nico and Spaan, Andr{\'a}s N and Boisson, Bertrand and Boisson-Dupuis, St{\'e}phanie and Bustamante, Jacinta and Puel, Anne and Ciancanelli, Michael J and Meyts, Isabelle and Maniatis, Tom and Soumelis, Vassili and Amara, Ali and Nussenzweig, Michel and Garc{\'\i}a-Sastre, Adolfo and Krammer, Florian and Pujol, Aurora and Duffy, Darragh and Lifton, Richard P and Zhang, Shen-Ying and Gorochov, Guy and B{\'e}ziat, Vivien and Jouanguy, Emmanuelle and Sancho-Shimizu, Vanessa and Rice, Charles M and Abel, Laurent and Notarangelo, Luigi D and Cobat, Aurelie and Su, Helen C and Casanova, Jean-Laurent} } @article {835, title = {Inherited causes of clonal haematopoiesis in 97,691 whole genomes.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {586}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 10}, pages = {763-768}, abstract = {

Age is the dominant risk factor for most chronic human diseases, but the mechanisms through which ageing confers this risk are largely unknown. The age-related acquisition of somatic mutations that lead to clonal expansion in regenerating haematopoietic stem cell populations has recently been associated with both haematological cancer and coronary heart disease-this phenomenon is~termed clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Simultaneous analyses of germline and somatic whole-genome sequences provide the opportunity to identify root causes of CHIP. Here we analyse high-coverage whole-genome sequences from 97,691 participants of diverse ancestries in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Trans-omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) programme, and identify 4,229 individuals with CHIP. We identify associations with blood cell, lipid and inflammatory traits that are specific to different CHIP~driver genes. Association of a genome-wide set of germline genetic variants enabled the identification of three genetic loci associated with CHIP status, including one locus at TET2 that was specific to individuals of African ancestry. In silico-informed in vitro evaluation of the TET2 germline locus enabled the identification of a causal variant that disrupts a TET2 distal enhancer, resulting in increased self-renewal of haematopoietic stem cells. Overall, we observe that germline genetic variation shapes haematopoietic stem cell function, leading to CHIP through mechanisms that are specific to clonal haematopoiesis as well as shared mechanisms that lead to somatic mutations across tissues.

}, keywords = {Adult, Africa, African Continental Ancestry Group, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, alpha Karyopherins, Cell Self Renewal, Clonal Hematopoiesis, DNA-Binding Proteins, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome, Human, Germ-Line Mutation, Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Humans, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Male, Middle Aged, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.), Phenotype, Precision Medicine, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Tripartite Motif Proteins, United States, Whole Genome Sequencing}, issn = {1476-4687}, doi = {10.1038/s41586-020-2819-2}, author = {Bick, Alexander G and Weinstock, Joshua S and Nandakumar, Satish K and Fulco, Charles P and Bao, Erik L and Zekavat, Seyedeh M and Szeto, Mindy D and Liao, Xiaotian and Leventhal, Matthew J and Nasser, Joseph and Chang, Kyle and Laurie, Cecelia and Burugula, Bala Bharathi and Gibson, Christopher J and Lin, Amy E and Taub, Margaret A and Aguet, Francois and Ardlie, Kristin and Mitchell, Braxton D and Barnes, Kathleen C and Moscati, Arden and Fornage, Myriam and Redline, Susan and Psaty, Bruce M and Silverman, Edwin K and Weiss, Scott T and Palmer, Nicholette D and Vasan, Ramachandran S and Burchard, Esteban G and Kardia, Sharon L R and He, Jiang and Kaplan, Robert C and Smith, Nicholas L and Arnett, Donna K and Schwartz, David A and Correa, Adolfo and de Andrade, Mariza and Guo, Xiuqing and Konkle, Barbara A and Custer, Brian and Peralta, Juan M and Gui, Hongsheng and Meyers, Deborah A and McGarvey, Stephen T and Chen, Ida Yii-Der and Shoemaker, M Benjamin and Peyser, Patricia A and Broome, Jai G and Gogarten, Stephanie M and Wang, Fei Fei and Wong, Quenna and Montasser, May E and Daya, Michelle and Kenny, Eimear E and North, Kari E and Launer, Lenore J and Cade, Brian E and Bis, Joshua C and Cho, Michael H and Lasky-Su, Jessica and Bowden, Donald W and Cupples, L Adrienne and Mak, Angel C Y and Becker, Lewis C and Smith, Jennifer A and Kelly, Tanika N and Aslibekyan, Stella and Heckbert, Susan R and Tiwari, Hemant K and Yang, Ivana V and Heit, John A and Lubitz, Steven A and Johnsen, Jill M and Curran, Joanne E and Wenzel, Sally E and Weeks, Daniel E and Rao, Dabeeru C and Darbar, Dawood and Moon, Jee-Young and Tracy, Russell P and Buth, Erin J and Rafaels, Nicholas and Loos, Ruth J F and Durda, Peter and Liu, Yongmei and Hou, Lifang and Lee, Jiwon and Kachroo, Priyadarshini and Freedman, Barry I and Levy, Daniel and Bielak, Lawrence F and Hixson, James E and Floyd, James S and Whitsel, Eric A and Ellinor, Patrick T and Irvin, Marguerite R and Fingerlin, Tasha E and Raffield, Laura M and Armasu, Sebastian M and Wheeler, Marsha M and Sabino, Ester C and Blangero, John and Williams, L Keoki and Levy, Bruce D and Sheu, Wayne Huey-Herng and Roden, Dan M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Manson, JoAnn E and Mathias, Rasika A and Desai, Pinkal and Taylor, Kent D and Johnson, Andrew D and Auer, Paul L and Kooperberg, Charles and Laurie, Cathy C and Blackwell, Thomas W and Smith, Albert V and Zhao, Hongyu and Lange, Ethan and Lange, Leslie and Rich, Stephen S and Rotter, Jerome I and Wilson, James G and Scheet, Paul and Kitzman, Jacob O and Lander, Eric S and Engreitz, Jesse M and Ebert, Benjamin L and Reiner, Alexander P and Jaiswal, Siddhartha and Abecasis, Gon{\c c}alo and Sankaran, Vijay G and Kathiresan, Sekar and Natarajan, Pradeep} } @article {920, title = {KMT2B-related disorders: expansion of the phenotypic spectrum and long-term efficacy of deep brain stimulation.}, journal = {Brain}, volume = {143}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 12 05}, pages = {3242-3261}, abstract = {

Heterozygous mutations in KMT2B are associated with an early-onset, progressive and often complex dystonia (DYT28). Key characteristics of typical disease include focal motor features at disease presentation, evolving through a caudocranial pattern into generalized dystonia, with prominent oromandibular, laryngeal and cervical involvement. Although KMT2B-related disease is emerging as one of the most common causes of early-onset genetic dystonia, much remains to be understood about the full spectrum of the disease. We describe a cohort of 53 patients with KMT2B mutations, with detailed delineation of their clinical phenotype and molecular genetic features. We report new disease presentations, including atypical patterns of dystonia evolution and a subgroup of patients with a non-dystonic neurodevelopmental phenotype. In addition to the previously reported systemic features, our study has identified co-morbidities, including the risk of status dystonicus, intrauterine growth retardation, and endocrinopathies. Analysis of this study cohort (n = 53) in tandem with published cases (n = 80) revealed that patients with chromosomal deletions and protein truncating variants had a significantly higher burden of systemic disease (with earlier onset of dystonia) than those with missense variants. Eighteen individuals had detailed longitudinal data available after insertion of deep brain stimulation for medically refractory dystonia. Median age at deep brain stimulation was 11.5 years (range: 4.5-37.0 years). Follow-up after deep brain stimulation ranged from 0.25 to 22 years. Significant improvement of motor function and disability (as assessed by the Burke Fahn Marsden{\textquoteright}s Dystonia Rating Scales, BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D) was evident at 6 months, 1 year and last follow-up (motor, P = 0.001, P = 0.004, and P = 0.012; disability, P = 0.009, P = 0.002 and P = 0.012). At 1 year post-deep brain stimulation, >50\% of subjects showed BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D improvements of >30\%. In the long-term deep brain stimulation cohort (deep brain stimulation inserted for >5 years, n = 8), improvement of >30\% was maintained in 5/8 and 3/8 subjects for the BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D, respectively. The greatest BFMDRS-M improvements were observed for trunk (53.2\%) and cervical (50.5\%) dystonia, with less clinical impact on laryngeal dystonia. Improvements in gait dystonia decreased from 20.9\% at 1 year to 16.2\% at last assessment; no patient maintained a fully independent gait. Reduction of BFMDRS-D was maintained for swallowing (52.9\%). Five patients developed mild parkinsonism following deep brain stimulation. KMT2B-related disease comprises an expanding continuum from infancy to adulthood, with early evidence of genotype-phenotype correlations. Except for laryngeal dysphonia, deep brain stimulation provides a significant improvement in quality of life and function with sustained clinical benefit depending on symptoms distribution.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Deletion, Cohort Studies, Computer Simulation, Deep Brain Stimulation, Disease Progression, Dystonic Disorders, Endocrine System Diseases, Female, Fetal Growth Retardation, Gait Disorders, Neurologic, Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase, Humans, Laryngeal Diseases, Male, Mutation, Mutation, Missense, Phenotype, Quality of Life, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult}, issn = {1460-2156}, doi = {10.1093/brain/awaa304}, author = {Cif, Laura and Demailly, Diane and Lin, Jean-Pierre and Barwick, Katy E and Sa, Mario and Abela, Lucia and Malhotra, Sony and Chong, Wui K and Steel, Dora and Sanchis-Juan, Alba and Ngoh, Adeline and Trump, Natalie and Meyer, Esther and Vasques, Xavier and Rankin, Julia and Allain, Meredith W and Applegate, Carolyn D and Attaripour IsfAHni, Sanaz and Baleine, Julien and Balint, Bettina and Bassetti, Jennifer A and Baple, Emma L and Bhatia, Kailash P and Blanchet, Catherine and Burglen, Lydie and Cambonie, Gilles and Seng, Emilie Chan and Bastaraud, Sandra Chantot and Cyprien, Fabienne and Coubes, Christine and d{\textquoteright}Hardemare, Vincent and Doja, Asif and Dorison, Nathalie and Doummar, Diane and Dy-Hollins, Marisela E and Farrelly, Ellyn and FitzPatrick, David R and Fearon, Conor and Fieg, Elizabeth L and Fogel, Brent L and Forman, Eva B and Fox, Rachel G and Gahl, William A and Galosi, Serena and Gonzalez, Victoria and Graves, Tracey D and Gregory, Allison and Hallett, Mark and Hasegawa, Harutomo and Hayflick, Susan J and Hamosh, Ada and Hully, Marie and Jansen, Sandra and Jeong, Suh Young and Krier, Joel B and Krystal, Sidney and Kumar, Kishore R and Laurencin, Chlo{\'e} and Lee, Hane and Lesca, Gaetan and Fran{\c c}ois, Laurence Lion and Lynch, Timothy and MAHnt, Neil and Martinez-Agosto, Julian A and Milesi, Christophe and Mills, Kelly A and Mondain, Michel and Morales-Briceno, Hugo and Ostergaard, John R and Pal, Swasti and Pallais, Juan C and Pavillard, Fr{\'e}d{\'e}rique and Perrigault, Pierre-Francois and Petersen, Andrea K and Polo, Gustavo and Poulen, Gaetan and Rinne, Tuula and Roujeau, Thomas and Rogers, Caleb and Roubertie, Agathe and SAHgian, Michelle and Schaefer, Elise and Selim, Laila and Selway, Richard and Sharma, Nutan and Signer, Rebecca and Soldatos, Ariane G and Stevenson, David A and Stewart, Fiona and Tchan, Michel and Verma, Ishwar C and de Vries, Bert B A and Wilson, Jenny L and Wong, Derek A and Zaitoun, Raghda and Zhen, Dolly and Znaczko, Anna and Dale, Russell C and de Gusm{\~a}o, Claudio M and Friedman, Jennifer and Fung, Victor S C and King, Mary D and Mohammad, Shekeeb S and Rohena, Luis and Waugh, Jeff L and Toro, Camilo and Raymond, F Lucy and Topf, Maya and Coubes, Philippe and Gorman, Kathleen M and Kurian, Manju A} } @article {804, title = {Loss of NARS1 impairs progenitor proliferation in cortical brain organoids and leads to microcephaly.}, journal = {Nat Commun}, volume = {11}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 08 12}, pages = {4038}, abstract = {

Asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase1 (NARS1) is a member of the ubiquitously expressed cytoplasmic Class IIa family of tRNA synthetases required for protein translation. Here, we identify biallelic missense and frameshift mutations in NARS1 in seven patients from three unrelated families with microcephaly and neurodevelopmental delay. Patient cells show reduced NARS1 protein, impaired NARS1 activity and impaired global protein synthesis. Cortical brain organoid modeling shows reduced proliferation of radial glial cells (RGCs), leading to smaller organoids characteristic of microcephaly. Single-cell analysis reveals altered constituents of both astrocytic and RGC lineages, suggesting a requirement for NARS1 in RGC proliferation. Our findings demonstrate that NARS1 is required to meet protein synthetic needs and to support RGC proliferation in human brain development.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aspartate-tRNA Ligase, Base Sequence, Cell Differentiation, Cell Proliferation, Cell Size, Cell Survival, Cerebral Cortex, Child, Family, Female, Fibroblasts, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Ki-67 Antigen, Male, Microcephaly, Mutation, Neural Stem Cells, Neuroglia, Organoids, Pedigree, RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl, Young Adult}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-020-17454-4}, author = {Wang, Lu and Li, Zhen and Sievert, David and Smith, Desir{\'e}e E C and Mendes, Marisa I and Chen, Dillon Y and Stanley, Valentina and Ghosh, Shereen and Wang, Yulu and Kara, Majdi and Aslanger, Ayca Dilruba and Rosti, Rasim O and Houlden, Henry and Salomons, Gajja S and Gleeson, Joseph G} } @article {807, title = {Mutation of CFAP57, a protein required for the asymmetric targeting of a subset of inner dynein arms in Chlamydomonas, causes primary ciliary dyskinesia.}, journal = {PLoS Genet}, volume = {16}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 08}, pages = {e1008691}, abstract = {

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is characterized by chronic airway disease, reduced fertility, and randomization of the left/right body axis. It is caused by defects of motile cilia and sperm flagella. We screened a cohort of affected individuals that lack an obvious axonemal defect for pathogenic variants using whole exome capture, next generation sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis assuming an autosomal recessive trait. We identified one subject with an apparently homozygous nonsense variant [(c.1762C>T), p.(Arg588*)] in the uncharacterized CFAP57 gene. Interestingly, the variant results in the skipping of exon 11 (58 amino acids), which may be due to disruption of an exonic splicing enhancer. In normal human nasal epithelial cells, CFAP57 localizes throughout the ciliary axoneme. Nasal cells from the PCD patient express a shorter, mutant version of CFAP57 and the protein is not incorporated into the axoneme. The missing 58 amino acids include portions of WD repeats that may be important for loading onto the intraflagellar transport (IFT) complexes for transport or docking onto the axoneme. A reduced beat frequency and an alteration in ciliary waveform was observed. Knockdown of CFAP57 in human tracheobronchial epithelial cells (hTECs) recapitulates these findings. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CFAP57 is highly conserved in organisms that assemble motile cilia. CFAP57 is allelic with the BOP2/IDA8/FAP57 gene identified previously in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Two independent, insertional fap57 Chlamydomonas mutant strains show reduced swimming velocity and altered waveforms. Tandem mass tag (TMT) mass spectroscopy shows that FAP57 is missing, and the "g" inner dyneins (DHC7 and DHC3) and the "d" inner dynein (DHC2) are reduced, but the FAP57 paralog FBB7 is increased. Together, our data identify a homozygous variant in CFAP57 that causes PCD that is likely due to a defect in the inner dynein arm assembly process.

}, keywords = {3T3 Cells, Adult, Animals, Axoneme, Cells, Cultured, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Cilia, Ciliary Motility Disorders, Codon, Nonsense, Conserved Sequence, Dyneins, Humans, Male, Mice, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Plant Proteins, Proteins, Respiratory Mucosa}, issn = {1553-7404}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1008691}, author = {Bustamante-Marin, Ximena M and Horani, Amjad and Stoyanova, Mihaela and Charng, Wu-Lin and Bottier, Mathieu and Sears, Patrick R and Yin, Wei-Ning and Daniels, Leigh Anne and Bowen, Hailey and Conrad, Donald F and Knowles, Michael R and Ostrowski, Lawrence E and Zariwala, Maimoona A and Dutcher, Susan K} } @article {784, title = {The mutational constraint spectrum quantified from variation in 141,456 humans.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {581}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 05}, pages = {434-443}, abstract = {

Genetic variants that inactivate protein-coding genes are a powerful source of information about the phenotypic consequences of gene disruption: genes that are crucial for the function of an organism will be depleted of such variants in natural populations, whereas non-essential genes will tolerate their accumulation. However, predicted loss-of-function variants are enriched for annotation errors, and tend to be found at extremely low frequencies, so their analysis requires careful variant annotation and very large sample sizes. Here we describe the aggregation of 125,748 exomes and 15,708 genomes from human sequencing studies into the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). We identify 443,769 high-confidence predicted loss-of-function variants in this cohort after filtering for artefacts caused by sequencing and annotation errors. Using an improved model of human mutation rates, we classify human protein-coding genes along a spectrum that represents tolerance to inactivation, validate this classification using data from model organisms and engineered human cells, and show that it can be used to improve the power of gene discovery for both common and rare diseases.

}, keywords = {Adult, Brain, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cohort Studies, Databases, Genetic, Exome, Female, Genes, Essential, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Genome, Human, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Loss of Function Mutation, Male, Mutation Rate, Proprotein Convertase 9, Reproducibility of Results, RNA, Messenger, Whole Exome Sequencing, Whole Genome Sequencing}, issn = {1476-4687}, doi = {10.1038/s41586-020-2308-7}, author = {Karczewski, Konrad J and Francioli, Laurent C and Tiao, Grace and Cummings, Beryl B and Alf{\"o}ldi, Jessica and Wang, Qingbo and Collins, Ryan L and Laricchia, Kristen M and Ganna, Andrea and Birnbaum, Daniel P and Gauthier, Laura D and Brand, Harrison and Solomonson, Matthew and Watts, Nicholas A and Rhodes, Daniel and Singer-Berk, Moriel and England, Eleina M and Seaby, Eleanor G and Kosmicki, Jack A and Walters, Raymond K and Tashman, Katherine and Farjoun, Yossi and Banks, Eric and Poterba, Timothy and Wang, Arcturus and Seed, Cotton and Whiffin, Nicola and Chong, Jessica X and Samocha, Kaitlin E and Pierce-Hoffman, Emma and Zappala, Zachary and O{\textquoteright}Donnell-Luria, Anne H and Minikel, Eric Vallabh and Weisburd, Ben and Lek, Monkol and Ware, James S and Vittal, Christopher and Armean, Irina M and Bergelson, Louis and Cibulskis, Kristian and Connolly, Kristen M and Covarrubias, Miguel and Donnelly, Stacey and Ferriera, Steven and Gabriel, Stacey and Gentry, Jeff and Gupta, Namrata and Jeandet, Thibault and Kaplan, Diane and Llanwarne, Christopher and Munshi, Ruchi and Novod, Sam and Petrillo, Nikelle and Roazen, David and Ruano-Rubio, Valentin and Saltzman, Andrea and Schleicher, Molly and Soto, Jose and Tibbetts, Kathleen and Tolonen, Charlotte and Wade, Gordon and Talkowski, Michael E and Neale, Benjamin M and Daly, Mark J and MacArthur, Daniel G} } @article {747, title = {Mutations in KRT10 in epidermolytic acanthoma.}, journal = {J Cutan Pathol}, volume = {47}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 Jun}, pages = {524-529}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Epidermolytic acanthoma (EA) is a rare acquired lesion demonstrating a characteristic histopathological pattern of epidermal degeneration referred to as epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (EHK). On histopathological analysis, EA appears nearly identical to inherited EHK-associated dermatoses such as epidermolytic ichthyosis and ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens. While it has been speculated that EA is caused by mutations in KRT10, KRT1, or KRT2 found in these inherited dermatoses, none have yet been identified. Herein, we aim to identify the contributions of keratin mutations to EA.

METHODS: Using genomic DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded samples from departmental archives, we evaluated a discovery cohort using whole-exome sequencing (WES) and assessed remaining samples using Sanger sequencing screening and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

RESULTS: DNA from 16/20 cases in our sample was of sufficient quality for polymerase chain reaction amplification. WES of genomic DNA from lesional tissue revealed KRT10 c.466C > T, p.Arg156Cys mutations in 2/3 samples submitted for examination. RFLP analysis of these samples as well as eight additional samples confirmed the mutations identified via WES and identified four additional cases with Arg156 mutations. In sum, 6/11 screened cases showed hotspot mutation in KRT10.

CONCLUSIONS: Hotspot mutations in the Arg156 position of KRT10, known to cause epidermolytic ichthyosis, also underlie EA.

}, keywords = {Acanthoma, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Genomics, Humans, Hyperkeratosis, Epidermolytic, Ichthyosis Bullosa of Siemens, Keratin-10, Keratins, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Skin Neoplasms, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1600-0560}, doi = {10.1111/cup.13664}, author = {Cheraghlou, Shayan and Atzmony, Lihi and Roy, Simon F and McNiff, Jennifer M and Choate, Keith A} } @article {938, title = {Natural history of Ollier disease and Maffucci syndrome: Patient survey and review of clinical literature.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {182}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 05}, pages = {1093-1103}, abstract = {

Ollier disease (OD) and Maffucci syndrome (MS) are characterized by multiple enchondromas. Patients with MS also have benign vascular overgrowths that become malignant in 8.5\% of cases. OD is characterized by multiple enchondromas, typically unilateral in distribution with a predilection for the appendicular skeleton. MS is characterized by multiple enchondromas bilaterally distributed in most of the cases. Both disorders feature multiple swellings on the extremity, deformity around the joints, limitations in joint mobility, scoliosis, bone shortening, leg-length discrepancy, gait disturbances, pain, loss of function, and pathological fractures. About 50\% of patients with OD or MS develop a malignancy, such as chondrosarcoma, glioma, and ovarian juvenile granulosa cell tumor. To better understand the natural history of OD and MS, we reviewed 287 papers describing patients with OD and MS. We also created a survey that was distributed directly to 162 patients through Facebook. Here, we compare the review of the cases described in the literature to the survey{\textquoteright}s responses. The review of the literature showed that: the patients with OD are diagnosed at a younger age; the prevalence of chondrosarcomas among patients with OD or MS was ~30\%; in four patients, vascular anomalies were identified in internal organs only; and, the prevalence of cancer among patients with OD or MS was ~50\%. With these data, health care providers will better understand the natural history, severity, and prognosis of these diseases and the prevalence of malignancies in these patients. Here, we recommend new guidelines for the care of patients with OD and MS.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chondrosarcoma, Enchondromatosis, Female, Granulosa Cell Tumor, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Middle Aged, Ovarian Neoplasms, Prognosis, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.61530}, author = {El Abiad, Jad M and Robbins, Sarah M and Cohen, Bernard and Levin, Adam S and Valle, David L and Morris, Carol D and de Macena Sobreira, Nara L} } @article {910, title = {Pathogenic Variants in CEP85L Cause Sporadic and Familial Posterior Predominant Lissencephaly.}, journal = {Neuron}, volume = {106}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 04 22}, pages = {237-245.e8}, abstract = {

Lissencephaly (LIS), denoting a "smooth brain," is characterized by the absence of normal cerebral convolutions with abnormalities of cortical thickness. Pathogenic variants in over 20 genes are associated with LIS. The majority of posterior predominant LIS is caused by pathogenic variants in LIS1~(also known as PAFAH1B1), although a significant fraction remains without a known genetic etiology. We now implicate CEP85L as an important cause of~posterior predominant LIS, identifying 13 individuals with rare, heterozygous CEP85L variants, including 2 families with autosomal dominant inheritance. We show that CEP85L is a centrosome protein localizing to the pericentriolar material, and knockdown of Cep85l causes a neuronal migration defect in mice. LIS1 also localizes to the centrosome, suggesting that this organelle is key to the mechanism of posterior predominant LIS.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Age of Onset, Animals, Centrosome, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Aberrations, Classical Lissencephalies and Subcortical Band Heterotopias, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Female, Gene Knockdown Techniques, Genetic Variation, Heterozygote, Humans, Infant, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Mice, Mutation, Oncogene Proteins, Fusion, Pedigree, Seizures, Young Adult}, issn = {1097-4199}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.027}, author = {Tsai, Meng-Han and Muir, Alison M and Wang, Won-Jing and Kang, Yi-Ning and Yang, Kun-Chuan and Chao, Nian-Hsin and Wu, Mei-Feng and Chang, Ying-Chao and Porter, Brenda E and Jansen, Laura A and Sebire, Guillaume and Deconinck, Nicolas and Fan, Wen-Lang and Su, Shih-Chi and Chung, Wen-Hung and Almanza Fuerte, Edith P and Mehaffey, Michele G and Ng, Ching-Ching and Chan, Chung-Kin and Lim, Kheng-Seang and Leventer, Richard J and Lockhart, Paul J and Riney, Kate and Damiano, John A and Hildebrand, Michael S and Mirzaa, Ghayda M and Dobyns, William B and Berkovic, Samuel F and Scheffer, Ingrid E and Tsai, Jin-Wu and Mefford, Heather C} } @article {707, title = {Phenotypic expansion of POGZ-related intellectual disability syndrome (White-Sutton syndrome).}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {182}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 01}, pages = {38-52}, abstract = {

White-Sutton syndrome (WHSUS) is a recently-identified genetic disorder resulting from de novo heterozygous pathogenic variants in POGZ. Thus far, over 50 individuals have been reported worldwide, however phenotypic characterization and data regarding the natural history are still incomplete. Here we report the clinical features of 22 individuals with 21 unique loss of function POGZ variants. We observed a broad spectrum of intellectual disability and/or developmental delay with or without autism, and speech delay in all individuals. Other common problems included ocular abnormalities, hearing loss and gait abnormalities. A validated sleep disordered breathing questionnaire identified symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in 4/12 (33\%) individuals. A higher-than-expected proportion of cases also had gastrointestinal phenotypes, both functional and anatomical, as well as genitourinary anomalies. In line with previous publications, we observed an increased body mass index (BMI) z-score compared to the general population (mean 0.59, median 0.9; p 0.0253). Common facial features included microcephaly, broad forehead, midface hypoplasia, triangular mouth, broad nasal root and flat nasal bridge. Analysis of the Baylor Genetics clinical laboratory database revealed that POGZ variants were implicated in approximately 0.14\% of cases who underwent clinical exome sequencing for neurological indications with or without involvement of other body systems. This study describes a greater allelic series and expands the phenotypic spectrum of this new syndromic form of intellectual disability and autism.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Autistic Disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Heterozygote, Humans, Infant, Intellectual Disability, Language Development Disorders, Male, Microcephaly, Middle Aged, Mutation, Phenotype, Transposases, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.61380}, author = {Assia Batzir, Nurit and Posey, Jennifer E and Song, Xiaofei and Akdemir, Zeynep Coban and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Brown, Chester W and Chen, Emily and Holtrop, Shannon G and Mizerik, Elizabeth and Nieto Moreno, Margarita and Payne, Katelyn and Raas-Rothschild, Annick and Scott, Richard and Vernon, Hilary J and Zadeh, Neda and Lupski, James R and Sutton, V Reid} } @article {684, title = {The pleiotropy associated with de novo variants in CHD4, CNOT3, and SETD5 extends to moyamoya angiopathy.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {22}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 02}, pages = {427-431}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Moyamoya angiopathy (MMA) is a cerebrovascular disease characterized by occlusion of large arteries, which leads to strokes starting in childhood. Twelve altered genes predispose to MMA but the majority of cases of European descent do not have an identified genetic trigger.

METHODS: Exome sequencing from 39 trios were analyzed.

RESULTS: We identified four de novo variants in three genes not previously associated with MMA: CHD4, CNOT3, and SETD5. Identification of additional rare variants in these genes in 158 unrelated MMA probands provided further support that rare pathogenic variants in CHD4 and CNOT3 predispose to MMA. Previous studies identified de novo variants in these genes in children with developmental disorders (DD), intellectual disability, and congenital heart disease.

CONCLUSION: These genes encode proteins involved in chromatin remodeling, and taken together with previously reported genes leading to MMA-like cerebrovascular occlusive disease (YY1AP1, SMARCAL1), implicate disrupted chromatin remodeling as a molecular pathway predisposing to early onset, large artery occlusive cerebrovascular disease. Furthermore, these data expand the spectrum of phenotypic pleiotropy due to alterations of CHD4, CNOT3, and SETD5 beyond DD to later onset disease in the cerebrovascular arteries and emphasize the need to assess clinical complications into adulthood for genes associated with DD.

}, keywords = {Adult, Cell Cycle Proteins, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, DNA Helicases, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Methyltransferases, Mi-2 Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex, Middle Aged, Moyamoya Disease, Mutation, Nuclear Proteins, Transcription Factors, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/s41436-019-0639-2}, author = {Pinard, Amelie and Guey, St{\'e}phanie and Guo, Dongchuan and Cecchi, Alana C and Kharas, Natasha and Wallace, Stephanie and Regalado, Ellen S and Hostetler, Ellen M and Sharrief, Anjail Z and Bergametti, Fran{\c c}oise and Kossorotoff, Manoelle and Herv{\'e}, Dominique and Kraemer, Markus and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Smith, Edward R and Tournier-Lasserve, Elisabeth and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {809, title = {Rare deleterious variants of NOTCH1, GATA4, SMAD6, and ROBO4 are enriched in BAV with early onset complications but not in BAV with heritable thoracic aortic disease.}, journal = {Mol Genet Genomic Med}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 10}, pages = {e1406}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common cardiovascular malformation in adults, with a prevalence of 0.5\%-2\%. The prevalence of BAV in cohorts who were ascertained due to thoracic aortic aneurysms or acute aortic dissections (TAD) is as high as 20\%. However, the contribution of causal BAV genes to TAD is not known. Therefore, we evaluated rare deleterious variants of GATA4, NOTCH1, SMAD6, or ROBO4 in patients with BAV who presented with TAD.

METHODS: Our cohort consisted of 487 probands with Heritable Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms or Dissections (HTAD, 12\% BAV, 29\% female) and 63 probands with Early onset complications of Bicuspid Aortic Valve disease (EBAV, 63\% TAD, 34\% female). After whole exome sequencing, we functionally annotated GATA4, NOTCH1, SMAD6, and ROBO4 variants and compared the prevalence of rare variants in these genes to controls without HTAD.

RESULTS: We identified 11 rare deleterious variants of GATA4, SMAD6, or ROBO4 in 12 (18\%) EBAV cases. The burden of rare SMAD6 and GATA4 variants was significantly enriched in EBAV but not in HTAD cases, even among HTAD cases with BAV (p~<~.003).

CONCLUSION: Rare variants of NOTCH1, ROBO4, SMAD6, or GATA4 do not significantly contribute to BAV in cohorts with HTAD. We conclude that BAV patients who present with HTAD are a genetically distinct subgroup with implications for genetic testing and prognosis.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease, Female, GATA4 Transcription Factor, Gene Frequency, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Receptor, Notch1, Receptors, Cell Surface, Smad6 Protein}, issn = {2324-9269}, doi = {10.1002/mgg3.1406}, author = {Musfee, Fadi I and Guo, Dongchuan and Pinard, Am{\'e}lie C and Hostetler, Ellen M and Blue, Elizabeth E and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Milewicz, Dianna M and Prakash, Siddharth K} } @article {834, title = {RNA Identification of PRIME Cells Predicting Rheumatoid Arthritis Flares.}, journal = {N Engl J Med}, volume = {383}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 07 16}, pages = {218-228}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis, like many inflammatory diseases, is characterized by episodes of quiescence and exacerbation (flares). The molecular events leading to flares are unknown.

METHODS: We established a clinical and technical protocol for repeated home collection of blood in patients with rheumatoid arthritis to allow for longitudinal RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Specimens were obtained from 364 time points during eight flares over a period of 4 years in our index patient, as well as from 235 time points during flares in three additional patients. We identified transcripts that were differentially expressed before flares and compared these with data from synovial single-cell RNA-seq. Flow cytometry and sorted-blood-cell RNA-seq in additional patients were used to validate the findings.

RESULTS: Consistent changes were observed in blood transcriptional profiles 1 to 2 weeks before a rheumatoid arthritis flare. B-cell activation was followed by expansion of circulating CD45-CD31-PDPN+ preinflammatory mesenchymal, or PRIME, cells in the blood from patients with rheumatoid arthritis; these cells shared features of inflammatory synovial fibroblasts. Levels of circulating PRIME cells decreased during flares in all 4 patients, and flow cytometry and sorted-cell RNA-seq confirmed the presence of PRIME cells in 19 additional patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal genomic analysis of rheumatoid arthritis flares revealed PRIME cells in the blood during the period before a flare and suggested a model in which these cells become activated by B cells in the weeks before a flare and subsequently migrate out of the blood into the synovium. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.).

}, keywords = {Adult, Arthritis, Rheumatoid, B-Lymphocytes, Female, Fibroblasts, Flow Cytometry, Gene Expression, Humans, Male, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Middle Aged, Patient Acuity, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Surveys and Questionnaires, Symptom Flare Up, Synovial Fluid}, issn = {1533-4406}, doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa2004114}, author = {Orange, Dana E and Yao, Vicky and Sawicka, Kirsty and Fak, John and Frank, Mayu O and Parveen, Salina and Blachere, Nathalie E and Hale, Caryn and Zhang, Fan and Raychaudhuri, Soumya and Troyanskaya, Olga G and Darnell, Robert B} } @article {888, title = {Serum sphingolipids and incident diabetes in a US population with high diabetes burden: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).}, journal = {Am J Clin Nutr}, volume = {112}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 07 01}, pages = {57-65}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of de novo sphingolipid synthases prevented diabetes in animal studies.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate prospective associations of serum sphingolipids with incident diabetes in a population-based cohort.

METHODS: We included 2010 participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) aged 18-74 y who were free of diabetes and other major chronic diseases at baseline (2008-2011). Metabolomic profiling of fasting serum was performed using a global, untargeted approach. A total of 43 sphingolipids were quantified and, considering subclasses and chemical structures of individual species, 6 sphingolipid scores were constructed. Diabetes status was assessed using standard procedures including blood tests. Multivariable survey Poisson regressions were applied to estimate RR and 95\% CI of incident diabetes associated with individual sphingolipids or sphingolipid scores.

RESULTS: There were 224 incident cases of diabetes identified during, on average, 6 y of follow-up. After adjustment for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, a ceramide score (RR Q4 versus Q1~=~2.40; 95\% CI: 1.24, 4.65; P-trend~=~0.003) and a score of sphingomyelins with fully saturated sphingoid-fatty acid pairs (RR Q4 versus Q1~=~3.15; 95\% CI: 1.75, 5.67; P-trend~<0.001) both were positively associated with risk of diabetes, whereas scores of glycosylceramides, lactosylceramides, or other unsaturated sphingomyelins (even if having an SFA base) were not associated with risk of diabetes. After additional adjustment for numerous traditional risk factors (especially triglycerides), both associations were attenuated and only the saturated-sphingomyelin score remained associated with risk of diabetes (RR Q4 versus Q1~=~1.98; 95\% CI: 1.09, 3.59; P-trend~=~0.031).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a cluster of saturated sphingomyelins may be associated with elevated risk of diabetes beyond traditional risk factors, which needs to be verified in other population studies. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02060344.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Diabetes Mellitus, Female, Hispanic Americans, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Sphingolipids, United States, Young Adult}, issn = {1938-3207}, doi = {10.1093/ajcn/nqaa114}, author = {Chen, Guo-Chong and Chai, Jin Choul and Yu, Bing and Michelotti, Gregory A and Grove, Megan L and Fretts, Amanda M and Daviglus, Martha L and Garcia-Bedoya, Olga L and Thyagarajan, Bharat and Schneiderman, Neil and Cai, Jianwen and Kaplan, Robert C and Boerwinkle, Eric and Qi, Qibin} } @article {755, title = {Severe neurodevelopmental disease caused by a homozygous TLK2 variant.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {28}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 03}, pages = {383-387}, abstract = {

A distinct neurodevelopmental phenotype characterised mainly by mild motor and language delay and facial dysmorphism, caused by heterozygous de novo or dominant variants in the TLK2 gene has recently been described. All cases reported carried either truncating variants located throughout the gene, or missense changes principally located at the C-terminal end of the protein mostly resulting in haploinsufficiency of TLK2. Through whole exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous missense variant in TLK2 in a patient showing more severe symptoms than those previously described, including cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and West syndrome. Both parents are heterozygous for the variant and clinically unaffected highlighting that recessive variants in TLK2 can also be disease causing and may act through a different pathomechanism.

}, keywords = {Adult, Cerebellum, Child, Developmental Disabilities, Female, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Male, Mutation, Missense, Nervous System Malformations, Pedigree, Protein Kinases, Spasms, Infantile}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/s41431-019-0519-x}, author = {Topf, Ana and Oktay, Yavuz and Balaraju, Sunitha and Yilmaz, Elmasnur and Sonmezler, Ece and Yis, Uluc and Laurie, Steven and Thompson, Rachel and Roos, Andreas and MacArthur, Daniel G and Yaramis, Ahmet and G{\"u}ng{\"o}r, Serdal and Lochm{\"u}ller, Hanns and Hiz, Semra and Horvath, Rita} } @article {868, title = {Titin Truncating Variants in Adults Without Known Congestive Heart~Failure.}, journal = {J Am Coll Cardiol}, volume = {75}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 03 17}, pages = {1239-1241}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Asymptomatic Diseases, Connectin, Female, Genetic Variation, Heart Failure, Humans, Male, Middle Aged}, issn = {1558-3597}, doi = {10.1016/j.jacc.2020.01.013}, author = {Pirruccello, James P and Bick, Alexander and Chaffin, Mark and Aragam, Krishna G and Choi, Seung Hoan and Lubitz, Steven A and Ho, Carolyn Y and Ng, Kenney and Philippakis, Anthony and Ellinor, Patrick T and Kathiresan, Sekar and Khera, Amit V} } @article {933, title = { truncations cause arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.}, journal = {J Med Genet}, volume = {57}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 04}, pages = {254-257}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a heart muscle disease that affects predominantly the right ventricle and is part of the spectrum of arrythmogenic cardiomyopathies (ACMs). ARVC is a genetic condition; however, a pathogenic gene variant is found in only half of patients.

OBJECTIVE: Filamin C gene truncations () have recently been identified in dilated cardiomyopathy with ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, a phenotype partially overlapping with ARVC and part of the ACM spectrum. We hypothesised that could be a novel gene associated with ARVC.

METHODS: One hundred fifty-six patients meeting 2010 ARVC Task Force Criteria and lacking variants in known ARVC genes were evaluated for variants. Available family members were tested for cosegregation.

RESULTS: We identified two unique variants in two families (c.6565 G>T, p.Glu2189Ter and c.8107delG, p.Asp2703ThrfsTer69), with phenotypes of dominant RV disease fulfilling {\textquoteright}definite{\textquoteright} diagnosis of ARVC according to the 2010 Task Force Criteria. Variants in other cardiomyopathy genes were excluded in both kindreds, and segregation analysis revealed that p.Asp2703ThrfsTer69 was a de novo variant. In both families, the disease phenotype was characterised by prominent ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest.

CONCLUSION: The identification of as a novel cause of ARVC in two unrelated families expands the spectrum of ARVC disease genes for this disorder. Our findings should prompt inclusion of genetic testing in ARVC to improve diagnostic yield and testing of at-risk relatives in ARVC.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia, Female, Filamins, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Testing, Heart Ventricles, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Phenotype}, issn = {1468-6244}, doi = {10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106394}, author = {Brun, Francesca and Gigli, Marta and Graw, Sharon L and Judge, Daniel P and Merlo, Marco and Murray, Brittney and Calkins, Hugh and Sinagra, Gianfranco and Taylor, Matthew Rg and Mestroni, Luisa and James, Cynthia A} } @article {853, title = {Validation of a Genome-Wide Polygenic~Score for Coronary Artery~Disease in~South Asians.}, journal = {J Am Coll Cardiol}, volume = {76}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 08 11}, pages = {703-714}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) integrate information from many common DNA variants into a single number. Because rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) are substantially higher among South Asians, a GPS to identify high-risk individuals may be particularly useful in this population.

OBJECTIVES: This analysis used summary statistics from a prior genome-wide association study to derive a new GPS for South Asians.

METHODS: This GPS was validated in 7,244 South Asian UK Biobank participants and tested in 491 individuals from a case-control study in Bangladesh. Next, a static ancestry and GPS reference distribution was built using whole-genome sequencing from 1,522 Indian individuals, and a framework was tested for projecting individuals onto this static ancestry and GPS reference distribution using 1,800 CAD cases and 1,163 control subjects newly recruited in India.

RESULTS: The GPS, containing 6,630,150 common DNA variants, had an odds ratio (OR) per SD of 1.58 in South Asian UK Biobank participants and 1.60 in the Bangladeshi study (p~<~0.001 for each). Next, individuals of the Indian case-control study were projected onto static reference distributions, observing an OR/SD of 1.66 (p~<~0.001). Compared with the middle quintile, risk for CAD was most pronounced for those in the top 5\% of the GPS distribution-ORs of 4.16, 2.46, and 3.22 in the South Asian UK Biobank, Bangladeshi, and Indian studies, respectively (p~<~0.05 for each).

CONCLUSIONS: The new GPS has been developed and tested using 3 distinct South Asian studies, and provides a generalizable framework for ancestry-specific GPS assessment.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Bangladesh, Case-Control Studies, Coronary Artery Disease, Female, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, India, Male, Middle Aged, Multifactorial Inheritance}, issn = {1558-3597}, doi = {10.1016/j.jacc.2020.06.024}, author = {Wang, Minxian and Menon, Ramesh and Mishra, Sanghamitra and Patel, Aniruddh P and Chaffin, Mark and Tanneeru, Deepak and Deshmukh, Manjari and Mathew, Oshin and Apte, Sanika and Devanboo, Christina S and Sundaram, Sumathi and Lakshmipathy, Praveena and Murugan, Sakthivel and Sharma, Krishna Kumar and Rajendran, Karthikeyan and Santhosh, Sam and Thachathodiyl, Rajesh and Ahamed, Hisham and Balegadde, Aniketh Vijay and Alexander, Thomas and Swaminathan, Krishnan and Gupta, Rajeev and Mullasari, Ajit S and Sigamani, Alben and Kanchi, Muralidhar and Peterson, Andrew S and Butterworth, Adam S and Danesh, John and Di Angelantonio, Emanuele and Naheed, Aliya and Inouye, Michael and Chowdhury, Rajiv and Vedam, Ramprasad L and Kathiresan, Sekar and Gupta, Ravi and Khera, Amit V} } @article {761, title = {Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: De novo variants and evidence for mutational burden in genes associated with atrial fibrillation.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {182}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 06}, pages = {1387-1399}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a relatively common arrhythmia affecting ~1-3/1,000 individuals. Mutations in PRKAG2 have been described in rare patients in association with cardiomyopathy. However, the genetic basis of WPW in individuals with a structurally normal heart remains poorly understood. Sudden death due to atrial fibrillation (AF) can also occur in these individuals. Several studies have indicated that despite ablation of an accessory pathway, the risk of AF remains high in patients compared to general population.

METHODS: We applied exome sequencing in 305 subjects, including 65 trios, 80 singletons, and 6 multiple affected families. We used de novo analysis, candidate gene approach, and burden testing to explore the genetic contributions to WPW.

RESULTS: A heterozygous deleterious variant in PRKAG2 was identified in one subject, accounting for 0.6\% (1/151) of the genetic basis of WPW in this study. Another individual with WPW and left ventricular hypertrophy carried a known pathogenic variant in MYH7. We found rare de novo variants in genes associated with arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy (ANK2, NEBL, PITX2, and PRDM16) in this cohort. There was an increased burden of rare deleterious variants (MAF <= 0.005) with CADD score >= 25 in genes linked to AF in cases compared to controls (P = .0023).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show an increased burden of rare deleterious variants in genes linked to AF in WPW syndrome, suggesting that genetic factors that determine the development of accessory pathways may be linked to an increased susceptibility of atrial muscle to AF in a subset of patients.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, AMP-Activated Protein Kinases, Ankyrins, Atrial Fibrillation, Carrier Proteins, Child, Cohort Studies, Cytoskeletal Proteins, DNA-Binding Proteins, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Heart Atria, Homeodomain Proteins, Humans, LIM Domain Proteins, Male, Mutation, Transcription Factors, Whole Exome Sequencing, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.61571}, author = {Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep H and Charng, Wu-Lin and Azamian, Mahshid and Paine, Ingrid S and Punetha, Jaya and Grochowski, Christopher M and Gambin, Tomasz and Valdes, Santiago O and Cannon, Bryan and Zapata, Gladys and Hernandez, Patricia P and Jhangiani, Shalini and Doddapaneni, Harsha and Hu, Jianhong and Boricha, Fatima and Muzny, Donna M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Yang, Yaping and Gibbs, Richard A and Posey, Jennifer E and Wehrens, Xander H T and Belmont, John W and Kim, Jeffrey J and Miyake, Christina Y and Lupski, James R and Lalani, Seema R} } @article {586, title = {Contribution of noncoding pathogenic variants to RPGRIP1-mediated inherited retinal degeneration.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {21}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 03}, pages = {694-704}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: With the advent of gene therapies for inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs), genetic diagnostics will have an increasing role in clinical decision-making. Yet the genetic cause of disease cannot be identified using exon-based sequencing for a significant portion of patients. We hypothesized that noncoding pathogenic variants contribute significantly to the genetic causality of IRDs and evaluated patients with single coding pathogenic variants in RPGRIP1 to test this hypothesis.

METHODS: IRD families underwent targeted panel sequencing. Unsolved cases were explored by exome and genome sequencing looking for additional pathogenic variants. Candidate pathogenic variants were then validated by Sanger sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and in vitro splicing assays in two cell lines analyzed through amplicon sequencing.

RESULTS: Among 1722 families, 3 had biallelic loss-of-function pathogenic variants in RPGRIP1 while 7 had a single disruptive coding pathogenic variants. Exome and genome sequencing revealed potential noncoding pathogenic variants in these 7 families. In 6, the noncoding pathogenic variants were shown to lead to loss of function in vitro.

CONCLUSION: Noncoding pathogenic variants were identified in 6 of 7 families with single coding pathogenic variants in RPGRIP1. The results suggest that noncoding pathogenic variants contribute significantly to the genetic causality of IRDs and RPGRIP1-mediated IRDs are more common than previously thought.

}, keywords = {Adult, Chromosome Mapping, DNA Mutational Analysis, DNA, Intergenic, Female, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Male, Mutation, Pedigree, Proteins, Retinal Degeneration, Whole Exome Sequencing, Whole Genome Sequencing}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/s41436-018-0104-7}, author = {Jamshidi, Farzad and Place, Emily M and Mehrotra, Sudeep and Navarro-Gomez, Daniel and Maher, Mathew and Branham, Kari E and Valkanas, Elise and Cherry, Timothy J and Lek, Monkol and Macarthur, Daniel and Pierce, Eric A and Bujakowska, Kinga M} } @article {735, title = {Detailed genetic characteristics of an international large cohort of patients with Stargardt disease: ProgStar study report 8.}, journal = {Br J Ophthalmol}, volume = {103}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 03}, pages = {390-397}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe the genetic characteristics of the cohort enrolled in the international multicentre progression of Stargardt disease~1 (STGD1) studies (ProgStar) and to~determine geographic differences based on the allele frequency.

METHODS: 345 participants with a clinical diagnosis of STGD1 and harbouring at least one disease-causing ABCA4 variant were enrolled from 9 centres in the USA and Europe. All variants were reviewed and analysis was performed including allele frequency in public databases and pathogenicity predictions. Participants with multiple likely pathogenic variants were classified into four national subgroups (USA, UK, France, Germany), with subsequent comparison analysis of the allele frequency for each prevalent allele.

RESULTS: 211 likely pathogenic variants were identified in the total cohort, including missense (63\%), splice site alteration (18\%), stop (9\%) and others. 50 variants were novel. Exclusively missense variants were detected in 139 (50\%) of 279 patients with multiple pathogenic variants. The three most prevalent variants of these patients with multiple pathogenic variants were p.G1961E (15\%), p.G863A (7\%)~and~c.5461-10 T>C (5\%). Subgroup analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the four recruiting nations in the allele frequency of nine variants.

CONCLUSIONS: There is a large spectrum of ABCA4 sequence variants, including 50 novel variants, in a well-characterised cohort thereby further adding to the unique allelic heterogeneity in STGD1. Approximately half of the cohort harbours missense variants only, indicating a relatively mild phenotype of the ProgStar cohort. There are significant differences in allele frequencies between nations, although the three most prevalent variants are shared as frequent variants.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Age of Onset, Aged, ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Databases, Factual, DNA Mutational Analysis, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotyping Techniques, Geography, Humans, Internationality, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Polymerase Chain Reaction}, issn = {1468-2079}, doi = {10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-312064}, author = {Fujinami, Kaoru and Strauss, Rupert W and Chiang, John Pei-Wen and Audo, Isabelle S and Bernstein, Paul S and Birch, David G and Bomotti, Samantha M and Cideciyan, Artur V and Ervin, Ann-Margret and Marino, Meghan J and Sahel, Jos{\'e}-Alain and Mohand-Said, Saddek and Sunness, Janet S and Traboulsi, Elias I and West, Sheila and Wojciechowski, Robert and Zrenner, Eberhart and Michaelides, Michel and Scholl, Hendrik P N} } @article {662, title = {Identification and association of recurrent ALOXE3 mutation with non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma in two ethnically distinct Pakistani families.}, journal = {Congenit Anom (Kyoto)}, volume = {59}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 May}, pages = {93-98}, abstract = {

Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE) is characterized by skin scaling with erythema. In this study, two Pakistani families with NCIE are genetically characterized through Whole Exome and Sanger sequencing to identify molecular basis of the disease. We identified a nonsense homozygous c.2026C>T mutation of ALOXE3, causing premature termination of the eLOX3 protein (p.Q676X). In silico studies predicted impaired enzymatic activity of the premature truncated eLOX3, leading to abnormal synthesis of specific hepoxilin derivatives, essential for epidermal barrier formation. It is the first ever study reporting homozygotes of p.Q676X mutation in ethnically distinct two Pakistani families; otherwise, heterozygotes of the said mutation have been reported in South Asian population only. Hence, mutation seems to be region-specific and may be useful for molecular diagnosis of NCIE. Moreover, our findings should help in genetic counseling and career screening.

}, keywords = {8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid, Adolescent, Adult, Base Sequence, Case-Control Studies, Child, Child, Preschool, Codon, Nonsense, Ethnic Groups, Female, Flavanones, Gene Expression, Homozygote, Humans, Ichthyosis, Lamellar, Lipoxygenase, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Docking Simulation, Pakistan, Pedigree, Protein Binding, Protein Structure, Secondary, Skin, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1741-4520}, doi = {10.1111/cga.12303}, author = {Rahman, Simeen Ber and Mir, Asif and Ahmad, Nafees and Haider, Syed Husnain and Malik, Salman Akbar and Nasir, Muhammad} } @article {624, title = {Ari-1 Regulates Myonuclear Organization Together with Parkin and Is Associated with Aortic Aneurysms.}, journal = {Dev Cell}, volume = {45}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 04 23}, pages = {226-244.e8}, abstract = {

Nuclei are actively positioned and anchored to the cytoskeleton via the LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton) complex. We identified mutations in the Parkin-like E3 ubiquitin ligase Ariadne-1 (Ari-1) that affect the localization and distribution of LINC~complex members in Drosophila. ari-1 mutants exhibit nuclear clustering and morphology defects in larval muscles. We show that Ari-1 mono-ubiquitinates the core LINC complex member Koi. Surprisingly, we discovered functional redundancy between Parkin and Ari-1: increasing Parkin expression rescues ari-1 mutant phenotypes and vice versa. We further show that rare variants in the human homolog of ari-1 (ARIH1) are associated with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections, conditions resulting from smooth muscle cell (SMC) dysfunction. Human ARIH1 rescues fly ari-1 mutant phenotypes, whereas human variants found in patients fail to do so. In addition, SMCs obtained from patients display aberrant nuclear morphology. Hence, ARIH1 is critical in anchoring myonuclei to the cytoskeleton.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Animals, Aortic Aneurysm, Carrier Proteins, Cell Nucleus, Child, Preschool, Cytoskeleton, Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila Proteins, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Myocytes, Smooth Muscle, Pedigree, Phenotype, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Young Adult}, issn = {1878-1551}, doi = {10.1016/j.devcel.2018.03.020}, author = {Tan, Kai Li and Haelterman, Nele A and Kwartler, Callie S and Regalado, Ellen S and Lee, Pei-Tseng and Nagarkar-Jaiswal, Sonal and Guo, Dong-Chuan and Duraine, Lita and Wangler, Michael F and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Lin, Guang and Milewicz, Dianna M and Bellen, Hugo J} } @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 {445, title = {The Congenital Heart Disease Genetic Network Study: Cohort description.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {13}, year = {2018}, month = {2018}, pages = {e0191319}, abstract = {

The Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (PCGC) designed the Congenital Heart Disease Genetic Network Study to provide phenotype and genotype data for a large congenital heart defects (CHDs) cohort. This article describes the PCGC cohort, overall and by major types of CHDs (e.g., conotruncal defects) and subtypes of conotrucal heart defects (e.g., tetralogy of Fallot) and left ventricular outflow tract obstructions (e.g., hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Cases with CHDs were recruited through ten sites, 2010-2014. Information on cases (N = 9,727) and their parents was collected through interviews and medical record abstraction. Four case characteristics, eleven parental characteristics, and thirteen parent-reported neurodevelopment outcomes were summarized using counts and frequencies and compared across CHD types and subtypes. Eleven percent of cases had a genetic diagnosis. Among cases without a genetic diagnosis, the majority had conotruncal heart defects (40\%) or left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (21\%). Across CHD types, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the distribution of all four case characteristics (e.g., sex), four parental characteristics (e.g., maternal pregestational diabetes), and five neurodevelopmental outcomes (e.g., learning disabilities). Several characteristics (e.g., sex) were also significantly different across CHD subtypes. The PCGC cohort is one of the largest CHD cohorts available for the study of genetic determinants of risk and outcomes. The majority of cases do not have a genetic diagnosis. This description of the PCGC cohort, including differences across CHD types and subtypes, provides a reference work for investigators who are interested in collaborating with or using publically available resources from the PCGC.

}, keywords = {Adult, Cohort Studies, Female, Gene Regulatory Networks, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Male, Phenotype}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0191319}, author = {Hoang, Thanh T and Goldmuntz, Elizabeth and Roberts, Amy E and Chung, Wendy K and Kline, Jennie K and Deanfield, John E and Giardini, Alessandro and Aleman, Adolfo and Gelb, Bruce D and Mac Neal, Meghan and Porter, George A and Kim, Richard and Brueckner, Martina and Lifton, Richard P and Edman, Sharon and Woyciechowski, Stacy and Mitchell, Laura E and Agopian, A J} } @article {487, title = {Detection of variants in dystroglycanopathy-associated genes through the application of targeted whole-exome sequencing analysis to a large cohort of patients with unexplained limb-girdle muscle weakness.}, journal = {Skelet Muscle}, volume = {8}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 07 30}, pages = {23}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Dystroglycanopathies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders that are typically characterised by limb-girdle muscle weakness. Mutations in 18 different genes have been associated with dystroglycanopathies, the encoded proteins of which typically modulate the binding of α-dystroglycan to extracellular matrix ligands by altering its glycosylation. This results in a disruption of the structural integrity of the myocyte, ultimately leading to muscle degeneration.

METHODS: Deep phenotypic information was gathered using the PhenoTips online software for 1001 patients with unexplained limb-girdle muscle weakness from 43 different centres across 21 European and Middle Eastern countries. Whole-exome sequencing with at least 250~ng DNA was completed using an Illumina exome capture and a 38~Mb baited target. Genes known to be associated with dystroglycanopathies were analysed for disease-causing variants.

RESULTS: Suspected pathogenic variants were detected in DPM3, ISPD, POMT1 and FKTN in one patient each, in POMK in two patients, in GMPPB in three patients, in FKRP in eight patients and in POMT2 in ten patients. This indicated a frequency of 2.7\% for the disease group within the cohort of 1001 patients with unexplained limb-girdle muscle weakness. The phenotypes of the 27 patients were highly variable, yet with a fundamental presentation of proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we have identified 27 patients with suspected pathogenic variants in dystroglycanopathy-associated genes. We present evidence for the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the dystroglycanopathies as a disease group, while also highlighting the advantage of incorporating next-generation sequencing into the diagnostic pathway of rare diseases.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Dystroglycans, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Glycosylation, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle Proteins, Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle, Mutation, Phenotype, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {2044-5040}, doi = {10.1186/s13395-018-0170-1}, author = {Johnson, Katherine and Bertoli, Marta and Phillips, Lauren and Topf, Ana and Van den Bergh, Peter and Vissing, John and Witting, Nanna and Nafissi, Shahriar and Jamal-Omidi, Shirin and {\L}usakowska, Anna and Kostera-Pruszczyk, Anna and Potulska-Chromik, Anna and Deconinck, Nicolas and Wallgren-Pettersson, Carina and Strang-Karlsson, Sonja and Colomer, Jaume and Claeys, Kristl G and De Ridder, Willem and Baets, Jonathan and von der Hagen, Maja and Fern{\'a}ndez-Torr{\'o}n, Roberto and Zulaica Ijurco, Miren and Espinal Valencia, Juan Bautista and Hahn, Andreas and Durmus, Hacer and Willis, Tracey and Xu, Liwen and Valkanas, Elise and Mullen, Thomas E and Lek, Monkol and MacArthur, Daniel G and Straub, Volker} } @article {491, title = {Dual Molecular Effects of Dominant RORA Mutations Cause Two Variants of Syndromic Intellectual Disability with Either Autism or Cerebellar Ataxia.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 05 03}, pages = {744-759}, abstract = {

RORα, the RAR-related orphan nuclear receptor alpha, is essential for cerebellar development. The spontaneous mutant mouse staggerer, with an ataxic gait caused by neurodegeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells, was discovered two decades ago to result from homozygous intragenic Rora deletions. However, RORA mutations were hitherto undocumented in humans. Through a multi-centric collaboration, we identified three copy-number variant deletions (two de novo and one dominantly inherited in three generations), one de novo disrupting duplication, and nine de novo point mutations (three truncating, one canonical splice site, and five missense mutations) involving RORA in 16 individuals from 13 families with variable neurodevelopmental delay and intellectual disability (ID)-associated autistic features, cerebellar ataxia, and epilepsy. Consistent with the human and mouse data, disruption of the D.~rerio ortholog, roraa, causes significant reduction in the size of the developing cerebellum. Systematic in~vivo complementation studies showed that, whereas wild-type human RORA mRNA could complement the cerebellar pathology, missense variants had two distinct pathogenic mechanisms of either haploinsufficiency or a dominant toxic effect according to their localization in the ligand-binding or DNA-binding domains, respectively. This dichotomous direction of effect is likely relevant to the phenotype in humans: individuals with loss-of-function variants leading to haploinsufficiency show ID with autistic features, while individuals with de novo dominant toxic variants present with ID, ataxia, and cerebellar atrophy. Our combined genetic and functional data highlight the complex mutational landscape at the human RORA locus and suggest that dual mutational effects likely determine phenotypic outcome.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Alleles, Animals, Autistic Disorder, Brain, Cerebellar Ataxia, Child, Child, Preschool, Disease Models, Animal, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Genes, Dominant, Genetic Complementation Test, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Larva, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1, Purkinje Cells, Syndrome, Zebrafish}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.02.021}, author = {Guissart, Claire and Latypova, X{\'e}nia and Rollier, Paul and Khan, Tahir N and Stamberger, Hannah and McWalter, Kirsty and Cho, Megan T and Kjaergaard, Susanne and Weckhuysen, Sarah and Lesca, Gaetan and Besnard, Thomas and {\~O}unap, Katrin and Schema, Lynn and Chiocchetti, Andreas G and McDonald, Marie and de Bellescize, Julitta and Vincent, Marie and Van Esch, Hilde and Sattler, Shannon and Forghani, Irman and Thiffault, Isabelle and Freitag, Christine M and Barbouth, Deborah Sara and Cadieux-Dion, Maxime and Willaert, Rebecca and Guillen Sacoto, Maria J and Safina, Nicole P and Dubourg, Christ{\`e}le and Grote, Lauren and Carr{\'e}, Wilfrid and Saunders, Carol and Pajusalu, Sander and Farrow, Emily and Boland, Anne and Karlowicz, Danielle Hays and Deleuze, Jean-Fran{\c c}ois and Wojcik, Monica H and Pressman, Rena and Isidor, Bertrand and Vogels, Annick and Van Paesschen, Wim and Al-Gazali, Lihadh and Al Shamsi, Aisha Mohamed and Claustres, Mireille and Pujol, Aurora and Sanders, Stephan J and Rivier, Fran{\c c}ois and Leboucq, Nicolas and Cogn{\'e}, Benjamin and Sasorith, Souphatta and Sanlaville, Damien and Retterer, Kyle and Odent, Sylvie and Katsanis, Nicholas and B{\'e}zieau, St{\'e}phane and Koenig, Michel and Davis, Erica E and Pasquier, Laurent and K{\"u}ry, S{\'e}bastien} } @article {431, title = {Genetic analysis of CHARGE syndrome identifies overlapping molecular biology.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {20}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 09}, pages = {1022-1029}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: CHARGE syndrome is an autosomal-dominant, multiple congenital anomaly condition characterized by vision and hearing loss, congenital heart disease, and malformations of craniofacial and other structures. Pathogenic variants in CHD7, encoding adenosine triphosphate-dependent chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7, are present in the majority of affected individuals. However, no causal variant can be found in 5-30\% (depending on the cohort) of individuals with a clinical diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome.

METHODS: We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 28 families from which at least one individual presented with features highly suggestive of CHARGE syndrome.

RESULTS: Pathogenic variants in CHD7 were present in 15 of 28 individuals (53.6\%), whereas 4 (14.3\%) individuals had pathogenic variants in other genes (RERE, KMT2D, EP300, or PUF60). A variant of uncertain clinical significance in KDM6A was identified in one (3.5\%) individual. The remaining eight (28.6\%) individuals were not found to have pathogenic variants by WES.

CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the phenotypic features of CHARGE syndrome overlap with multiple other rare single-gene syndromes. Additionally, they implicate a shared molecular pathology that disrupts epigenetic regulation of multiple-organ development.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Carrier Proteins, CHARGE Syndrome, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, DNA Helicases, DNA-Binding Proteins, E1A-Associated p300 Protein, Epigenesis, Genetic, Female, Genetic Testing, Humans, Infant, Male, Mutation, Neoplasm Proteins, Phenotype, Repressor Proteins, RNA Splicing Factors}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2017.233}, author = {Moccia, Amanda and Srivastava, Anshika and Skidmore, Jennifer M and Bernat, John A and Wheeler, Marsha and Chong, Jessica X and Nickerson, Deborah and Bamshad, Michael and Hefner, Margaret A and Martin, Donna M and Bielas, Stephanie L} } @article {500, title = {Genetic variants in components of the NALCN-UNC80-UNC79 ion channel complex cause a broad clinical phenotype (NALCN channelopathies).}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {137}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Sep}, pages = {753-768}, abstract = {

NALCN is a conserved cation channel, which conducts a permanent sodium leak current and regulates resting membrane potential and neuronal excitability. It is part of a large ion channel complex, the "NALCN channelosome", consisting of multiple proteins including UNC80 and UNC79. The predominant neuronal expression pattern and its function suggest an important role in neuronal function and disease. So far, biallelic NALCN and UNC80 variants have been described in a small number of individuals leading to infantile hypotonia, psychomotor retardation, and characteristic facies 1 (IHPRF1, OMIM 615419) and 2 (IHPRF2, OMIM 616801), respectively. Heterozygous de novo NALCN missense variants in the S5/S6 pore-forming segments lead to congenital contractures of the limbs and face, hypotonia, and developmental delay (CLIFAHDD, OMIM 616266) with some clinical overlap. In this study, we present detailed clinical information of 16 novel individuals with biallelic NALCN variants, 1 individual with a heterozygous de novo NALCN missense variant and an interesting clinical phenotype without contractures, and 12 individuals with biallelic UNC80 variants. We report for the first time a missense NALCN variant~located in the predicted S6 pore-forming unit inherited in an autosomal-recessive manner leading to mild IHPRF1. We show evidence of clinical variability, especially among IHPRF1-affected individuals, and discuss differences between the IHPRF1- and IHPRF2 phenotypes. In summary, we provide a comprehensive overview of IHPRF1 and IHPRF2 phenotypes based on the largest cohort of individuals reported so far and provide additional insights into the clinical phenotypes of these neurodevelopmental diseases to help improve counseling of affected families.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Carrier Proteins, Channelopathies, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Female, Genetic Markers, Genetic Variation, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Membrane Proteins, Phenotype, Sodium Channels, Young Adult}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-018-1929-5}, author = {Bramswig, Nuria C and Bertoli-Avella, Aida M and Albrecht, Beate and Al Aqeel, Aida I and Alhashem, Amal and Al-Sannaa, Nouriya and Bah, Maissa and Br{\"o}hl, Katharina and Depienne, Christel and Dorison, Nathalie and Doummar, Diane and Ehmke, Nadja and Elbendary, Hasnaa M and Gorokhova, Svetlana and H{\'e}ron, Delphine and Horn, Denise and James, Kiely and Keren, Boris and Kuechler, Alma and Ismail, Samira and Issa, Mahmoud Y and Marey, Isabelle and Mayer, Mich{\`e}le and McEvoy-Venneri, Jennifer and Megarbane, Andre and Mignot, Cyril and Mohamed, Sarar and Nava, Caroline and Philip, Nicole and Ravix, Cecile and Rolfs, Arndt and Sadek, Abdelrahim Abdrabou and Segebrecht, Lara and Stanley, Valentina and Trautman, Camille and Valence, Stephanie and Villard, Laurent and Wieland, Thomas and Engels, Hartmut and Strom, Tim M and Zaki, Maha S and Gleeson, Joseph G and L{\"u}decke, Hermann-Josef and Bauer, Peter and Wieczorek, Dagmar} } @article {542, title = {Genotype-phenotype investigation of 35 patients from 11 unrelated families with camptodactyly-arthropathy-coxa vara-pericarditis (CACP) syndrome.}, journal = {Mol Genet Genomic Med}, volume = {6}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 03}, pages = {230-248}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The camptodactyly-arthropathy-coxa vara-pericarditis syndrome (CACP) is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by camptodactyly, noninflammatory arthropathy, coxa vara, and pericarditis. CACP is caused by mutations in the proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) gene, which encodes a lubricating glycoprotein present in the synovial fluid and at the surface of articular cartilage.

METHODS: In the present study, we compared the clinical and molecular findings of CACP syndrome in 35 patients from 11 unrelated families. In 28 patients, whole exome sequencing was used to investigate genomic variations.

RESULTS: We found that camptodactyly of hands was the first symptom presented by most patients. Swelling of wrists, knees, and elbows began before 4~years of age, while the age of joint involvement was variable. Patients reported an increased pain level after the age of 10, and severe hip involvement developed after 20~years old. All patients presented developmental coxa vara and seven patients (~22\%) had pleural effusion, pericarditis, and/or ascites. We identified nine novel genomic alterations, including the first case of homozygous complete deletion of exon 1 in the PRG4 gene.

CONCLUSION: With this study, we contribute to the catalog of CACP causing variants. We confirm that the skeletal component of this disease worsens with age, and presents the potential mechanisms for interfamily variability, by discussing the influence of a modifier gene and escape from nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. We believe that this report will increase awareness of this familial arthropathic condition and the characteristic clinical and radiological findings will facilitate the differentiation from the common childhood rheumatic diseases such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Arthropathy, Neurogenic, Child, Child, Preschool, Coxa Vara, Exons, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Hand Deformities, Congenital, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Proteoglycans, Retrospective Studies, Sequence Deletion, Synovitis, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {2324-9269}, doi = {10.1002/mgg3.364}, author = {Yilmaz, Saliha and Uluda{\u g} Alkaya, Dilek and Kasapcopur, Ozgur and Barut, Kenan and Akdemir, Ekin S and Celen, Cemre and Youngblood, Mark W and Yasuno, Katsuhito and Bilguvar, Kaya and G{\"u}nel, Murat and Tuysuz, Beyhan} } @article {489, title = {Insights into clonal haematopoiesis from 8,342 mosaic chromosomal alterations.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {559}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 07}, pages = {350-355}, abstract = {

The selective pressures that shape clonal evolution in healthy individuals are largely unknown. Here we investigate 8,342 mosaic chromosomal alterations, from 50~kb to 249~Mb long, that we uncovered in blood-derived DNA from 151,202 UK Biobank participants using phase-based computational techniques (estimated false discovery rate, 6-9\%). We found six loci at which inherited variants associated strongly with the acquisition of deletions or loss of heterozygosity in cis. At three such loci (MPL, TM2D3-TARSL2, and FRA10B), we identified a likely causal variant that acted with high penetrance (5-50\%). Inherited alleles at one locus appeared to affect the probability of somatic mutation, and at three other loci to be objects of positive or negative clonal selection. Several specific mosaic chromosomal alterations were strongly associated with future haematological malignancies. Our results reveal a multitude of paths towards clonal expansions with a wide range of effects on human health.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Alleles, Biological Specimen Banks, Chromosome Aberrations, Chromosome Breakage, Chromosome Fragile Sites, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10, Clone Cells, Female, Health, Hematologic Neoplasms, Hematopoiesis, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mosaicism, Penetrance, United Kingdom}, issn = {1476-4687}, doi = {10.1038/s41586-018-0321-x}, author = {Loh, Po-Ru and Genovese, Giulio and Handsaker, Robert E and Finucane, Hilary K and Reshef, Yakir A and Palamara, Pier Francesco and Birmann, Brenda M and Talkowski, Michael E and Bakhoum, Samuel F and McCarroll, Steven A and Price, Alkes L} } @article {626, title = {LTBP3 Pathogenic Variants Predispose Individuals to Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 04 05}, pages = {706-712}, abstract = {

The major diseases affecting the thoracic aorta are aneurysms and acute dissections, and pathogenic variants in 11 genes are confirmed to lead to heritable thoracic aortic disease. However, many families in which multiple members have thoracic aortic disease do not have alterations in the known aortopathy genes. Genes highly expressed in the aorta were assessed for rare variants in exome sequencing data from such families, and compound rare heterozygous variants (p.Pro45Argfs25 and p.Glu750) in LTBP3 were identified in affected members of one family. A homozygous variant (p.Asn678_Gly681delinsThrCys) that introduces an additional cysteine into an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain in the corresponding protein, latent TGF-β binding protein (LTBP-3), was identified in a second family. Individuals with compound heterozygous or homozygous variants in these families have aneurysms and dissections of the thoracic aorta, as well as aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and other arteries, along with dental abnormalities and short stature. Heterozygous carriers of the p.Asn678_Gly681delinsThrCys variant have later onset of thoracic aortic disease, as well as dental abnormalities. In these families, LTBP3 variants segregated with thoracic aortic disease with a combined LOD score of 3.9. Additionally, heterozygous rare LTBP3 variants were found in individuals with early onset of acute aortic dissections, and some of these variants disrupted LTBP-3 levels or EGF-like domains. When compared to wild-type mice, Ltbp3 mice have enlarged aortic roots and ascending aortas. In summary, homozygous LTBP3 pathogenic variants predispose individuals to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections, along with the previously described skeletal and dental abnormalities.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Aneurysm, Dissecting, Animals, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Blood Pressure, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Homozygote, Humans, Latent TGF-beta Binding Proteins, Male, Mice, Middle Aged, Mutation, Pedigree}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.002}, author = {Guo, Dong-Chuan and Regalado, Ellen S and Pinard, Amelie and Chen, Jiyuan and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Rigelsky, Christina and Zilberberg, Lior and Hostetler, Ellen M and Aldred, Micheala and Wallace, Stephanie E and Prakash, Siddharth K and Leal, Suzanne M and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Natowicz, Marvin and Rifkin, Daniel B and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {496, title = {Monoallelic Mutations to DNAJB11 Cause Atypical Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 05 03}, pages = {832-844}, abstract = {

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by the progressive development of kidney cysts, often resulting in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This disorder is genetically heterogeneous with \~{}7\% of families genetically unresolved. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in two multiplex ADPKD-like pedigrees, and we analyzed a further 591 genetically unresolved, phenotypically similar families by targeted next-generation sequencing of 65 candidate genes. WES identified a DNAJB11 missense variant (p.Pro54Arg) in two family members presenting with non-enlarged polycystic kidneys and a frameshifting change (c.166_167insTT) in a second family with small renal and liver cysts. DNAJB11 is a co-factor of BiP, a key chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum controlling folding, trafficking, and degradation of secreted and membrane proteins. Five additional multigenerational families carrying DNAJB11 mutations were identified by the targeted analysis. The clinical phenotype was consistent in the 23 affected members, with non-enlarged cystic kidneys that often evolved to kidney atrophy; 7 subjects reached ESRD from 59 to 89 years. The lack of kidney enlargement, histologically evident interstitial fibrosis in non-cystic parenchyma, and recurring episodes of gout (one family) suggested partial phenotypic overlap with autosomal-dominant tubulointerstitial diseases (ADTKD). Characterization of DNAJB11-null cells and kidney samples from affected individuals revealed a pathogenesis associated with maturation and trafficking defects involving the ADPKD protein, PC1, and ADTKD proteins, such as UMOD. DNAJB11-associated disease is a phenotypic hybrid of ADPKD and ADTKD, characterized by normal-sized cystic kidneys and progressive interstitial fibrosis resulting in late-onset ESRD.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alleles, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Epithelial Cells, Family, Female, HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins, Humans, Loop of Henle, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Pedigree, Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant, TRPP Cation Channels, Uromodulin, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.013}, author = {Cornec-Le Gall, Emilie and Olson, Rory J and Besse, Whitney and Heyer, Christina M and Gainullin, Vladimir G and Smith, Jessica M and Audr{\'e}zet, Marie-Pierre and Hopp, Katharina and Porath, Binu and Shi, Beili and Baheti, Saurabh and Senum, Sarah R and Arroyo, Jennifer and Madsen, Charles D and F{\'e}rec, Claude and Joly, Dominique and Jouret, Fran{\c c}ois and Fikri-Benbrahim, Oussamah and Charasse, Christophe and Coulibaly, Jean-Marie and Yu, Alan S and Khalili, Korosh and Pei, York and Somlo, Stefan and Le Meur, Yannick and Torres, Vicente E and Harris, Peter C} } @article {620, title = {Mutations in the mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPS22 lead to primary ovarian insufficiency.}, journal = {Hum Mol Genet}, volume = {27}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 06 01}, pages = {1913-1926}, abstract = {

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is characterized by amenorrhea and loss or dysfunction of ovarian follicles prior to the age of 40. POI has been associated with autosomal recessive mutations in genes involving hormonal signaling and folliculogenesis, however, the genetic etiology of POI most often remains unknown. Here we report MRPS22 homozygous missense variants c.404G>A (p.R135Q) and c.605G>A (p.R202H) identified in four females from two independent consanguineous families as a novel genetic cause of POI in adolescents. Both missense mutations identified in MRPS22 are rare, occurred in highly evolutionarily conserved residues, and are predicted to be deleterious to protein function. In contrast to prior reports of mutations in MRPS22 associated with severe mitochondrial disease, the POI phenotype is far less severe. Consistent with this genotype-phenotype correlation, mitochondrial defects in oxidative phosphorylation or rRNA levels were not detected in fibroblasts derived from the POI patients, suggesting a non-bioenergetic or tissue-specific mitochondrial defect. Furthermore, we demonstrate in a Drosophila model that mRpS22 deficiency specifically in somatic cells of the ovary had no effect on fertility, whereas flies with mRpS22 deficiency specifically in germ cells were infertile and agametic, demonstrating a cell autonomous requirement for mRpS22 in germ cell development. These findings collectively identify that MRPS22, a component of the small mitochondrial ribosome subunit, is critical for ovarian development and may therefore provide insight into the pathophysiology and treatment of ovarian dysfunction.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amenorrhea, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Drosophila, Drosophila Proteins, Female, Fertility, Homozygote, Humans, Menopause, Premature, Mitochondrial Proteins, Mutation, Missense, Ovarian Follicle, Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, Ribosomal Proteins, Young Adult}, issn = {1460-2083}, doi = {10.1093/hmg/ddy098}, author = {Chen, Anlu and Tiosano, Dov and Guran, Tulay and Baris, Hagit N and Bayram, Yavuz and Mory, Adi and Shapiro-Kulnane, Laura and Hodges, Craig A and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Turan, Serap and Jhangiani, Shalini N and van den Akker, Focco and Hoppel, Charles L and Salz, Helen K and Lupski, James R and Buchner, David A} } @article {498, title = {Novel candidate genes and variants underlying autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorders with intellectual disability.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {137}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Sep}, pages = {735-752}, abstract = {

Identification of Mendelian genes for neurodevelopmental disorders using exome sequencing to study autosomal recessive (AR) consanguineous pedigrees has been highly successful. To identify causal variants for syndromic and non-syndromic intellectual disability (ID), exome sequencing was performed using DNA samples from 22 consanguineous Pakistani families with ARID, of which 21 have additional phenotypes including microcephaly. To aid in variant identification, homozygosity mapping and linkage analysis were performed. DNA samples from affected family member(s) from every pedigree underwent exome sequencing. Identified rare damaging exome variants were tested for co-segregation with ID using Sanger sequencing. For seven ARID families, variants were identified in genes not previously associated with ID, including: EI24, FXR1 and TET3 for which knockout mouse models have brain defects; and CACNG7 and TRAPPC10 where cell studies suggest roles in important neural pathways. For two families, the novel ARID genes CARNMT1 and GARNL3 lie within previously reported ID microdeletion regions. We also observed homozygous variants in two ID candidate genes, GRAMD1B and TBRG1, for which each has been previously reported in a single family. An additional 14 families have homozygous variants in established ID genes, of which 11 variants are novel. All ARID genes have increased expression in specific structures of the developing and adult human brain and 91\% of the genes are differentially expressed in utero or during early childhood. The identification of novel ARID candidate genes and variants adds to the knowledge base that is required to further understand human brain function and development.

}, keywords = {Adult, Consanguinity, Family, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Markers, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Pedigree}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-018-1928-6}, author = {Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Khan, Valeed and Khan, Falak Sher and Mughal, Zaib-Un-Nisa and Chakchouk, Imen and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Rasheed, Memoona and Hamza, Rifat and Acharya, Anushree and Ullah, Ehsan and Saqib, Muhammad Arif Nadeem and Abbe, Izoduwa and Ali, Ghazanfar and Hassan, Muhammad Jawad and Khan, Saadullah and Azeem, Zahid and Ullah, Irfan and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Schrauwen, Isabelle and Ahmad, Wasim and Ansar, Muhammad and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {484, title = {Novel digenic inheritance of PCDH15 and USH1G underlies profound non-syndromic hearing impairment.}, journal = {BMC Med Genet}, volume = {19}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 07 20}, pages = {122}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Digenic inheritance is the simplest model of oligenic disease. It can be observed when there is a strong epistatic interaction between two loci. For both syndromic and non-syndromic hearing impairment, several forms of digenic inheritance have been reported.

METHODS: We performed exome sequencing in a Pakistani family with profound non-syndromic hereditary hearing impairment to identify the genetic cause of disease.

RESULTS: We found that this family displays digenic inheritance for two trans heterozygous missense mutations, one in PCDH15 [p.(Arg1034His)] and another in USH1G [p.(Asp365Asn)]. Both of these genes are known to cause autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment and Usher syndrome. The protein products of PCDH15 and USH1G function together at the stereocilia tips in the hair cells and are necessary for proper mechanotransduction. Epistasis between Pcdh15 and Ush1G has been previously reported in digenic heterozygous mice. The digenic mice displayed a significant decrease in hearing compared to age-matched heterozygous animals. Until now no human examples have been reported.

CONCLUSIONS: The discovery of novel digenic inheritance mechanisms in hereditary hearing impairment will aid in understanding the interaction between defective proteins and further define inner ear function and its interactome.

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Cadherins, Hearing Loss, Heterozygote, Humans, Male, Mechanotransduction, Cellular, Multifactorial Inheritance, Mutation, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Pakistan, Pedigree, Usher Syndromes, Young Adult}, issn = {1471-2350}, doi = {10.1186/s12881-018-0618-5}, author = {Schrauwen, Isabelle and Chakchouk, Imen and Acharya, Anushree and Liaqat, Khurram and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Shah, Khadim and Ahmad, Wasim and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {544, title = {A presynaptic congenital myasthenic syndrome attributed to a homozygous sequence variant in LAMA5.}, journal = {Ann N Y Acad Sci}, volume = {1413}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 02}, pages = {119-125}, abstract = {

We report a severe defect of neuromuscular transmission in a consanguineous patient with a homozygous variant in the laminin α5 subunit gene (LAMA5). The variant c.8046C > T (p.Arg2659Trp) is rare and has a predicted deleterious effect. The affected individual, who also carries a rare homozygous sequence variant in LAMA1, had normal cognitive function, but magnetic resonance brain imaging showed mild volume loss and periventricular T2 prolongation. Repetitive nerve stimulation at 2 Hz showed 50\% decrement of compound muscle action potential amplitudes but 250\% facilitation immediately after exercise, similar to that seen in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome. Endplate studies demonstrated a profound reduction of the endplate potential quantal content but normal amplitudes of miniature endplate potentials. Electron microscopy showed endplates with increased postsynaptic folding that were denuded or only partially occupied by small nerve terminals. Expression studies revealed that p.Arg2659Trp caused decreased binding of laminin α5 to SV2A and impaired laminin-521 cell adhesion and cell projection support in primary neuronal cultures. In summary, this report describing severe neuromuscular transmission failure in a patient with a LAMA5 mutation expands the list of phenotypes associated with defects in genes encoding α-laminins.

}, keywords = {Adult, Female, Humans, Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome, Laminin, Motor Endplate, Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital, Synaptic Transmission}, issn = {1749-6632}, doi = {10.1111/nyas.13585}, author = {Maselli, Ricardo A and Arredondo, Juan and V{\'a}zquez, Jessica and Chong, Jessica X and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Lara, Marian and Ng, Fiona and Lo, Victoria Lee and Pytel, Peter and McDonald, Craig M} } @article {464, title = {Truncating Variants in NAA15 Are Associated with Variable Levels of Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Congenital Anomalies.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 05 03}, pages = {985-994}, abstract = {

N-alpha-acetylation is a common co-translational protein modification that is essential for normal cell function in humans. We previously identified the genetic basis of an X-linked infantile lethal Mendelian disorder involving a c.109T>C (p.Ser37Pro) missense variant in NAA10, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the N-terminal acetyltransferase A (NatA) complex. The auxiliary subunit of the NatA complex, NAA15, is the dimeric binding partner for NAA10. Through a genotype-first approach with whole-exome or genome sequencing (WES/WGS) and targeted sequencing analysis, we identified and phenotypically characterized 38 individuals from 33 unrelated families with 25 different de novo or inherited, dominantly acting likely gene disrupting (LGD) variants in NAA15. Clinical features of affected individuals with LGD variants in NAA15 include variable levels of intellectual disability, delayed speech and motor milestones, and autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, mild craniofacial dysmorphology, congenital cardiac anomalies, and seizures are present in some subjects. RNA analysis in cell lines from two individuals showed degradation of the transcripts with LGD variants, probably as a result of nonsense-mediated decay. Functional assays in yeast confirmed a deleterious effect for two of the LGD variants in NAA15. Further supporting a mechanism of haploinsufficiency, individuals with copy-number variant (CNV) deletions involving NAA15 and surrounding genes can present with mild intellectual disability, mild dysmorphic features, motor delays, and decreased growth. We propose that defects in NatA-mediated N-terminal acetylation (NTA) lead to variable levels of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, supporting the importance of the NatA complex in normal human development.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Adolescent, Adult, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cell Line, Child, Exons, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, N-Terminal Acetyltransferase A, N-Terminal Acetyltransferase E, Pedigree, Phenotype, RNA, Messenger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.004}, author = {Cheng, Hanyin and Dharmadhikari, Avinash V and Varland, Sylvia and Ma, Ning and Domingo, Deepti and Kleyner, Robert and Rope, Alan F and Yoon, Margaret and Stray-Pedersen, Asbj{\o}rg and Posey, Jennifer E and Crews, Sarah R and Eldomery, Mohammad K and Akdemir, Zeynep Coban and Lewis, Andrea M and Sutton, Vernon R and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Conboy, Erin and Agre, Katherine and Xia, Fan and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Longoni, Mauro and High, Frances A and van Slegtenhorst, Marjon A and Mancini, Grazia M S and Finnila, Candice R and van Haeringen, Arie and den Hollander, Nicolette and Ruivenkamp, Claudia and Naidu, Sakkubai and Mahida, Sonal and Palmer, Elizabeth E and Murray, Lucinda and Lim, Derek and Jayakar, Parul and Parker, Michael J and Giusto, Stefania and Stracuzzi, Emanuela and Romano, Corrado and Beighley, Jennifer S and Bernier, Raphael A and K{\"u}ry, S{\'e}bastien and Nizon, Mathilde and Corbett, Mark A and Shaw, Marie and Gardner, Alison and Barnett, Christopher and Armstrong, Ruth and Kassahn, Karin S and Van Dijck, Anke and Vandeweyer, Geert and Kleefstra, Tjitske and Schieving, Jolanda and Jongmans, Marjolijn J and de Vries, Bert B A and Pfundt, Rolph and Kerr, Bronwyn and Rojas, Samantha K and Boycott, Kym M and Person, Richard and Willaert, Rebecca and Eichler, Evan E and Kooy, R Frank and Yang, Yaping and Wu, Joseph C and Lupski, James R and Arnesen, Thomas and Cooper, Gregory M and Chung, Wendy K and Gecz, Jozef and Stessman, Holly A F and Meng, Linyan and Lyon, Gholson J} } @article {485, title = {A variant in LMX1A causes autosomal recessive severe-to-profound hearing impairment.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {137}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jul}, pages = {471-478}, abstract = {

Hereditary hearing impairment is a common sensory disorder that is genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous. In this study, we used a homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing strategy to study a consanguineous Pakistani family with autosomal recessive severe-to-profound hearing impairment. This led to the identification of a missense variant (p.Ile369Thr) in the LMX1A gene affecting a conserved residue in the C-terminus of the protein, which was predicted damaging by an in silico bioinformatics analysis. The p.Ile369Thr variant disrupts several C-terminal and homeodomain residue interactions, including an interaction with homeodomain residue p.Val241 that was previously found to be involved in autosomal dominant progressive HI. LIM-homeodomain factor Lmx1a is expressed in the inner ear through development, shows a progressive restriction to non-sensory epithelia, and is important in the separation of the sensory and non-sensory domains in the inner ear. Homozygous Lmx1a mutant mice (Dreher) are deaf with dysmorphic ears with an abnormal morphogenesis and fused and misshapen sensory organs; however, computed tomography performed on a hearing-impaired family member did not reveal any cochleovestibular malformations. Our results suggest that LMX1A is involved in both human autosomal recessive and dominant sensorineural hearing impairment.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Child, Disease Models, Animal, Ear, Inner, Female, Genes, Dominant, Genes, Recessive, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss, Sensorineural, Homozygote, Humans, LIM-Homeodomain Proteins, Male, Mice, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Transcription Factors, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-018-1899-7}, author = {Schrauwen, Isabelle and Chakchouk, Imen and Liaqat, Khurram and Jan, Abid and Nasir, Abdul and Hussain, Shabir and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Ullah, Asmat and Ahmad, Wasim and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {522, title = {Whole exome sequencing analysis in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.}, journal = {Hum Mol Genet}, volume = {27}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 11 01}, pages = {3801-3812}, abstract = {

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the leading causes of death worldwide, is substantially influenced by genetic factors. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency demonstrates that rare coding variants of large effect can influence COPD susceptibility. To identify additional rare coding variants in patients with severe COPD, we conducted whole exome sequencing analysis in 2543 subjects from two family-based studies (Boston Early-Onset COPD Study and International COPD Genetics Network) and one case-control study (COPDGene). Applying a gene-based segregation test in the family-based data, we identified significant segregation of rare loss of function variants in TBC1D10A and RFPL1 (P-value~<~2x10-6), but were unable to find similar variants in the case-control study. In single-variant, gene-based and pathway association analyses, we were unable to find significant findings that replicated or were significant in meta-analysis. However, we found that the top results in the two datasets were in proximity to each other in the protein-protein interaction network (P-value~=~0.014), suggesting enrichment of these results for similar biological processes. A network of these association results and their neighbors was significantly enriched in the transforming growth factor beta-receptor binding and cilia-related pathways. Finally, in a more detailed examination of candidate genes, we identified individuals with putative high-risk variants, including patients harboring homozygous mutations in genes associated with cutis laxa and Niemann-Pick Disease Type C. Our results likely reflect heterogeneity of genetic risk for COPD along with limitations of statistical power and functional annotation, and highlight the potential of network analysis to gain insight into genetic association studies.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Case-Control Studies, DNA Mutational Analysis, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1460-2083}, doi = {10.1093/hmg/ddy269}, author = {Qiao, Dandi and Ameli, Asher and Prokopenko, Dmitry and Chen, Han and Kho, Alvin T and Parker, Margaret M and Morrow, Jarrett and Hobbs, Brian D and Liu, Yanhong and Beaty, Terri H and Crapo, James D and Barnes, Kathleen C and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael and Hersh, Craig P and Lomas, David A and Agusti, Alvar and Make, Barry J and Calverley, Peter M A and Donner, Claudio F and Wouters, Emiel F and Vestbo, J{\o}rgen and Par{\'e}, Peter D and Levy, Robert D and Rennard, Stephen I and Tal-Singer, Ruth and Spitz, Margaret R and Sharma, Amitabh and Ruczinski, Ingo and Lange, Christoph and Silverman, Edwin K and Cho, Michael H} } @article {446, title = {WNT Signaling Perturbations Underlie the Genetic Heterogeneity of Robinow Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 01 04}, pages = {27-43}, abstract = {

Locus heterogeneity characterizes a variety of skeletal dysplasias often due to interacting or overlapping signaling pathways. Robinow syndrome is a skeletal disorder historically refractory to molecular diagnosis, potentially stemming from substantial genetic heterogeneity. All current known pathogenic variants reside in genes within the noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway including ROR2, WNT5A, and more recently, DVL1 and DVL3. However, \~{}70\% of autosomal-dominant Robinow syndrome cases remain molecularly unsolved. To investigate this missing heritability, we recruited 21 families with at least one family member clinically diagnosed with Robinow or Robinow-like phenotypes and performed genetic and genomic studies. In total, four families with variants in FZD2 were identified as well as three individuals from two families with biallelic variants in NXN that co-segregate with the phenotype. Importantly, both FZD2 and NXN are relevant protein partners in the WNT5A interactome, supporting their role in skeletal development. In addition to confirming that clustered -1 frameshifting variants in DVL1 and DVL3 are the main contributors to dominant Robinow syndrome, we also found likely pathogenic variants in candidate genes GPC4 and RAC3, both linked to the Wnt signaling pathway. These data support an initial hypothesis that Robinow syndrome results from perturbation of the Wnt/PCP pathway, suggest specific relevant domains of the proteins involved, and reveal key contributors in this signaling cascade during human embryonic development. Contrary to the view that non-allelic genetic heterogeneity hampers gene discovery, this study demonstrates the utility of rare disease genomic studies to parse gene function in human developmental pathways.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Segregation, Craniofacial Abnormalities, Diagnosis, Differential, Dwarfism, Female, Genes, Dominant, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Heterogeneity, Humans, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, Phenotype, Urogenital Abnormalities, Wnt Signaling Pathway}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.10.002}, author = {White, Janson J and Mazzeu, Juliana F and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep and Bayram, Yavuz and Bahrambeigi, Vahid and Hoischen, Alexander and van Bon, Bregje W M and Gezdirici, Alper and Gulec, Elif Yilmaz and Ramond, Francis and Touraine, Renaud and Thevenon, Julien and Shinawi, Marwan and Beaver, Erin and Heeley, Jennifer and Hoover-Fong, Julie and Durmaz, Ceren D and Karabulut, Halil Gurhan and Marzioglu-Ozdemir, Ebru and Cayir, Atilla and Duz, Mehmet B and Seven, Mehmet and Price, Susan and Ferreira, Barbara Merfort and Vianna-Morgante, Angela M and Ellard, Sian and Parrish, Andrew and Stals, Karen and Flores-Daboub, Josue and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Gibbs, Richard A and Brunner, Han G and Sutton, V Reid and Lupski, James R and Carvalho, Claudia M B} } @article {437, title = {Asprosin is a centrally acting orexigenic hormone.}, journal = {Nat Med}, volume = {23}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Dec}, pages = {1444-1453}, abstract = {

Asprosin is a recently discovered fasting-induced hormone that promotes hepatic glucose production. Here we demonstrate that asprosin in the circulation crosses the blood-brain barrier and directly activates orexigenic AgRP neurons via a cAMP-dependent pathway. This signaling results in inhibition of downstream anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-positive neurons in a GABA-dependent manner, which then leads to appetite stimulation and a drive to accumulate adiposity and body weight. In humans, a genetic deficiency in asprosin causes a syndrome characterized by low appetite and extreme leanness; this is phenocopied by mice carrying similar mutations and can be fully rescued by asprosin. Furthermore, we found that obese humans and mice had pathologically elevated concentrations of circulating asprosin, and neutralization of asprosin in the blood with a monoclonal antibody reduced appetite and body weight in obese mice, in addition to improving their glycemic profile. Thus, in addition to performing a glucogenic function, asprosin is a centrally acting orexigenic hormone that is a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of both obesity and diabetes.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Appetite Depressants, Appetite Regulation, Female, Humans, Hypothalamus, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Microfilament Proteins, Neurons, Peptide Fragments, Peptide Hormones, Rats, Signal Transduction, Young Adult}, issn = {1546-170X}, doi = {10.1038/nm.4432}, author = {Duerrschmid, Clemens and He, Yanlin and Wang, Chunmei and Li, Chia and Bournat, Juan C and Romere, Chase and Saha, Pradip K and Lee, Mark E and Phillips, Kevin J and Jain, Mahim and Jia, Peilin and Zhao, Zhongming and Farias, Monica and Wu, Qi and Milewicz, Dianna M and Sutton, V Reid and Moore, David D and Butte, Nancy F and Krashes, Michael J and Xu, Yong and Chopra, Atul R} } @article {394, title = {Clinical report: A patient with a late diagnosis of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis and a response to treatment.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Aug}, pages = {2275-2279}, abstract = {

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare, autosomal recessive, inborn error of bile acid metabolism characterized by diarrhea in infancy, juvenile cataracts in childhood, tendon xanthomas developing in the second to third decades of life, and progressive neurologic dysfunction in adulthood. The condition is caused by mutations in the CYP27A1 gene that result in decreased production of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and elevated levels of cholestanol and bile alcohols. We present a 36-year-old male of Han ethnicity who developed xanthomas of his Achilles tendons and suffered neurocognitive declines and gait deterioration in his second decade. The diagnosis of CTX was confirmed by marked elevation of the serum cholestanol level. Sequencing of CYP27A1 showed a paternally inherited splice mutation, c.446 + 1G>T, and a maternally inherited nonsense mutation, c.808C>T, predicting p.(Arg270*). Despite the advanced disease in this patient, treatment with CDCA reduced the xanthoma size and improved his cognition and strength, and the patient made significant gains in his ambulation and coordination. We report this case to illustrate the potential benefits of therapy in patients with CTX who have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis.

}, keywords = {Achilles Tendon, Adult, Bile Acids and Salts, Chenodeoxycholic Acid, Cholestanetriol 26-Monooxygenase, Cholestanol, Codon, Nonsense, Humans, Male, Xanthomatosis, Cerebrotendinous}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38314}, author = {Alhariri, Ahmad and Hamilton, Katherine and Oza, Vikash and Cordoro, Kelly and Sobreira, Nara L and Malloy, Mary and Slavotinek, Anne} } @article {443, title = {Complex phenotypes associated with STIM1 mutations in both coiled coil and EF-hand domains.}, journal = {Neuromuscul Disord}, volume = {27}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Sep}, pages = {861-872}, abstract = {

Dominant mutations in STIM1 are a cause of three allelic conditions: tubular aggregate myopathy, Stormorken syndrome (a complex phenotype including myopathy, hyposplenism, hypocalcaemia and bleeding diathesis), and a platelet dysfunction disorder, York platelet syndrome. Previous reports have suggested a genotype-phenotype correlation with mutations in the N-terminal EF-hand domain associated with tubular aggregate myopathy, and a common mutation at p.R304W in a coiled coil domain associated with Stormorken syndrome. In this study individuals with STIM1 variants were identified by exome sequencing or STIM1 direct sequencing, and assessed for neuromuscular, haematological and biochemical evidence of the allelic disorders of STIM1. STIM1 mutations were investigated by fibroblast calcium imaging and 3D modelling. Six individuals with STIM1 mutations, including two novel mutations (c.262A>G (p.S88G) and c.911G>A (p.R304Q)), were identified. Extra-neuromuscular symptoms including thrombocytopenia, platelet dysfunction, hypocalcaemia or hyposplenism were present in 5/6 patients with mutations in both the EF-hand and CC domains. 3/6 patients had psychiatric disorders, not previously reported in STIM1 disease. Review of published STIM1 patients (n = 49) confirmed that neuromuscular symptoms are present in most patients. We conclude that the phenotype associated with activating STIM1 mutations frequently includes extra-neuromuscular features such as hypocalcaemia, hypo-/asplenia and platelet dysfunction regardless of mutation domain.

}, keywords = {Adult, Blood Platelet Disorders, Calcium, Cell Culture Techniques, DNA Mutational Analysis, Dyslexia, Erythrocytes, Abnormal, Family Health, Female, Fibroblasts, Genetic Association Studies, Humans, Ichthyosis, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Middle Aged, Migraine Disorders, Miosis, Models, Molecular, Muscle Fatigue, Muscle, Skeletal, Mutation, Myopathies, Structural, Congenital, NAD, Neoplasm Proteins, Spleen, Stromal Interaction Molecule 1}, issn = {1873-2364}, doi = {10.1016/j.nmd.2017.05.002}, author = {Harris, Elizabeth and Burki, Umar and Marini-Bettolo, Chiara and Neri, Marcella and Scotton, Chiara and Hudson, Judith and Bertoli, Marta and Evangelista, Teresinha and Vroling, Bas and Polvikoski, Tuomo and Roberts, Mark and Topf, Ana and Bushby, Kate and McArthur, Daniel and Lochm{\"u}ller, Hanns and Ferlini, Alessandra and Straub, Volker and Barresi, Rita} } @article {426, title = {Contribution of rare inherited and de novo variants in 2,871 congenital heart disease probands.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {49}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Nov}, pages = {1593-1601}, abstract = {

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of mortality from birth defects. Here, exome sequencing of a single cohort of 2,871 CHD probands, including 2,645 parent-offspring trios, implicated rare inherited mutations in 1.8\%, including a recessive founder mutation in GDF1 accounting for \~{}5\% of severe CHD in Ashkenazim, recessive genotypes in MYH6 accounting for \~{}11\% of Shone complex, and dominant FLT4 mutations accounting for 2.3\% of Tetralogy of Fallot. De novo mutations (DNMs) accounted for 8\% of cases, including \~{}3\% of isolated CHD patients and \~{}28\% with both neurodevelopmental and extra-cardiac congenital anomalies. Seven genes surpassed thresholds for genome-wide significance, and 12 genes not previously implicated in CHD had >70\% probability of being disease related. DNMs in \~{}440 genes were inferred to contribute to CHD. Striking overlap between genes with damaging DNMs in probands with CHD and autism was also found.

}, keywords = {Adult, Autistic Disorder, Cardiac Myosins, Case-Control Studies, Child, Exome, Female, Gene Expression, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome-Wide Association Study, Growth Differentiation Factor 1, Heart Defects, Congenital, Heterozygote, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Mutation, Myosin Heavy Chains, Pedigree, Risk, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.3970}, author = {Jin, Sheng Chih and Homsy, Jason and Zaidi, Samir and Lu, Qiongshi and Morton, Sarah and DePalma, Steven R and Zeng, Xue and Qi, Hongjian and Chang, Weni and Sierant, Michael C and Hung, Wei-Chien and Haider, Shozeb and Zhang, Junhui and Knight, James and Bjornson, Robert D and Castaldi, Christopher and Tikhonoa, Irina R and Bilguvar, Kaya and Mane, Shrikant M and Sanders, Stephan J and Mital, Seema and Russell, Mark W and Gaynor, J William and Deanfield, John and Giardini, Alessandro and Porter, George A and Srivastava, Deepak and Lo, Cecelia W and Shen, Yufeng and Watkins, W Scott and Yandell, Mark and Yost, H Joseph and Tristani-Firouzi, Martin and Newburger, Jane W and Roberts, Amy E and Kim, Richard and Zhao, Hongyu and Kaltman, Jonathan R and Goldmuntz, Elizabeth and Chung, Wendy K and Seidman, Jonathan G and Gelb, Bruce D and Seidman, Christine E and Lifton, Richard P and Brueckner, Martina} } @article {636, title = {Copy Number Changes Identified Using Whole Exome Sequencing in Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip and Palate in a Honduran Population.}, journal = {Birth Defects Res}, volume = {109}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Oct 02}, pages = {1257-1267}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The majority of cleft lip with or without cleft palate cases appear as an isolated, nonsyndromic entity (NSCLP). With the advent of next generation sequencing, whole exome sequencing (WES) has been used to identify single nucleotide variants and insertion/deletions which cause or increase the risk of NSCLP. However, to our knowledge, there are no published studies using WES in NSCLP to investigate copy number changes (CNCs), which are a major component of human genetic variation. Our study aimed to identify CNCs associated with NSCLP in a Honduran population using WES.

METHODS: WES was performed on two to four members of 27 multiplex Honduran families. CNCs were identified using two algorithms, CoNIFER and XHMM. Priority was given to CNCs that were identified in more than one patient and had variant frequencies of less than 5\% in reference data sets.

RESULTS: WES completion was defined as >90\% of the WES target at >8 {\texttimes} coverage and >80\% of the WES target at >20 {\texttimes} coverage. Twenty-four CNCs that met our inclusion criteria were identified by both CoNIFER and XHMM. These CNCs were confirmed using quantitative PCR. Pedigree analysis produced three CNCs corresponding to ADH7, AHR, and CRYZ segregating with NSCLP. Two of the three CNCs implicate genes, AHR and ADH7, whose known biological functions could plausibly play a role in NSCLP.

CONCLUSION: WES can be used to detect candidate CNCs that may be involved in the pathophysiology of NSCLP. Birth Defects Research 109:1257-1267, 2017. {\textcopyright} 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Dehydrogenase, Alleles, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Child, Child, Preschool, Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate, DNA Copy Number Variations, Family, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Variation, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Honduras, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pedigree, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {2472-1727}, doi = {10.1002/bdr2.1063}, author = {Cai, Yi and Patterson, Karynne E and Reinier, Frederic and Keesecker, Sarah E and Blue, Elizabeth and Bamshad, Michael and Haddad, Joseph} } @article {633, title = {De novo mutations in HNRNPU result in a neurodevelopmental syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Nov}, pages = {3003-3012}, abstract = {

Exome sequencing in the context of developmental disorders is a useful technique, but variants found need to be interpreted in the context of detailed phenotypic information. Whole gene deletions and loss-of-function-mutations in the HNRNPU gene have been associated with intellectual disability and seizures in some patients. However, a unifying syndromic phenotype has not been previously elucidated. Here, we report a total of seven patients (six patients identified through the Wellcome Trust Deciphering Developmental Disorders study, with one additional patient), who have heterozygous de novo mutations in HNRNPU. These were found via trio-based exome sequencing. All but one of the mutations is predicted to cause loss-of-function. These patients have dysmorphic features in common, including prominent eyebrows, long palpebral fissures, overhanging columella, and thin upper lip. All patients have developmental delay and intellectual disability (ID), ranging from moderate to severe. Seizures are common from early childhood. These initially occur in the context of febrile episodes. This series demonstrates common phenotypic features, including emerging dysmorphism, associated with heterozygous HNRNPU mutations. This allows us to define a novel neurodevelopmental syndrome, with a likely mechanism of haploinsufficiency.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Haploinsufficiency, Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U, Heterozygote, Humans, Infant, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Phenotype, Seizures, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38492}, author = {Yates, T Michael and Vasudevan, Pradeep C and Chandler, Kate E and Donnelly, Deirdre E and Stark, Zornitza and Sadedin, Simon and Willoughby, Josh and Balasubramanian, Meena} } @article {386, title = {De novo mutations in inhibitors of Wnt, BMP, and Ras/ERK signaling pathways in non-syndromic midline craniosynostosis.}, journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}, volume = {114}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 08 29}, pages = {E7341-E7347}, abstract = {

Non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NSC) is a frequent congenital malformation in which one or more cranial sutures fuse prematurely. Mutations causing rare syndromic craniosynostoses in humans and engineered mouse models commonly increase signaling of the Wnt, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), or Ras/ERK pathways, converging on shared nuclear targets that promote bone formation. In contrast, the genetics of NSC is largely unexplored. More than 95\% of NSC is sporadic, suggesting a role for de novo mutations. Exome sequencing of 291 parent-offspring trios with midline NSC revealed 15 probands with heterozygous damaging de novo mutations in 12 negative regulators of Wnt, BMP, and Ras/ERK signaling (10.9-fold enrichment, = 2.4 {\texttimes} 10). had 4 de novo and 14 transmitted mutations; no other gene had more than 1. Four familial NSC kindreds had mutations in genes previously implicated in syndromic disease. Collectively, these mutations contribute to 10\% of probands. Mutations are predominantly loss-of-function, implicating haploinsufficiency as a frequent mechanism. A common risk variant near increased the penetrance of mutations and was overtransmitted to patients with de novo mutations in other genes in these pathways, supporting a frequent two-locus pathogenesis. These findings implicate new genes in NSC and demonstrate related pathophysiology of common non-syndromic and rare syndromic craniosynostoses. These findings have implications for diagnosis, risk of recurrence, and risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Finally, the use of pathways identified in rare syndromic disease to find genes accounting for non-syndromic cases may prove broadly relevant to understanding other congenital disorders featuring high locus heterogeneity.

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Bone Morphogenetic Proteins, Child, Child, Preschool, Cranial Sutures, Craniosynostoses, Exome, Female, Humans, Male, MAP Kinase Signaling System, Mutation, Osteogenesis, Penetrance, Phenotype, ras Proteins, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Signal Transduction, Smad6 Protein, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1709255114}, author = {Timberlake, Andrew T and Furey, Charuta G and Choi, Jungmin and Nelson-Williams, Carol and Loring, Erin and Galm, Amy and Kahle, Kristopher T and Steinbacher, Derek M and Larysz, Dawid and Persing, John A and Lifton, Richard P} } @article {638, title = {A defect in myoblast fusion underlies Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome.}, journal = {Nat Commun}, volume = {8}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 07 06}, pages = {16077}, abstract = {

Multinucleate cellular syncytial formation is a hallmark of skeletal muscle differentiation. Myomaker, encoded by Mymk (Tmem8c), is a well-conserved plasma membrane protein required for myoblast fusion to form multinucleated myotubes in mouse, chick, and zebrafish. Here, we report that autosomal recessive mutations in MYMK (OMIM 615345) cause Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome in humans (CFZS; OMIM 254940) by reducing but not eliminating MYMK function. We characterize MYMK-CFZS as a congenital myopathy with marked facial weakness and additional clinical and pathologic features that distinguish it from other congenital neuromuscular syndromes. We show that a heterologous cell fusion assay in vitro and allelic complementation experiments in mymk knockdown and mymk zebrafish in vivo can differentiate between MYMK wild type, hypomorphic and null alleles. Collectively, these data establish that MYMK activity is necessary for normal muscle development and maintenance in humans, and expand the spectrum of congenital myopathies to include cell-cell fusion deficits.

}, keywords = {Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Cell Fusion, Child, Disease Models, Animal, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Female, Gene Expression, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Complementation Test, Humans, Infant, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mobius Syndrome, Morphogenesis, Muscle Proteins, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscular Diseases, Mutation, Myoblasts, Pedigree, Pierre Robin Syndrome, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Zebrafish, Zebrafish Proteins}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms16077}, author = {Di Gioia, Silvio Alessandro and Connors, Samantha and Matsunami, Norisada and Cannavino, Jessica and Rose, Matthew F and Gilette, Nicole M and Artoni, Pietro and de Macena Sobreira, Nara Lygia and Chan, Wai-Man and Webb, Bryn D and Robson, Caroline D and Cheng, Long and Van Ryzin, Carol and Ramirez-Martinez, Andres and Mohassel, Payam and Leppert, Mark and Scholand, Mary Beth and Grunseich, Christopher and Ferreira, Carlos R and Hartman, Tyler and Hayes, Ian M and Morgan, Tim and Markie, David M and Fagiolini, Michela and Swift, Amy and Chines, Peter S and Speck-Martins, Carlos E and Collins, Francis S and Jabs, Ethylin Wang and B{\"o}nnemann, Carsten G and Olson, Eric N and Carey, John C and Robertson, Stephen P and Manoli, Irini and Engle, Elizabeth C} } @article {365, title = {Diagnosis of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction and Megacystis by Sequencing the ACTG2 Gene.}, journal = {J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr}, volume = {65}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 10}, pages = {384-387}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction has depended on clinical features, manometry, and imaging. This report aimed to determine the efficacy of sequencing the actin γ-2 (ACTG2) gene for diagnosis. In addition, the goal was to determine how often a mutation would be found in our randomly collected cohort of probands and those probands published previously.

METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was performed in 4 probands with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Subsequently, only the ACTG2 gene was sequenced in another 24 probands (total 28). We analyzed published data of 83 probands and our 28 (total 111) and determined how many had pathogenic variants and the precise genotype.

RESULTS: Whole exome and Sanger sequencing revealed a pathogenic variant in the ACTG2 gene in 4 out of 28 of our probands and in 45 out of 83 published probands (49/111 [44.1\%]). Moreover, a mutational hotspot in the ACTG2 gene was recognized. Genetic heterogeneity is evident.

CONCLUSIONS: Pooled gene sequencing results from 1 individual in each of 111 families enabled a precise diagnosis of an ACTG2 mutation in 49 (44\%). The benefit to patients and families of early confirmation of a motility disorder not only helps avoid unnecessary intervention, but also enables institution of appropriate treatments and avoidance of secondary disorders such as malnutrition and poor growth. Knowledge of a pathogenic variant in a parent, with a 50\% risk of recurrence, provides an opportunity for genetic counseling.

}, keywords = {Actins, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chronic Disease, Duodenum, Female, Fetal Diseases, Genetic Markers, Genetic Testing, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction, Male, Mutation, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Urinary Bladder, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1536-4801}, doi = {10.1097/MPG.0000000000001608}, author = {Milunsky, Aubrey and Baldwin, Clinton and Zhang, Xiaoying and Primack, Daniel and Curnow, Adrian and Milunsky, Jeff} } @article {57, title = {Enrichment of mutations in chromatin regulators in people with Rett syndrome lacking mutations in MECP2.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {19}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 01}, pages = {13-19}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused primarily by de novo mutations in MECP2 and sometimes in CDKL5 and FOXG1. However, some RTT patients lack mutations in these genes.

METHODS: Twenty-two RTT patients without apparent MECP2, CDKL5, and FOXG1 mutations were subjected to both whole-exome sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphism array-based copy-number variant (CNV) analyses.

RESULTS: Three patients had MECP2 mutations initially missed by clinical testing. Of the remaining 19, 17 (89.5\%) had 29 other likely pathogenic intragenic mutations and/or CNVs (10 patients had 2 or more). Interestingly, 13 patients had mutations in a gene/region previously reported in other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), thereby providing a potential diagnostic yield of 68.4\%. These mutations were significantly enriched in chromatin regulators (corrected P = 0.0068) and moderately enriched in postsynaptic cell membrane molecules (corrected P = 0.076), implicating glutamate receptor signaling.

CONCLUSION: The genetic etiology of RTT without MECP2, CDKL5, and FOXG1 mutations is heterogeneous, overlaps with other NDDs, and complicated by a high mutation burden. Dysregulation of chromatin structure and abnormal excitatory synaptic signaling may form two common pathological bases of RTT.Genet Med 19 1, 13-19.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromatin, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Forkhead Transcription Factors, Humans, Infant, Male, Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2, Mutation, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, Rett Syndrome, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2016.42}, author = {Sajan, Samin A and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Glaze, Daniel G and Kaufmann, Walter E and Skinner, Steven A and Annese, Fran and Friez, Michael J and Lane, Jane and Percy, Alan K and Neul, Jeffrey L} } @article {429, title = {Evolving health care through personal genomics.}, journal = {Nat Rev Genet}, volume = {18}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 04}, pages = {259-267}, abstract = {

With the rapid evolution of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies, the cost of sequencing a human genome has plummeted, and genomics has started to pervade health care across all stages of life - from preconception to adult medicine. Challenges to fully embracing genomics in a clinical setting remain, but some approaches are starting to overcome these barriers, such as community-driven data sharing to improve the accuracy and efficiency of applying genomics to patient care.

}, keywords = {Adult, Delivery of Health Care, Genetic Testing, Genome, Human, Genomics, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Precision Medicine}, issn = {1471-0064}, doi = {10.1038/nrg.2016.162}, author = {Rehm, Heidi L} } @article {635, title = {Exome sequencing in Jewish and Arab patients with rhabdomyolysis reveals single-gene etiology in 43\% of cases.}, journal = {Pediatr Nephrol}, volume = {32}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Dec}, pages = {2273-2282}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical emergency that may cause acute kidney injury (AKI). It can be acquired or due to monogenic mutations. Around 60 different rare monogenic forms of rhabdomyolysis have been reported to date. In the clinical setting, identifying the underlying molecular diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific presentation, the high number of causative genes, and current lack of data on the prevalence of monogenic forms.

METHODS: We employed whole exome sequencing (WES) to reveal the percentage of rhabdomyolysis cases explained by single-gene (monogenic) mutations in one of 58 candidate genes. We investigated a cohort of 21 unrelated families with rhabdomyolysis, in whom no underlying etiology had been previously established.

RESULTS: Using WES, we identified causative mutations in candidate genes in nine of the 21 families (43\%). We detected disease-causing mutations in eight of 58 candidate genes, grouped into the following categories: (1) disorders of fatty acid metabolism (CPT2), (2) disorders of glycogen metabolism (PFKM and PGAM2), (3) disorders of abnormal skeletal muscle relaxation and contraction (CACNA1S, MYH3, RYR1 and SCN4A), and (4) disorders of purine metabolism (AHCY).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a very high detection rate for monogenic etiologies using WES and reveal broad genetic heterogeneity for rhabdomyolysis. These results highlight the importance of molecular genetic diagnostics for establishing an etiologic diagnosis. Because these patients are at risk for recurrent episodes of rhabdomyolysis and subsequent risk for AKI, WES allows adequate prophylaxis and treatment for these patients and their family members and enables a personalized medicine approach.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Arabs, Child, Exome, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Jews, Mutation, Rhabdomyolysis, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {1432-198X}, doi = {10.1007/s00467-017-3755-8}, author = {Vivante, Asaf and Ityel, Hadas and Pode-Shakked, Ben and Chen, Jing and Shril, Shirlee and van der Ven, Amelie T and Mann, Nina and Schmidt, Johanna Magdalena and Segel, Reeval and Aran, Adi and Zeharia, Avraham and Staretz-Chacham, Orna and Bar-Yosef, Omer and Raas-Rothschild, Annick and Landau, Yuval E and Lifton, Richard P and Anikster, Yair and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm} } @article {388, title = {Heterozygous De Novo UBTF Gain-of-Function Variant Is Associated with Neurodegeneration in Childhood.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Aug 03}, pages = {267-273}, abstract = {

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is transcribed from rDNA by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) to produce the 45S precursor of the 28S, 5.8S, and 18S rRNA components of the ribosome. Two transcription factors have been defined for Pol I in mammals, the selectivity factor SL1, and the upstream binding transcription factor (UBF), which interacts with the upstream control element to facilitate the assembly of the transcription initiation complex including SL1 and Pol I. In seven unrelated affected individuals, all suffering from developmental regression starting at 2.5-7 years, we identified a heterozygous variant, c.628G>A in UBTF, encoding p.Glu210Lys in UBF, which occurred de novo in~all cases. While the levels of UBF, Ser388 phosphorylated UBF, and other Pol I-related components (POLR1E, TAF1A, and TAF1C) remained unchanged in cells of an affected individual, the variant conferred gain of function to UBF, manifesting by markedly increased UBF binding to the rDNA promoter and to the 5{\textquoteright}- external transcribed spacer. This was associated with significantly increased 18S expression, and enlarged nucleoli which were reduced in number per cell. The data link neurodegeneration in childhood with altered rDNA chromatin status and rRNA metabolism.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Atrophy, Brain, Brain Diseases, Cell Nucleolus, Child, Chromatin, DNA-Binding Proteins, Female, Humans, Male, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Pol1 Transcription Initiation Complex Proteins, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Promoter Regions, Genetic, RNA, Ribosomal, 18S, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.07.002}, author = {Edvardson, Simon and Nicolae, Claudia M and Agrawal, Pankaj B and Mignot, Cyril and Payne, Katelyn and Prasad, Asuri Narayan and Prasad, Chitra and Sadler, Laurie and Nava, Caroline and Mullen, Thomas E and Begtrup, Amber and Baskin, Berivan and Powis, Z{\"o}e and Shaag, Avraham and Keren, Boris and Moldovan, George-Lucian and Elpeleg, Orly} } @article {408, title = {Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism due to Novel FGFR1 Mutations.}, journal = {J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jun 01}, pages = {95-100}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: The underlying genetic etiology of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is heterogeneous. Fibroblast growth factor signaling is pivotal in the ontogeny of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Loss-of-function mutations in FGFR1 gene cause variable HH phenotypes encompassing pubertal delay to idiopathic HH (IHH) or Kallmann syndrome (KS). As FGFR1 mutations are common, recognizing mutations and associated phenotypes may enhance clinical management.

METHODS: Using a candidate gene approach, we screened 52 IHH/KS patients.

RESULTS: We identified three novel (IVS3-1G>C and p.W2X, p.R209C) FGFR1 gene mutations. Despite predictive null protein function, patients from the novel mutation families had normosmic IHH without non-reproductive phenotype.

CONCLUSION: These findings further emphasize the great variability of FGFR1 mutation phenotypes in IHH/KS.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Family Health, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Humans, Hypogonadism, Klinefelter Syndrome, Male, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, Puberty, Delayed, Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1, Young Adult}, issn = {1308-5735}, doi = {10.4274/jcrpe.3908}, author = {Akku{\c s}, Gamze and Kotan, Leman Damla and Durmaz, Erdem and Mengen, Eda and Turan, {\.I}hsan and Ulubay, Ay{\c c}a and G{\"u}rb{\"u}z, Fatih and Y{\"u}ksel, Bilgin and Tetiker, Tamer and Topalo{\u g}lu, A Kemal} } @article {377, title = {Identification of ASAH1 as a susceptibility gene for familial keloids.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {25}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 10}, pages = {1155-1161}, abstract = {

Keloids result from abnormal proliferative scar formation with scar tissue expanding beyond the margin of the original wound and are mostly found in individuals of sub-Saharan African descent. The etiology of keloids has not been resolved but previous studies suggest that keloids are a genetically heterogeneous disorder. Although possible candidate genes have been suggested by genome-wide association studies using common variants, by upregulation in keloids or their involvement in syndromes that include keloid formation, rare coding variants that contribute to susceptibility in non-syndromic keloid formation have not been previously identified. Through analysis of whole-genome data we mapped a locus to chromosome 8p23.3-p21.3 with a statistically significant maximum multipoint LOD score of 4.48. This finding was followed up using exome sequencing and led to the identification of a c.1202T>C (p.(Leu401Pro)) variant in the N-acylsphingosine amidohydrolase (ASAH1) gene that co-segregates with the keloid phenotype in a large Yoruba family. ASAH1 is an acid ceramidase known to be involved in tumor formation by controlling the ratio of ceramide and sphingosine. ASAH1 is also involved in cell proliferation and inflammation, and may affect the development of keloids via multiple mechanisms. Functional studies need to clarify the role of the ASAH1 variant in wound healing.

}, keywords = {Acid Ceramidase, Adult, Female, Humans, Keloid, Male, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2017.121}, author = {Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Hu, Ying and Sun, Fanyue and Benahmed-Miniuk, Fairouz and Tao, Jian and Kanaujiya, Jitendra K and Ademola, Samuel and Fadiora, Solomon and Odesina, Victoria and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Olaitan, Peter B and Oluwatosin, Odunayo M and Leal, Suzanne M and Reichenberger, Ernst J} } @article {421, title = {Identification of GAA variants through whole exome sequencing targeted to a cohort of 606 patients with unexplained limb-girdle muscle weakness.}, journal = {Orphanet J Rare Dis}, volume = {12}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 11 17}, pages = {173}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Late-onset Pompe disease is a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by a primary deficiency of α-glucosidase and the associated accumulation of glycogen in lysosomal vacuoles. The deficiency of α-glucosidase can often be detected using an inexpensive and readily accessible dried blood spot test when Pompe disease is suspected. Like several neuromuscular disorders, Pompe disease typically presents with progressive weakness of limb-girdle muscles and respiratory insufficiency. Due to the phenotypic heterogeneity of these disorders, however, it is often difficult for clinicians to reach a diagnosis for patients with Pompe disease. Six hundred and six patients from a European population were recruited onto our study. Inclusion criteria stipulated that index cases must present with limb-girdle weakness or elevated serum creatine kinase activity. Whole exome sequencing with at least 250~ng DNA was completed using an Illumina exome capture and a 38~Mb baited target. A panel of 169 candidate genes for limb-girdle weakness was analysed for disease-causing variants.

RESULTS: A total of 35 variants within GAA were detected. Ten distinct variants in eight unrelated index cases (and four siblings not sequenced in our study) were considered disease-causing, with the patients presenting with heterogeneous phenotypes. The eight unrelated individuals were compound heterozygotes for two variants. Six patients carried the intronic splice site c.-13~T > G transversion and two of the six patients also carried the exonic p.Glu176ArgfsTer45 frameshift. Four of the ten variants were novel in their association with Pompe disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Here, we highlight the advantage of using whole exome sequencing as a tool for detecting, diagnosing and treating patients with rare, clinically variable genetic disorders.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, alpha-Glucosidases, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Female, Genetic Variation, Glycogen Storage Disease Type II, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle Weakness, Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle, Whole Exome Sequencing, Young Adult}, issn = {1750-1172}, doi = {10.1186/s13023-017-0722-1}, author = {Johnson, Katherine and Topf, Ana and Bertoli, Marta and Phillips, Lauren and Claeys, Kristl G and Stojanovic, Vidosava Rakocevic and Peri{\'c}, Stojan and Hahn, Andreas and Maddison, Paul and Akay, Ela and Bastian, Alexandra E and {\L}usakowska, Anna and Kostera-Pruszczyk, Anna and Lek, Monkol and Xu, Liwen and MacArthur, Daniel G and Straub, Volker} } @article {427, title = {Identification of STAC3 variants in non-Native American families with overlapping features of Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome and Moebius syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Oct}, pages = {2763-2771}, abstract = {

Horstick et al. (2013) previously reported a homozygous p.Trp284Ser variant in STAC3 as the cause of Native American myopathy (NAM) in 5 Lumbee Native American families with congenital hypotonia and weakness, cleft palate, short stature, ptosis, kyphoscoliosis, talipes deformities, and susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MH). Here we present two non-Native American families, who were found to have STAC3 pathogenic variants. The first proband and her affected older sister are from a consanguineous Qatari family with a suspected clinical diagnosis of Carey-Fineman-Ziter syndrome (CFZS) based on features of hypotonia, myopathic facies with generalized weakness, ptosis, normal extraocular movements, cleft palate, growth delay, and kyphoscoliosis. We identified the homozygous c.851G>C;p.Trp284Ser variant in STAC3 in both sisters. The second proband and his affected sister are from a non-consanguineous, Puerto Rican family who was evaluated for a possible diagnosis of Moebius syndrome (MBS). His features included facial and generalized weakness, minimal limitation of horizontal gaze, cleft palate, and hypotonia, and he has a history of MH. The siblings were identified to be compound heterozygous for STAC3 variants c.851G>C;p.Trp284Ser and c.763_766delCTCT;p.Leu255IlefsX58. Given the phenotypic overlap of individuals with CFZS, MBS, and NAM, we screened STAC3 in 12 individuals diagnosed with CFZS and in 50 individuals diagnosed with MBS or a congenital facial weakness disorder. We did not identify any rare coding variants in STAC3. NAM should be considered in patients presenting with facial and generalized weakness, normal or mildly abnormal extraocular movement, hypotonia, cleft palate, and scoliosis, particularly if there is a history of MH.

}, keywords = {Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Mobius Syndrome, Muscular Diseases, Mutation, Pedigree, Pierre Robin Syndrome, Prognosis, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38375}, author = {Telegrafi, Aida and Webb, Bryn D and Robbins, Sarah M and Speck-Martins, Carlos E and FitzPatrick, David and Fleming, Leah and Redett, Richard and Dufke, Andreas and Houge, Gunnar and van Harssel, Jeske J T and Verloes, Alain and Robles, Angela and Manoli, Irini and Engle, Elizabeth C and Jabs, Ethylin W and Valle, David and Carey, John and Hoover-Fong, Julie E and Sobreira, Nara L M} } @article {402, title = {Isolated polycystic liver disease genes define effectors of polycystin-1 function.}, journal = {J Clin Invest}, volume = {127}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 May 01}, pages = {1772-1785}, abstract = {

Dominantly inherited isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) consists of liver cysts that are radiologically and pathologically identical to those seen in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, but without clinically relevant kidney cysts. The causative genes are known for fewer than 40\% of PCLD index cases. Here, we have used whole exome sequencing in a discovery cohort of 102 unrelated patients who were excluded for mutations in the 2 most common PCLD genes, PRKCSH and SEC63, to identify heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in 3 additional genes, ALG8, GANAB, and SEC61B. Similarly to PRKCSH and SEC63, these genes encode proteins that are integral to the protein biogenesis pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum. We inactivated these candidate genes in cell line models to show that loss of function of each results in defective maturation and trafficking of polycystin-1, the central determinant of cyst pathogenesis. Despite acting in a common pathway, each PCLD gene product demonstrated distinct effects on polycystin-1 biogenesis. We also found enrichment on a genome-wide basis of heterozygous mutations in the autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease gene PKHD1, indicating that adult PKHD1 carriers can present with clinical PCLD. These findings define genetic and biochemical modulators of polycystin-1 function and provide a more complete definition of the spectrum of dominant human polycystic diseases.

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Cell Line, Transformed, Cysts, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Female, Genome-Wide Association Study, Glucosidases, Glucosyltransferases, Heterozygote, Humans, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Liver Diseases, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mice, Mutation, SEC Translocation Channels, TRPP Cation Channels}, issn = {1558-8238}, doi = {10.1172/JCI90129}, author = {Besse, Whitney and Dong, Ke and Choi, Jungmin and Punia, Sohan and Fedeles, Sorin V and Choi, Murim and Gallagher, Anna-Rachel and Huang, Emily B and Gulati, Ashima and Knight, James and Mane, Shrikant and Tahvanainen, Esa and Tahvanainen, Pia and Sanna-Cherchi, Simone and Lifton, Richard P and Watnick, Terry and Pei, York P and Torres, Vicente E and Somlo, Stefan} } @article {359, title = {Kaufman oculo-cerebro-facial syndrome in a child with small and absent terminal phalanges and absent nails.}, journal = {J Hum Genet}, volume = {62}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Apr}, pages = {465-471}, abstract = {

Kaufman oculo-cerebro-facial syndrome (KOS) is caused by recessive UBE3B mutations and presents with microcephaly, ocular abnormalities, distinctive facial morphology, low cholesterol levels and intellectual disability. We describe a child with microcephaly, brachycephaly, hearing loss, ptosis, blepharophimosis, hypertelorism, cleft palate, multiple renal cysts, absent nails, small or absent terminal phalanges, absent speech and intellectual disability. Syndromes that were initially considered include DOORS syndrome, Coffin-Siris syndrome and Dubowitz syndrome. Clinical investigations coupled with karyotype analysis, array-comparative genomic hybridization, exome and Sanger sequencing were performed to characterize the condition in this child. Sanger sequencing was negative for the DOORS syndrome gene TBC1D24 but exome sequencing identified a homozygous deletion in UBE3B (NM_183415:c.3139_3141del, p.1047_1047del) located within the terminal portion of the HECT domain. This finding coupled with the presence of characteristic features such as brachycephaly, ptosis, blepharophimosis, hypertelorism, short palpebral fissures, cleft palate and developmental delay allowed us to make a diagnosis of KOS. In conclusion, our findings highlight the importance of considering KOS as a differential diagnosis for patients under evaluation for DOORS syndrome and expand the phenotype of KOS to include small or absent terminal phalanges, nails, and the presence of hallux varus and multicystic dysplastic kidneys.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Adult, Carrier Proteins, Child, Child, Preschool, Diagnosis, Differential, Eczema, Eye Abnormalities, Face, Facies, Female, Growth Disorders, Hand Deformities, Congenital, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Karyotype, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Male, Microcephaly, Micrognathism, Mutation, Neck, Pathology, Molecular, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases}, issn = {1435-232X}, doi = {10.1038/jhg.2016.151}, author = {Kariminejad, Ariana and Ajeawung, Norbert Fonya and Bozorgmehr, Bita and Dionne-Laporte, Alexandre and Molidperee, Sirinart and Najafi, Kimia and Gibbs, Richard A and Lee, Brendan H and Hennekam, Raoul C and Campeau, Philippe M} } @article {340, title = {Loss-of-Function Mutations in YY1AP1 Lead to Grange Syndrome and a Fibromuscular Dysplasia-Like Vascular Disease.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {100}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jan 05}, pages = {21-30}, abstract = {

Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a heterogeneous group of non-atherosclerotic and non-inflammatory arterial diseases that primarily involves the renal and cerebrovascular arteries. Grange syndrome is an autosomal-recessive condition characterized by severe and early-onset vascular disease similar to FMD and variable penetrance of brachydactyly, syndactyly, bone fragility, and learning disabilities. Exome-sequencing analysis of DNA from three affected siblings with Grange syndrome identified compound heterozygous nonsense variants in YY1AP1, and homozygous nonsense or frameshift YY1AP1 variants were subsequently identified in additional unrelated probands with Grange syndrome. YY1AP1 encodes yin yang 1 (YY1)-associated protein 1 and is an activator of the YY1 transcription factor. We determined that YY1AP1 localizes to the nucleus and is a component of the INO80 chromatin remodeling complex, which is responsible for transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, and replication. Molecular studies revealed that loss of YY1AP1 in vascular smooth muscle cells leads to cell cycle arrest with decreased proliferation and increased levels of the cell cycle regulator p21/WAF/CDKN1A and disrupts TGF-β-driven differentiation of smooth muscle cells. Identification of YY1AP1 mutations as a cause of FMD indicates that this condition can result from underlying genetic variants that significantly alter the phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Bone and Bones, Brachydactyly, Cell Cycle Checkpoints, Exome, Female, Fibromuscular Dysplasia, Genes, Recessive, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Learning Disorders, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Mutation, Nuclear Proteins, Pedigree, Syndactyly, Syndrome, Transcription Factors}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.11.008}, author = {Guo, Dong-Chuan and Duan, Xue-Yan and Regalado, Ellen S and Mellor-Crummey, Lauren and Kwartler, Callie S and Kim, Dong and Lieberman, Kenneth and de Vries, Bert B A and Pfundt, Rolph and Schinzel, Albert and Kotzot, Dieter and Shen, Xuetong and Yang, Min-Lee and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Gornik, Heather L and Ganesh, Santhi K and Braverman, Alan C and Grange, Dorothy K and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {389, title = {MED resulting from recessively inherited mutations in the gene encoding calcium-activated nucleotidase CANT1.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Sep}, pages = {2415-2421}, abstract = {

Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia (MED) is a relatively mild skeletal dysplasia characterized by mild short stature, joint pain, and early-onset osteoarthropathy. Dominantly inherited mutations in COMP, MATN3, COL9A1, COL9A2, and COL9A3, and recessively inherited mutations in SLC26A2, account for the molecular basis of disease in about 80-85\% of the cases. In two families with recurrent MED of an unknown molecular basis, we used exome sequencing and candidate gene analysis to identify homozygosity for recessively inherited missense mutations in CANT1, which encodes calcium-activated nucleotidase 1. The MED phenotype is thus allelic to the more severe Desbuquois dysplasia phenotype and the results identify CANT1 as a second locus for recessively inherited MED.

}, keywords = {Adult, Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Humans, Male, Mutation, Missense, Nucleotidases, Osteochondrodysplasias, Pedigree, Radiography}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38349}, author = {Balasubramanian, Karthika and Li, Bing and Krakow, Deborah and Nevarez, Lisette and Ho, Patric J and Ainsworth, Julia A and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Immken, LaDonna and Lachman, Ralph S and Cohn, Daniel H} } @article {336, title = {Multilevel analyses of SCN5A mutations in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy suggest non-canonical mechanisms for disease pathogenesis.}, journal = {Cardiovasc Res}, volume = {113}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 01}, pages = {102-111}, abstract = {

AIMS: Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is often associated with desmosomal mutations. Recent studies suggest an interaction between the desmosome and sodium channel protein Na1.5. We aimed to determine the prevalence and biophysical properties of mutations in SCN5A (the gene encoding Na1.5) in ARVD/C.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed whole-exome sequencing in six ARVD/C patients (33\% male, 38.2 {\textpm} 12.1 years) without a desmosomal mutation. We found a rare missense variant (p.Arg1898His; R1898H) in SCN5A in one patient. We generated induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hIPSC-CMs) from the patient{\textquoteright}s peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The variant was then corrected (R1898R) using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/Cas9 technology, allowing us to study the impact of the R1898H substitution in the same cellular background. Whole-cell patch clamping revealed a 36\% reduction in peak sodium current (P = 0.002); super-resolution fluorescence microscopy showed reduced abundance of Na1.5 (P = 0.005) and N-Cadherin (P = 0.026) clusters at the intercalated disc. Subsequently, we sequenced SCN5A in an additional 281 ARVD/C patients (60\% male, 34.8 {\textpm} 13.7 years, 52\% desmosomal mutation-carriers). Five (1.8\%) subjects harboured a putatively pathogenic SCN5A variant (p.Tyr416Cys, p.Leu729del, p.Arg1623Ter, p.Ser1787Asn, and p.Val2016Met). SCN5A variants were associated with prolonged QRS duration (119 {\textpm} 15 vs. 94 {\textpm} 14 ms, P < 0.01) and all SCN5A variant carriers had major structural abnormalities on cardiac imaging.

CONCLUSIONS: Almost 2\% of ARVD/C patients harbour rare SCN5A variants. For one of these variants, we demonstrated reduced sodium current, Na1.5 and N-Cadherin clusters at junctional sites. This suggests that Na1.5 is in a functional complex with adhesion molecules, and reveals potential non-canonical mechanisms by which Na1.5 dysfunction causes cardiomyopathy.

}, keywords = {Adult, Antigens, CD, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia, Cadherins, Cell Differentiation, CRISPR-Cas Systems, DNA Mutational Analysis, Electrocardiography, Exome, Female, Gene Editing, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome-Wide Association Study, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Membrane Potentials, Middle Aged, Multilevel Analysis, Mutation, Missense, Myocytes, Cardiac, NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel, Netherlands, Phenotype, Sodium, Transfection, United States, Young Adult}, issn = {1755-3245}, doi = {10.1093/cvr/cvw234}, author = {Te Riele, Anneline S J M and Agullo-Pascual, Esperanza and James, Cynthia A and Leo-Macias, Alejandra and Cerrone, Marina and Zhang, Mingliang and Lin, Xianming and Lin, Bin and Sobreira, Nara L and Amat-Alarcon, Nuria and Marsman, Roos F and Murray, Brittney and Tichnell, Crystal and van der Heijden, Jeroen F and Dooijes, Dennis and van Veen, Toon A B and Tandri, Harikrishna and Fowler, Steven J and Hauer, Richard N W and Tomaselli, Gordon and van den Berg, Maarten P and Taylor, Matthew R G and Brun, Francesca and Sinagra, Gianfranco and Wilde, Arthur A M and Mestroni, Luisa and Bezzina, Connie R and Calkins, Hugh and Peter van Tintelen, J and Bu, Lei and Delmar, Mario and Judge, Daniel P} } @article {338, title = {Mutations in EBF3 Disturb Transcriptional Profiles and Cause Intellectual Disability, Ataxia, and Facial Dysmorphism.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {100}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jan 05}, pages = {117-127}, abstract = {

From a GeneMatcher-enabled international collaboration, we identified ten individuals affected by intellectual disability, speech delay, ataxia, and facial dysmorphism and carrying a deleterious EBF3 variant detected by whole-exome sequencing. One 9-bp duplication and one splice-site, five missense, and two nonsense variants in EBF3 were found; the mutations occurred de novo in eight individuals, and the missense variant c.625C>T (p.Arg209Trp) was inherited by two affected siblings from their healthy mother, who is mosaic. EBF3 belongs to the early B cell factor family (also known as Olf, COE, or O/E) and is a transcription factor involved in neuronal differentiation and maturation. Structural assessment predicted that the five amino acid substitutions have damaging effects on DNA binding of EBF3. Transient expression of EBF3 mutant proteins in HEK293T cells revealed mislocalization of all but one mutant in the cytoplasm, as well as nuclear localization. By transactivation assays, all EBF3 mutants showed significantly reduced or no ability to activate transcription of the reporter gene CDKN1A, and in~situ subcellular fractionation experiments demonstrated that EBF3 mutant proteins were less tightly associated with chromatin. Finally, in RNA-seq and ChIP-seq experiments, EBF3 acted as a transcriptional regulator, and mutant EBF3 had reduced genome-wide DNA binding and gene-regulatory activity. Our findings demonstrate that variants disrupting EBF3-mediated transcriptional regulation cause intellectual disability and developmental delay and are present in \~{}0.1\% of individuals with unexplained neurodevelopmental disorders.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acid Substitution, Ataxia, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromatin, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21, Developmental Disabilities, Exome, Face, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Genes, Reporter, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Language Development Disorders, Male, Models, Molecular, Mosaicism, Mutation, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Protein Transport, Syndrome, Transcription Factors, Transcription, Genetic}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.11.012}, author = {Harms, Frederike Leonie and Girisha, Katta M and Hardigan, Andrew A and Kort{\"u}m, Fanny and Shukla, Anju and Alawi, Malik and Dalal, Ashwin and Brady, Lauren and Tarnopolsky, Mark and Bird, Lynne M and Ceulemans, Sophia and Bebin, Martina and Bowling, Kevin M and Hiatt, Susan M and Lose, Edward J and Primiano, Michelle and Chung, Wendy K and Juusola, Jane and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Bainbridge, Matthew and Charng, Wu-Lin and Drummond-Borg, Margaret and Eldomery, Mohammad K and El-Hattab, Ayman W and Saleh, Mohammed A M and B{\'e}zieau, St{\'e}phane and Cogn{\'e}, Benjamin and Isidor, Bertrand and K{\"u}ry, S{\'e}bastien and Lupski, James R and Myers, Richard M and Cooper, Gregory M and Kutsche, Kerstin} } @article {422, title = {Mutations in Fibronectin Cause a Subtype of Spondylometaphyseal Dysplasia with "Corner Fractures".}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Nov 02}, pages = {815-823}, abstract = {

Fibronectin is a master organizer of extracellular matrices (ECMs) and promotes the assembly of collagens, fibrillin-1, and other proteins. It is also known to play roles in skeletal tissues through its secretion by osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and mesenchymal cells. Spondylometaphyseal dysplasias (SMDs) comprise a diverse group of skeletal dysplasias and often manifest as short stature, growth-plate irregularities, and vertebral anomalies, such as scoliosis. By comparing the exomes of individuals with SMD with the radiographic appearance of "corner fractures" at metaphyses, we identified three individuals with fibronectin (FN1) variants affecting highly conserved residues. Furthermore, using matching tools and the SkelDys emailing list, we identified other individuals with de novo~FN1 variants and a similar phenotype. The severe scoliosis in most individuals and rare developmental coxa vara distinguish individuals with FN1 mutations from those with classical Sutcliffe-type SMD. To study functional consequences of these FN1 mutations on the protein level, we introduced three disease-associated missense variants (p.Cys87Phe [c.260G>T], p.Tyr240Asp [c.718T>G], and p.Cys260Gly [c.778T>G]) into a recombinant secreted N-terminal 70~kDa fragment (rF70K) and the full-length fibronectin (rFN). The wild-type rF70K and rFN were secreted into the culture medium, whereas all mutant proteins were either not secreted or secreted at significantly lower amounts. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated increased intracellular retention of the mutant proteins. In summary, FN1 mutations that cause defective fibronectin secretion are found in SMD, and we thus provide additional evidence for a critical function of fibronectin in cartilage and bone.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Bone and Bones, Bone Diseases, Developmental, Cartilage, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Fibronectins, Fractures, Bone, Humans, Male, Mutation, Osteochondrodysplasias, Phenotype, Scoliosis}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.09.019}, author = {Lee, Chae Syng and Fu, He and Baratang, Nissan and Rousseau, Justine and Kumra, Heena and Sutton, V Reid and Niceta, Marcello and Ciolfi, Andrea and Yamamoto, Guilherme and Bertola, D{\'e}bora and Marcelis, Carlo L and Lugtenberg, Dorien and Bartuli, Andrea and Kim, Choel and Hoover-Fong, Julie and Sobreira, Nara and Pauli, Richard and Bacino, Carlos and Krakow, Deborah and Parboosingh, Jillian and Yap, Patrick and Kariminejad, Ariana and McDonald, Marie T and Aracena, Mariana I and Lausch, Ekkehart and Unger, Sheila and Superti-Furga, Andrea and Lu, James T and Cohn, Dan H and Tartaglia, Marco and Lee, Brendan H and Reinhardt, Dieter P and Campeau, Philippe M} } @article {493, title = {Mutations in GPAA1, Encoding a GPI Transamidase Complex Protein, Cause Developmental Delay, Epilepsy, Cerebellar Atrophy, and Osteopenia.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Nov 02}, pages = {856-865}, abstract = {

Approximately one in every 200 mammalian proteins is anchored to the cell membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. These proteins play important roles notably in neurological development and function. To date, more than 20 genes have been implicated in the biogenesis of GPI-anchored proteins. GPAA1 (glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment 1) is an essential component of the transamidase complex along with PIGK, PIGS, PIGT, and PIGU (phosphatidylinositol-glycan biosynthesis classes K, S, T, and U, respectively). This complex orchestrates the attachment of the GPI anchor to the C terminus of precursor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we report bi-allelic mutations in GPAA1 in ten individuals from five families. Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified two frameshift mutations (c.981_993del [p.Gln327Hisfs102] and c.920delG [p.Gly307Alafs11]), one intronic splicing mutation (c.1164+5C>T), and six missense mutations (c.152C>T [p.Ser51Leu], c.160_161delinsAA [p.Ala54Asn], c.527G>C [p.Trp176Ser], c.869T>C [p.Leu290Pro], c.872T>C [p.Leu291Pro], and c.1165G>C [p.Ala389Pro]). Most individuals presented with global developmental delay, hypotonia, early-onset seizures, cerebellar atrophy, and osteopenia. The splicing mutation was found to decrease GPAA1 mRNA. Moreover, flow-cytometry analysis of five available individual samples showed that several GPI-anchored proteins had decreased cell-surface abundance in leukocytes (FLAER, CD16, and CD59) or fibroblasts (CD73 and CD109). Transduction of fibroblasts with a lentivirus encoding the wild-type protein partially rescued the deficiency of GPI-anchored proteins. These findings highlight the role of the transamidase complex in the development and function of the cerebellum and the skeletal system.

}, keywords = {Acyltransferases, Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Atrophy, Bone Diseases, Metabolic, Cerebellum, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Epilepsy, Exome, Female, Fibroblasts, Glycosylphosphatidylinositols, Humans, Male, Membrane Glycoproteins, Muscle Hypotonia, Mutation, Pedigree, RNA, Messenger, Seizures}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.09.020}, author = {Nguyen, Thi Tuyet Mai and Murakami, Yoshiko and Sheridan, Eamonn and Ehresmann, Sophie and Rousseau, Justine and St-Denis, Anik and Chai, Guoliang and Ajeawung, Norbert F and Fairbrother, Laura and Reimschisel, Tyler and Bateman, Alexandra and Berry-Kravis, Elizabeth and Xia, Fan and Tardif, Jessica and Parry, David A and Logan, Clare V and Diggle, Christine and Bennett, Christopher P and Hattingh, Louise and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Perry, Michael Scott and Parker, Michael J and Le Deist, Fran{\c c}oise and Zaki, Maha S and Ignatius, Erika and Isohanni, Pirjo and L{\"o}nnqvist, Tuula and Carroll, Christopher J and Johnson, Colin A and Gleeson, Joseph G and Kinoshita, Taroh and Campeau, Philippe M} } @article {387, title = {Novel Genetic Triggers and Genotype-Phenotype Correlations in Patients With Left Ventricular Noncompaction.}, journal = {Circ Cardiovasc Genet}, volume = {10}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Aug}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous disease and, although increasingly recognized in clinical practice, there is a lack of widely accepted diagnostic criteria. We sought to identify novel genetic causes of LVNC and describe genotype-phenotype correlations.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 190 patients from 174 families with left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) or LVNC were referred for cardiac magnetic resonance and whole-exome sequencing. A total of 425 control individuals were included to identify variants of interest (VOIs). We found an excess of 138 VOIs in 102 (59\%) unrelated patients in 54 previously identified LVNC or other known cardiomyopathy genes. VOIs were found in 68 of 90 probands with LVNC and 34 of 84 probands with LVHT (76\% and 40\%, respectively; <0.001). We identified 0, 1, and >=2 VOIs in 72, 74, and 28 probands, respectively. We found increasing number of VOIs in a patient strongly correlated with several markers of disease severity, including ratio of noncompacted to compacted myocardium (<0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (=0.01). The presence of sarcomeric gene mutations was associated with increased occurrence of late gadolinium enhancement (=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: LVHT and LVNC likely represent a continuum of genotypic disease with differences in severity and variable phenotype explained, in part, by the number of VOIs and whether mutations are present in sarcomeric or nonsarcomeric genes. Presence of VOIs is common in patients with LVHT. Our findings expand the current clinical and genetic diagnostic approaches for patients with LVHT and LVNC.

}, keywords = {Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cardiac Myosins, Carrier Proteins, Child, Connectin, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Variation, Heart Ventricles, Humans, LIM Domain Proteins, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle Proteins, Myocardium, Myosin Heavy Chains, Prospective Studies, Severity of Illness Index, Tropomyosin, Ventricular Dysfunction, Left, Young Adult}, issn = {1942-3268}, doi = {10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.117.001763}, author = {Miszalski-Jamka, Karol and Jefferies, John L and Mazur, Wojciech and G{\l}owacki, Jan and Hu, Jianhong and Lazar, Monika and Gibbs, Richard A and Liczko, Jacek and K{\l}y{\'s}, Jan and Venner, Eric and Muzny, Donna M and Rycaj, Jaros{\l}aw and Bia{\l}kowski, Jacek and Kluczewska, Ewa and Kalarus, Zbigniew and Jhangiani, Shalini and Al-Khalidi, Hussein and Kukulski, Tomasz and Lupski, James R and Craigen, William J and Bainbridge, Matthew N} } @article {442, title = {Phenotypic and molecular characterisation of CDK13-related congenital heart defects, dysmorphic facial features and intellectual developmental disorders.}, journal = {Genome Med}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 08 14}, pages = {73}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: De novo missense variants in CDK13 have been described as the cause of syndromic congenital heart defects in seven individuals ascertained from a large congenital cardiovascular malformations cohort. We aimed to further define the phenotypic and molecular spectrum of this newly described disorder.

METHODS: To minimise ascertainment bias, we recruited nine additional individuals with CDK13 pathogenic variants from clinical and research exome laboratory sequencing cohorts. Each individual underwent dysmorphology exam and comprehensive medical history review.

RESULTS: We demonstrate greater than expected phenotypic heterogeneity, including 33\% (3/9) of individuals without structural heart disease on echocardiogram. There was a high penetrance for a unique constellation of facial dysmorphism and global developmental delay, as well as less frequently seen renal and sacral anomalies. Two individuals had novel CDK13 variants (p.Asn842Asp, p.Lys734Glu), while the remaining seven unrelated individuals had a recurrent, previously published p.Asn842Ser variant. Summary of all variants published to date demonstrates apparent restriction of pathogenic variants to the protein kinase domain with clustering in the ATP and magnesium binding sites.

CONCLUSIONS: Here we provide detailed phenotypic and molecular characterisation of individuals with pathogenic variants in CDK13 and propose management guidelines based upon the estimated prevalence of anomalies identified.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, CDC2 Protein Kinase, Child, Child, Preschool, Face, Female, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Infant, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Phenotype, Syndrome}, issn = {1756-994X}, doi = {10.1186/s13073-017-0463-8}, author = {Bostwick, Bret L and McLean, Scott and Posey, Jennifer E and Streff, Haley E and Gripp, Karen W and Blesson, Alyssa and Powell-Hamilton, Nina and Tusi, Jessica and Stevenson, David A and Farrelly, Ellyn and Hudgins, Louanne and Yang, Yaping and Xia, Fan and Wang, Xia and Liu, Pengfei and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and McGuire, Marianne and Grange, Dorothy K and Andrews, Marisa V and Hummel, Marybeth and Madan-Khetarpal, Suneeta and Infante, Elena and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep and Miszalski-Jamka, Karol and Jefferies, John L and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Emrick, Lisa and Nugent, Kimberly M and Lupski, James R and Belmont, John W and Lee, Brendan and Lalani, Seema R} } @article {399, title = {Phenotypic spectrum of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis due to PNPLA1 mutation.}, journal = {Br J Dermatol}, volume = {177}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 07}, pages = {319-322}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Ichthyosis, Infant, Lipase, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Phenotype, Young Adult}, issn = {1365-2133}, doi = {10.1111/bjd.15570}, author = {Boyden, L M and Craiglow, B G and Hu, R H and Zhou, J and Browning, J and Eichenfield, L and Lim, Y L and Luu, M and Randolph, L M and Ginarte, M and Fachal, L and Rodriguez-Pazos, L and Vega, A and Kramer, D and Yosipovitch, G and Vahidnezhad, H and Youssefian, L and Uitto, J and Lifton, R P and Paller, A S and Milstone, L M and Choate, K A} } @article {362, title = {Presynaptic congenital myasthenic syndrome with a homozygous sequence variant in LAMA5 combines myopia, facial tics, and failure of neuromuscular transmission.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Aug}, pages = {2240-2245}, abstract = {

Defects in genes encoding the isoforms of the laminin alpha subunit have been linked to various phenotypic manifestations, including brain malformations, muscular dystrophy, ocular defects, cardiomyopathy, and skin abnormalities. We report here a severe defect of neuromuscular transmission in a consanguineous patient with a homozygous variant in the laminin alpha-5 subunit gene (LAMA5). The variant c.8046C>T (p.Arg2659Trp) is rare and has a predicted deleterious effect. The affected individual, who also carries a rare homozygous sequence variant in LAMA1, had muscle weakness, myopia, and facial tics. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain showed mild volume loss and periventricular T2 prolongation. Repetitive nerve stimulation revealed 50\% decrement of compound muscle action potential amplitudes and 250\% facilitation immediately after exercise, Endplate studies identified a profound reduction of the endplate potential quantal content and endplates with normal postsynaptic folding that were denuded or partially occupied by small nerve terminals. Expression studies revealed that p.Arg2659Trp caused decreased binding of laminin alpha-5 to SV2A and impaired laminin-521 cell-adhesion and cell projection support in primary neuronal cultures. In summary, this report describing severe neuromuscular transmission failure in a patient with a LAMA5 mutation expands the list of phenotypes associated with defects in genes encoding alpha-laminins.

}, keywords = {Adult, Face, Female, Homozygote, Humans, Laminin, Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital, Myopia, Neuromuscular Junction Diseases, Tics, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38291}, author = {Maselli, Ricardo A and Arredondo, Juan and V{\'a}zquez, Jessica and Chong, Jessica X and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Lara, Marian and Ng, Fiona and Lo, Victoria L and Pytel, Peter and McDonald, Craig M} } @article {27, title = {Primary immunodeficiency diseases: Genomic approaches delineate heterogeneous Mendelian disorders.}, journal = {J Allergy Clin Immunol}, volume = {139}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jan}, pages = {232-245}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDDs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders thus far associated with mutations in more than 300 genes. The clinical phenotypes derived from distinct genotypes can overlap. Genetic etiology can be a prognostic indicator of disease severity and can influence treatment decisions.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the ability of whole-exome screening methods to detect disease-causing variants in patients with PIDDs.

METHODS: Patients with PIDDs from 278 families from 22 countries were investigated by using whole-exome sequencing. Computational copy number variant (CNV) prediction pipelines and an exome-tiling chromosomal microarray were also applied to identify intragenic CNVs. Analytic approaches initially focused on 475 known or candidate PIDD genes but were nonexclusive and further tailored based on clinical data, family history, and immunophenotyping.

RESULTS: A likely molecular diagnosis was achieved in 110 (40\%) unrelated probands. Clinical diagnosis was revised in about half (60/110) and management was directly altered in nearly a quarter (26/110) of families based on molecular findings. Twelve PIDD-causing CNVs were detected, including 7 smaller than 30~Kb that would not have been detected with conventional diagnostic CNV arrays.

CONCLUSION: This high-throughput genomic approach enabled detection of disease-related variants in unexpected genes; permitted detection of low-grade constitutional, somatic, and revertant mosaicism; and provided evidence of a mutational burden in mixed PIDD immunophenotypes.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Child, Preschool, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Genomics, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Young Adult}, issn = {1097-6825}, doi = {10.1016/j.jaci.2016.05.042}, author = {Stray-Pedersen, Asbj{\o}rg and Sorte, Hanne S{\o}rmo and Samarakoon, Pubudu and Gambin, Tomasz and Chinn, Ivan K and Coban Akdemir, Zeynep H and Erichsen, Hans Christian and Forbes, Lisa R and Gu, Shen and Yuan, Bo and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and R{\o}dningen, Olaug Kristin and Sheng, Ying and Nicholas, Sarah K and Noroski, Lenora M and Seeborg, Filiz O and Davis, Carla M and Canter, Debra L and Mace, Emily M and Vece, Timothy J and Allen, Carl E and Abhyankar, Harshal A and Boone, Philip M and Beck, Christine R and Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Fevang, B{\o}rre and Aukrust, P{\r a}l and Tj{\o}nnfjord, Geir E and Gedde-Dahl, Tobias and Hjorth-Hansen, Henrik and Dybedal, Ingunn and Nord{\o}y, Ingvild and J{\o}rgensen, Silje F and Abrahamsen, Tore G and {\O}verland, Torstein and Bechensteen, Anne Grete and Skogen, Vegard and Osnes, Liv T N and Kulseth, Mari Ann and Prescott, Trine E and Rustad, Cecilie F and Heimdal, Ketil R and Belmont, John W and Rider, Nicholas L and Chinen, Javier and Cao, Tram N and Smith, Eric A and Caldirola, Maria Soledad and Bezrodnik, Liliana and Lugo Reyes, Saul Oswaldo and Espinosa Rosales, Francisco J and Guerrero-Cursaru, Nina Denisse and Pedroza, Luis Alberto and Poli, Cecilia M and Franco, Jose L and Trujillo Vargas, Claudia M and Aldave Becerra, Juan Carlos and Wright, Nicola and Issekutz, Thomas B and Issekutz, Andrew C and Abbott, Jordan and Caldwell, Jason W and Bayer, Diana K and Chan, Alice Y and Aiuti, Alessandro and Cancrini, Caterina and Holmberg, Eva and West, Christina and Burstedt, Magnus and Karaca, Ender and Yesil, G{\"o}zde and Artac, Hasibe and Bayram, Yavuz and Atik, Mehmed Musa and Eldomery, Mohammad K and Ehlayel, Mohammad S and Jolles, Stephen and Flat{\o}, Berit and Bertuch, Alison A and Hanson, I Celine and Zhang, Victor W and Wong, Lee-Jun and Hu, Jianhong and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Yang, Yaping and Eng, Christine M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Shearer, William T and Lyle, Robert and Orange, Jordan S and Lupski, James R} } @article {356, title = {Sequencing of sporadic Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) identifies novel and potentially pathogenic de novo variants and excludes overlap with genes associated with autism spectrum disorder.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet}, volume = {174}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jun}, pages = {381-389}, abstract = {

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has high heritability; however, studies of common variation account for <5\% of ADHD variance. Using data from affected participants without a family history of ADHD, we sought to identify de novo variants that could account for sporadic ADHD. Considering a total of 128 families, two analyses were conducted in parallel: first, in 11 unaffected parent/affected proband trios (or quads with the addition of an unaffected sibling) we completed exome sequencing. Six de novo missense variants at highly conserved bases were identified and validated from four of the 11 families: the brain-expressed genes TBC1D9, DAGLA, QARS, CSMD2, TRPM2, and WDR83. Separately, in 117 unrelated probands with sporadic ADHD, we sequenced a panel of 26 genes implicated in intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to evaluate whether variation in ASD/ID-associated genes were also present in participants with ADHD. Only one putative deleterious variant (Gln600STOP) in CHD1L was identified; this was found in a single proband. Notably, no other nonsense, splice, frameshift, or highly conserved missense variants in the 26 gene panel were identified and validated. These data suggest that de novo variant analysis in families with independently adjudicated sporadic ADHD diagnosis can identify novel genes implicated in ADHD pathogenesis. Moreover, that only one of the 128 cases (0.8\%, 11 exome, and 117 MIP sequenced participants) had putative deleterious variants within our data in 26 genes related to ID and ASD suggests significant independence in the genetic pathogenesis of ADHD as compared to ASD and ID phenotypes. {\textcopyright} 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Biomarkers, Child, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Male, Mutation, Missense, Phenotype}, issn = {1552-485X}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.b.32527}, author = {Kim, Daniel Seung and Burt, Amber A and Ranchalis, Jane E and Wilmot, Beth and Smith, Joshua D and Patterson, Karynne E and Coe, Bradley P and Li, Yatong K and Bamshad, Michael J and Nikolas, Molly and Eichler, Evan E and Swanson, James M and Nigg, Joel T and Nickerson, Deborah A and Jarvik, Gail P} } @article {380, title = {Unraveling genetic predisposition to familial or early onset gastric cancer using germline whole-exome sequencing.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {25}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 11}, pages = {1246-1252}, abstract = {

Recognition of individuals with a genetic predisposition to gastric cancer (GC) enables preventive measures. However, the underlying cause of genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer remains largely unexplained. We performed germline whole-exome sequencing on leukocyte DNA of 54 patients from 53 families with genetically unexplained diffuse-type and intestinal-type GC to identify novel GC-predisposing candidate genes. As young age at diagnosis and familial clustering are hallmarks of genetic tumor susceptibility, we selected patients that were diagnosed below the age of 35, patients from families with two cases of GC at or below age 60 and patients from families with three GC cases at or below age 70. All included individuals were tested negative for germline CDH1 mutations before or during the study. Variants that were possibly deleterious according to in silico predictions were filtered using several independent approaches that were based on gene function and gene mutation burden in controls. Despite a rigorous search, no obvious candidate GC predisposition genes were identified. This negative result stresses the importance of future research studies in large, homogeneous cohorts.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Antigens, CD, Cadherins, Early Detection of Cancer, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Testing, Germ-Line Mutation, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Stomach Neoplasms}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2017.138}, author = {Vogelaar, Ingrid P and van der Post, Rachel S and van Krieken, J Han Jm and Spruijt, Liesbeth and van Zelst-Stams, Wendy Ag and Kets, C Marleen and Lubinski, Jan and Jakubowska, Anna and Teodorczyk, Urszula and Aalfs, Cora M and van Hest, Liselotte P and Pinheiro, Hugo and Oliveira, Carla and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and de Ligt, Joep and Vissers, Lisenka E L M and Hoischen, Alexander and Gilissen, Christian and van de Vorst, Maartje and Goeman, Jelle J and Schackert, Hans K and Ranzani, Guglielmina N and Molinaro, Valeria and G{\'o}mez Garc{\'\i}a, Encarna B and Hes, Frederik J and Holinski-Feder, Elke and Genuardi, Maurizio and Ausems, Margreet G E M and Sijmons, Rolf H and Wagner, Anja and van der Kolk, Lizet E and Bj{\o}rnevoll, Inga and H{\o}berg-Vetti, Hildegunn and van Kessel, Ad Geurts and Kuiper, Roland P and Ligtenberg, Marjolijn J L and Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline} } @article {540, title = {Use of Exome Sequencing for Infants in Intensive Care Units: Ascertainment of Severe Single-Gene Disorders and Effect on Medical Management.}, journal = {JAMA Pediatr}, volume = {171}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 12 04}, pages = {e173438}, abstract = {

Importance: While congenital malformations and genetic diseases are a leading cause of early infant death, to our knowledge, the contribution of single-gene disorders in this group is undetermined.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic yield and use of clinical exome sequencing in critically ill infants.

Design, Setting, and Participants: Clinical exome sequencing was performed for 278 unrelated infants within the first 100 days of life who were admitted to Texas Children{\textquoteright}s Hospital in Houston, Texas, during a 5-year period between December 2011 and January 2017. Exome sequencing types included proband exome, trio exome, and critical trio exome, a rapid genomic assay for seriously ill infants.

Main Outcomes and Measures: Indications for testing, diagnostic yield of clinical exome sequencing, turnaround time, molecular findings, patient age at diagnosis, and effect on medical management among a group of critically ill infants who were suspected to have genetic disorders.

Results: The mean (SEM) age for infants participating in the study was 28.5 (1.7) days; of these, the mean (SEM) age was 29.0 (2.2) days for infants undergoing proband exome sequencing, 31.5 (3.9) days for trio exome, and 22.7 (3.9) days for critical trio exome. Clinical indications for exome sequencing included a range of medical concerns. Overall, a molecular diagnosis was achieved in 102 infants (36.7\%) by clinical exome sequencing, with relatively low yield for cardiovascular abnormalities. The diagnosis affected medical management for 53 infants (52.0\%) and had a substantial effect on informed redirection of care, initiation of new subspecialist care, medication/dietary modifications, and furthering life-saving procedures in select patients. Critical trio exome sequencing revealed a molecular diagnosis in 32 of 63 infants (50.8\%) at a mean (SEM) of 33.1 (5.6) days of life with a mean (SEM) turnaround time of 13.0 (0.4) days. Clinical care was altered by the diagnosis in 23 of 32 patients (71.9\%). The diagnostic yield, patient age at diagnosis, and medical effect in the group that underwent critical trio exome sequencing were significantly different compared with the group who underwent regular exome testing. For deceased infants (n = 81), genetic disorders were molecularly diagnosed in 39 (48.1\%) by exome sequencing, with implications for recurrence risk counseling.

Conclusions and Relevance: Exome sequencing is a powerful tool for the diagnostic evaluation of critically ill infants with suspected monogenic disorders in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units and its use has a notable effect on clinical decision making.

}, keywords = {Adult, Critical Care, Disease Management, Exome, Genetic Counseling, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Humans, Infant, Infant Care, Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care Units, Pediatric, Length of Stay, Retrospective Studies, Texas, Whole Exome Sequencing}, issn = {2168-6211}, doi = {10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.3438}, author = {Meng, Linyan and Pammi, Mohan and Saronwala, Anirudh and Magoulas, Pilar and Ghazi, Andrew Ray and Vetrini, Francesco and Zhang, Jing and He, Weimin and Dharmadhikari, Avinash V and Qu, Chunjing and Ward, Patricia and Braxton, Alicia and Narayanan, Swetha and Ge, Xiaoyan and Tokita, Mari J and Santiago-Sim, Teresa and Dai, Hongzheng and Chiang, Theodore and Smith, Hadley and Azamian, Mahshid S and Robak, Laurie and Bostwick, Bret L and Schaaf, Christian P and Potocki, Lorraine and Scaglia, Fernando and Bacino, Carlos A and Hanchard, Neil A and Wangler, Michael F and Scott, Daryl and Brown, Chester and Hu, Jianhong and Belmont, John W and Burrage, Lindsay C and Graham, Brett H and Sutton, Vernon Reid and Craigen, William J and Plon, Sharon E and Lupski, James R and Beaudet, Arthur L and Gibbs, Richard A and Muzny, Donna M and Miller, Marcus J and Wang, Xia and Leduc, Magalie S and Xiao, Rui and Liu, Pengfei and Shaw, Chad and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Bi, Weimin and Xia, Fan and Lee, Brendan and Eng, Christine M and Yang, Yaping and Lalani, Seema R} } @article {118, title = {Assessment of estimated retinal atrophy progression in Stargardt macular dystrophy using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.}, journal = {Br J Ophthalmol}, volume = {100}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jul}, pages = {956-962}, abstract = {

AIMS: To estimate disease progression based on analysis of macular volume measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients affected by Stargardt macular dystrophy (STGD1) and to evaluate the influence of software errors on these measurements.

METHODS: 58 eyes of 29 STGD1 patients were included. Numbers and types of algorithm errors were recorded and manually corrected. In a subgroup of 36 eyes of 18 patients with at least two examinations over time, total macular volume (TMV) and volumes of all nine Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) subfields were obtained. Random effects models were used to estimate the rate of change per year for the population, and empirical Bayes slopes were used to estimate yearly decline in TMV for individual eyes.

RESULTS: 6958 single B-scans from 190 macular cube scans were analysed. 2360 (33.9\%) showed algorithm errors. Mean observation period for follow-up data was 15 months (range 3-40). The median (IQR) change in TMV using the empirical Bayes estimates for the individual eyes was -0.103 (-0.145, -0.059) mm per year. The mean ({\textpm}SD) TMV was 6.321{\textpm}1.000 mm at baseline, and rate of decline was -0.118 mm per year (p=0.003). Yearly mean volume change was -0.004 mm in the central subfield (mean baseline=0.128 mm), -0.032 mm in the inner (mean baseline=1.484 mm) and -0.079 mm in the outer ETDRS subfields (mean baseline=5.206 mm).

CONCLUSIONS: SD-OCT measurements allow monitoring the decline in retinal volume in STGD1; however, they require significant manual correction of software errors.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Disease Progression, Female, Humans, Macula Lutea, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Reproducibility of Results, Retrospective Studies, Tomography, Optical Coherence, Visual Acuity, Young Adult}, issn = {1468-2079}, doi = {10.1136/bjophthalmol-2015-307035}, author = {Strauss, Rupert W and Mu{\~n}oz, Beatriz and Wolfson, Yulia and Sophie, Raafay and Fletcher, Emily and Bittencourt, Millena G and Scholl, Hendrik P N} } @article {52, title = {Association Between Absolute Neutrophil Count and Variation at TCIRG1: The NHLBI Exome Sequencing Project.}, journal = {Genet Epidemiol}, volume = {40}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 09}, pages = {470-4}, abstract = {

Neutrophils are a key component of innate immunity. Individuals with low neutrophil count are susceptible to frequent infections. Linkage and association between congenital neutropenia and a single rare missense variant in TCIRG1 have been reported in a single family. Here, we report on nine rare missense variants at evolutionarily conserved sites in TCIRG1 that are associated with lower absolute neutrophil count (ANC; p = 0.005) in 1,058 participants from three cohorts: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC), Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), and Jackson Heart Study (JHS) of the NHLBI Grand Opportunity Exome Sequencing Project (GO ESP). These results validate the effects of TCIRG1 coding variation on ANC and suggest that this gene may be associated with a spectrum of mild to severe effects on ANC.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alleles, Cohort Studies, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotype, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Leukocyte Count, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.), Neutropenia, Neutrophils, Sequence Analysis, DNA, United States, Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases}, issn = {1098-2272}, doi = {10.1002/gepi.21976}, author = {Rosenthal, Elisabeth A and Makaryan, Vahagn and Burt, Amber A and Crosslin, David R and Kim, Daniel Seung and Smith, Joshua D and Nickerson, Deborah A and Reiner, Alex P and Rich, Stephen S and Jackson, Rebecca D and Ganesh, Santhi K and Polfus, Linda M and Qi, Lihong and Dale, David C and Jarvik, Gail P} } @article {58, title = {Association of MTOR Mutations With Developmental Brain Disorders, Including Megalencephaly, Focal Cortical Dysplasia, and Pigmentary Mosaicism.}, journal = {JAMA Neurol}, volume = {73}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 07 01}, pages = {836-845}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), hemimegalencephaly, and megalencephaly constitute a spectrum of malformations of cortical development with shared neuropathologic features. These disorders are associated with significant childhood morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the underlying molecular cause of FCD, hemimegalencephaly, and diffuse megalencephaly.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients with FCD, hemimegalencephaly, or megalencephaly (mean age, 11.7 years; range, 2-32 years) were recruited from Pediatric Hospital A. Meyer, the University of Hong Kong, and Seattle Children{\textquoteright}s Research Institute from June 2012 to June 2014. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on 8 children with FCD or hemimegalencephaly using standard-depth (50-60X) sequencing in peripheral samples (blood, saliva, or skin) from the affected child and their parents and deep (150-180X) sequencing in affected brain tissue. Targeted sequencing and WES were used to screen 93 children with molecularly unexplained diffuse or focal brain overgrowth. Histopathologic and functional assays of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT (serine/threonine kinase)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway activity in resected brain tissue and cultured neurons were performed to validate mutations.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Whole-exome sequencing and targeted sequencing identified variants associated with this spectrum of developmental brain disorders.

RESULTS: Low-level mosaic mutations of MTOR were identified in brain tissue in 4 children with FCD type 2a with alternative allele fractions ranging from 0.012 to 0.086. Intermediate-level mosaic mutation of MTOR (p.Thr1977Ile) was also identified in 3 unrelated children with diffuse megalencephaly and pigmentary mosaicism in skin. Finally, a constitutional de novo mutation of MTOR (p.Glu1799Lys) was identified in 3 unrelated children with diffuse megalencephaly and intellectual disability. Molecular and functional analysis in 2 children with FCD2a from whom multiple affected brain tissue samples were available revealed a mutation gradient with an epicenter in the most epileptogenic area. When expressed in cultured neurons, all MTOR mutations identified here drive constitutive activation of mTOR complex 1 and enlarged neuronal size.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, mutations of MTOR were associated with a spectrum of brain overgrowth phenotypes extending from FCD type 2a to diffuse megalencephaly, distinguished by different mutations and levels of mosaicism. These mutations may be sufficient to cause cellular hypertrophy in cultured neurons and may provide a demonstration of the pattern of mosaicism in brain and substantiate the link between mosaic mutations of MTOR and pigmentary mosaicism in skin.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acids, Animals, Cells, Cultured, Cerebral Cortex, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Embryo, Mammalian, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Genetic Association Studies, Humans, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Male, Malformations of Cortical Development, Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1, Megalencephaly, Mosaicism, Multiprotein Complexes, Mutation, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Neurons, Rats, Retrospective Studies, TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases, Young Adult}, issn = {2168-6157}, doi = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.0363}, author = {Mirzaa, Ghayda M and Campbell, Catarina D and Solovieff, Nadia and Goold, Carleton and Jansen, Laura A and Menon, Suchithra and Timms, Andrew E and Conti, Valerio and Biag, Jonathan D and Adams, Carissa and Boyle, Evan August and Collins, Sarah and Ishak, Gisele and Poliachik, Sandra and Girisha, Katta M and Yeung, Kit San and Chung, Brian Hon Yin and Rahikkala, Elisa and Gunter, Sonya A and McDaniel, Sharon S and Macmurdo, Colleen Forsyth and Bernstein, Jonathan A and Martin, Beth and Leary, Rebecca and Mahan, Scott and Liu, Shanming and Weaver, Molly and Doerschner, Michael and Jhangiani, Shalini and Muzny, Donna M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Shendure, Jay and Saneto, Russell P and Novotny, Edward J and Wilson, Christopher J and Sellers, William R and Morrissey, Michael and Hevner, Robert F and Ojemann, Jeffrey G and Guerrini, Renzo and Murphy, Leon O and Winckler, Wendy and Dobyns, William B} } @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 {26, title = {Collapsing glomerulopathy in a young woman with APOL1 risk alleles following acute parvovirus B19 infection: a case report investigation.}, journal = {BMC Nephrol}, volume = {17}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Sep 06}, pages = {125}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Collapsing Glomerulopathy (CG), also known as the collapsing variant of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), is distinct in both its clinical severity and its pathophysiologic characteristics from other forms of FSGS. This lesion occurs disproportionally in patients carrying two APOL1 risk alleles, and is the classic histologic lesion resulting from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection of podocytes. Other viral infections, including parvovirus B19, and drugs such as interferon that perturb the immune system, have also been associated with CG. Despite significant advances, explaining such genetic and immune/infectious associations with causative mechanisms and supporting evidence has proven challenging.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a healthy (HIV-negative) pregnant 36~year-old Caribbean-American woman who presented with nephrotic syndrome and fetal demise in the setting of acute parvovirus B19 infection. A series of three renal biopsies and rapid clinical course showed progression from significant podocyte injury with mild light microscopy findings to classic viral-associated CG to ESRD in less than 3~months. Genetic analysis revealed two APOL1 G1 risk alleles.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first published case report of CG in the setting of acute parvovirus infection in a patient with two APOL1 risk allelles, and parvoviral proteins identified in renal epithelium on kidney biopsy. These findings support the causative role of parvovirus B19 infection in the development of CG on the background of APOL1 genetic risk.

}, keywords = {Acute Disease, Adult, Alleles, Apolipoprotein L1, Female, Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental, Humans, Kidney Failure, Chronic, Parvoviridae Infections, Parvovirus B19, Human, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious}, issn = {1471-2369}, doi = {10.1186/s12882-016-0330-7}, author = {Besse, Whitney and Mansour, Sherry and Jatwani, Karan and Nast, Cynthia C and Brewster, Ursula C} } @article {48, title = {Comparison of Short-Wavelength Reduced-Illuminance and Conventional Autofluorescence Imaging in Stargardt Macular Dystrophy.}, journal = {Am J Ophthalmol}, volume = {168}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Aug}, pages = {269-278}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: To compare grading results between short-wavelength reduced-illuminance and conventional autofluorescence imaging in Stargardt macular dystrophy.

DESIGN: Reliability study.

METHODS: setting: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London (United Kingdom).

PATIENTS: Eighteen patients (18 eyes) with Stargardt macular dystrophy.

OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: A series of 3 fundus autofluorescence images using 3 different acquisition parameters on a custom-patched device were obtained: (1) 25\% laser power and total sensitivity 87; (2) 25\% laser power and freely adjusted sensitivity; and (3) 100\% laser power and freely adjusted total sensitivity (conventional). The total area of 2 hypoautofluorescent lesion types (definitely decreased autofluorescence and poorly demarcated questionably decreased autofluorescence) was measured.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Agreement in grading between the 3 imaging methods was assessed by kappa coefficients (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficients.

RESULTS: The mean {\textpm} standard deviation area for images acquired with 25\% laser power and freely adjusted total sensitivity was 2.04 {\textpm} 1.87~mm(2) for definitely decreased autofluorescence (n~= 15) and 1.86 {\textpm} 2.14~mm(2) for poorly demarcated questionably decreased autofluorescence (n~= 12). The intraclass correlation coefficient (95\% confidence interval) was 0.964 (0.929, 0.999) for definitely decreased autofluorescence and 0.268 (0.000, 0.730) for poorly demarcated questionably decreased autofluorescence.

CONCLUSIONS: Short-wavelength reduced-illuminance and conventional fundus autofluorescence imaging showed good concordance in assessing areas of definitely decreased autofluorescence. However, there was significantly higher variability between imaging modalities for assessing areas~of poorly demarcated questionably decreased autofluorescence.

}, keywords = {Adult, Female, Fluorescein Angiography, Fundus Oculi, Humans, Macula Lutea, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Ophthalmoscopy, Optical Imaging, Reproducibility of Results, Stargardt Disease}, issn = {1879-1891}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajo.2016.06.003}, author = {Strauss, Rupert W and Mu{\~n}oz, Beatriz and Jha, Anamika and Ho, Alexander and Cideciyan, Artur V and Kasilian, Melissa L and Wolfson, Yulia and Sadda, SriniVas and West, Sheila and Scholl, Hendrik P N and Michaelides, Michel} } @article {344, title = {Complex inheritance of ABCA4 disease: four mutations in a family with multiple macular phenotypes.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {135}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jan}, pages = {9-19}, abstract = {

Over 800 mutations in the ABCA4 gene cause autosomal recessive Stargardt disease. Due to extensive genetic heterogeneity, observed variant-associated phenotypes can manifest tremendous variability of expression. Furthermore, the high carrier frequency of pathogenic ABCA4 alleles in the general population (~1:20) often results in pseudo-dominant inheritance patterns further complicating the diagnosis and characterization of affected individuals. This study describes a genotype/phenotype analysis of an unusual family with multiple macular disease phenotypes spanning across two generations and segregating four distinct ABCA4 mutant alleles. Complete sequencing of ABCA4 discovered two known missense mutations, p.C54Y and p.G1961E. Array comparative genomic hybridization revealed a large novel deletion combined with a small insertion, c.6148-698_c.6670del/insTGTGCACCTCCCTAG, and complete sequencing of the entire ABCA4 genomic locus uncovered a new deep intronic variant, c.302+68C>T. Patients with the p.G1961E mutation had the mildest, confined maculopathy phenotype with peripheral flecks while those with all other mutant allele combinations exhibited a more advanced stage of generalized retinal and choriocapillaris atrophy. This family epitomizes the clinical and genetic complexity of ABCA4-associated diseases. It contained variants from all classes of mutations, in the coding region, deep intronic, both single nucleotide variants and copy number variants that accounted for varying phenotypes segregating in an apparent dominant fashion. Unequivocally defining disease-associated alleles in the ABCA4 locus requires a multifaceted approach that includes advanced mutation detection methods and a thorough analysis of clinical phenotypes.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Electroretinography, Female, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Macula Lutea, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-015-1605-y}, author = {Lee, Winston and Xie, Yajing and Zernant, Jana and Yuan, Bo and Bearelly, Srilaxmi and Tsang, Stephen H and Lupski, James R and Allikmets, Rando} } @article {30, title = {Copy-Number Variation Contributes to the Mutational Load of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {99}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Aug 04}, pages = {318-36}, abstract = {

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a defining ciliopathy, notable for extensive allelic and genetic heterogeneity, almost all of which has been identified through sequencing. Recent data have suggested that copy-number variants (CNVs) also contribute to BBS. We used a custom oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) covering 20 genes that encode intraflagellar transport (IFT) components and 74 ciliopathy loci to screen 92 unrelated individuals with BBS, irrespective of their known mutational burden. We identified 17 individuals with exon-disruptive CNVs (18.5\%), including 13 different deletions in eight BBS genes (BBS1, BBS2, ARL6/BBS3, BBS4, BBS5, BBS7, BBS9, and NPHP1) and a deletion and a duplication in other ciliopathy-associated genes (ALMS1 and NPHP4, respectively). By contrast, we found a single heterozygous exon-disruptive event in a BBS-associated gene (BBS9) in 229 control subjects. Superimposing these data with resequencing revealed CNVs to (1) be sufficient to cause disease, (2) Mendelize heterozygous deleterious alleles, and (3) contribute oligogenic alleles by combining point mutations and exonic CNVs in multiple genes. Finally, we report a deletion and a splice site mutation in IFT74, inherited under a recessive paradigm, defining a candidate BBS locus. Our data suggest that CNVs contribute pathogenic alleles to a substantial fraction of BBS-affected individuals and highlight how either deletions or point mutations in discrete splice isoforms can induce hypomorphic mutations in genes otherwise intolerant to deleterious variation. Our data also suggest that CNV analyses and resequencing studies unbiased for previous mutational burden is necessary to delineate the complexity of disease architecture.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Animals, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Breakpoints, Cytoskeletal Proteins, DNA Copy Number Variations, Exons, Female, Gastrulation, Genes, Recessive, Humans, Infant, Male, Mutation, Pedigree, Young Adult, Zebrafish, Zebrafish Proteins}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.04.023}, author = {Lindstrand, Anna and Frangakis, Stephan and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Richardson, Ellen B and McFadden, Kelsey A and Willer, Jason R and Pehlivan, Davut and Liu, Pengfei and Pediaditakis, Igor L and Sabo, Aniko and Lewis, Richard Alan and Banin, Eyal and Lupski, James R and Davis, Erica E and Katsanis, Nicholas} } @article {414, title = {De novo missense variants in PPP1CB are associated with intellectual disability and congenital heart disease.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {135}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 12}, pages = {1399-1409}, abstract = {

Intellectual disabilities are genetically heterogeneous and can be associated with congenital anomalies. Using whole-exome sequencing (WES), we identified five different de novo missense variants in the protein phosphatase-1 catalytic subunit beta (PPP1CB) gene in eight unrelated individuals who share an overlapping phenotype of dysmorphic features, macrocephaly, developmental delay or intellectual disability (ID), congenital heart disease, short stature, and skeletal and connective tissue abnormalities. Protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) is a serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase involved in the dephosphorylation of a variety of proteins. The PPP1CB gene encodes a PP1 subunit that regulates the level of protein phosphorylation. All five altered amino acids we observed are highly conserved among the PP1 subunit family, and all are predicted to disrupt PP1 subunit binding and impair dephosphorylation. Our data suggest that our heterozygous de novo PPP1CB pathogenic variants are associated with syndromic intellectual disability.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Missense, Phosphorylation, Protein Phosphatase 1}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-016-1731-1}, author = {Ma, Lijiang and Bayram, Yavuz and McLaughlin, Heather M and Cho, Megan T and Krokosky, Alyson and Turner, Clesson E and Lindstrom, Kristin and Bupp, Caleb P and Mayberry, Katey and Mu, Weiyi and Bodurtha, Joann and Weinstein, Veronique and Zadeh, Neda and Alcaraz, Wendy and Powis, Z{\"o}e and Shao, Yunru and Scott, Daryl A and Lewis, Andrea M and White, Janson J and Jhangiani, Shalani N and Gulec, Elif Yilmaz and Lalani, Seema R and Lupski, James R and Retterer, Kyle and Schnur, Rhonda E and Wentzensen, Ingrid M and Bale, Sherri and Chung, Wendy K} } @article {94, title = {Disrupted nitric oxide signaling due to GUCY1A3 mutations increases risk for moyamoya disease, achalasia and hypertension.}, journal = {Clin Genet}, volume = {90}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 10}, pages = {351-60}, abstract = {

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a progressive vasculopathy characterized by occlusion of the terminal portion of the internal carotid arteries and its branches, and the formation of compensatory moyamoya collateral vessels. Homozygous mutations in GUCY1A3 have been reported as a cause of MMD and achalasia. Probands (n = 96) from unrelated families underwent sequencing of GUCY1A3. Functional studies were performed to confirm the pathogenicity of identified GUCY1A3 variants. Two affected individuals from the unrelated families were found to have compound heterozygous mutations in GUCY1A3. MM041 was diagnosed with achalasia at 4 years of age, hypertension and MMD at 18 years of age. MM149 was diagnosed with MMD and hypertension at the age of 20 months. Both individuals carry one allele that is predicted to lead to haploinsufficiency and a second allele that is predicted to produce a mutated protein. Biochemical studies of one of these alleles, GUCY1A3 Cys517Tyr, showed that the mutant protein (a subunit of soluble guanylate cyclase) has a significantly blunted signaling response with exposure to nitric oxide (NO). GUCY1A3 missense and haploinsufficiency mutations disrupt NO signaling leading to MMD and hypertension, with or without achalasia.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Esophageal Achalasia, Female, Humans, Hypertension, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Moyamoya Disease, Mutation, Nitric Oxide, Nonlinear Dynamics, Regression Analysis, Sf9 Cells, Signal Transduction, Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase}, issn = {1399-0004}, doi = {10.1111/cge.12739}, author = {Wallace, S and Guo, D-C and Regalado, E and Mellor-Crummey, L and Bamshad, M and Nickerson, D A and Dauser, R and Hanchard, N and Marom, R and Martin, E and Berka, V and Sharina, I and Ganesan, V and Saunders, D and Morris, S A and Milewicz, D M} } @article {530, title = {Evidence of macular pigment in the central macula in albinism.}, journal = {Exp Eye Res}, volume = {145}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 04}, pages = {468-471}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Albinism represents a spectrum of disorders with diminished to absent amounts of melanin pigmentation including the posterior segment of the eye. Macular pigment (MP) consists of two main carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, concentrated in the macula. MP serves as blue light absorbent, antioxidant, and may reduce chromatic aberration and glare. It remains unclear if albinos have detectable MP. The purpose was to investigate the distribution of MP in albino patients with psychophysical and imaging techniques.

METHODS: MP was measured at the eccentricity of 0.5{\textdegree} by heterochromatic flicker perimetry (QuantifEye({\textregistered}); Tinsley Precision Instruments Ltd.) or by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (MPOD module, MultiColor Spectralis({\textregistered}), Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) in four albino patients, who were also investigated with multimodal ophthalmic imaging.

RESULTS: Visual acuity ranged from 20/32 to 20/125, nystagmus was present in three patients, and all patients showed typical foveal hypoplasia on fundus exam and optical coherence tomography. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) demonstrated various degrees of central FAF signal attenuation. Genetic testing was available in three patients and confirmed the diagnosis. Measurable amounts of MP were detected in all four patients and ranged from 0.05 to 0.24, which is below the normal range.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that MP can be demonstrated and measured in albinos. Further studies are needed to investigate MP accumulation following carotenoid supplementation and its impact on visual performance.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Albinism, Ocular, Fluorescein Angiography, Humans, Macula Lutea, Macular Pigment, Male, Middle Aged, Tomography, Optical Coherence, Visual Acuity, Visual Field Tests, Visual Fields}, issn = {1096-0007}, doi = {10.1016/j.exer.2015.10.006}, author = {Wolfson, Yulia and Fletcher, Emily and Strauss, Rupert W and Scholl, Hendrik P N} } @article {98, title = {Exome Sequencing Analysis in Severe, Early-Onset Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.}, journal = {Am J Respir Crit Care Med}, volume = {193}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 06 15}, pages = {1353-63}, abstract = {

RATIONALE: Genomic regions identified by genome-wide association studies explain only a small fraction of heritability for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency shows that rare coding variants of large effect also influence COPD susceptibility. We hypothesized that exome sequencing in families identified through a proband with severe, early-onset COPD would identify additional rare genetic determinants of large effect.

OBJECTIVES: To identify rare genetic determinants of severe COPD.

METHODS: We applied filtering approaches to identify potential causal variants for COPD in whole exomes from 347 subjects in 49 extended pedigrees from the Boston Early-Onset COPD Study. We assessed the power of this approach under different levels of genetic heterogeneity using simulations. We tested genes identified in these families using gene-based association tests in exomes of 204 cases with severe COPD and 195 resistant smokers from the COPDGene study. In addition, we examined previously described loci associated with COPD using these datasets.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We identified 69 genes with predicted deleterious nonsynonymous, stop, or splice variants that segregated with severe COPD in at least two pedigrees. Four genes (DNAH8, ALCAM, RARS, and GBF1) also demonstrated an increase in rare nonsynonymous, stop, and/or splice mutations in cases compared with resistant smokers from the COPDGene study; however, these results were not statistically significant. We demonstrate the limitations of the power of this approach under genetic heterogeneity through simulation.

CONCLUSIONS: Rare deleterious coding variants may increase risk for COPD, but multiple genes likely contribute to COPD susceptibility.

}, keywords = {Adult, alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency, Boston, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Severity of Illness Index}, issn = {1535-4970}, doi = {10.1164/rccm.201506-1223OC}, author = {Qiao, Dandi and Lange, Christoph and Beaty, Terri H and Crapo, James D and Barnes, Kathleen C and Bamshad, Michael and Hersh, Craig P and Morrow, Jarrett and Pinto-Plata, Victor M and Marchetti, Nathaniel and Bueno, Raphael and Celli, Bartolome R and Criner, Gerald J and Silverman, Edwin K and Cho, Michael H} } @article {32, title = {Exome Sequencing Identifies Biallelic MSH3 Germline Mutations as a Recessive Subtype of Colorectal Adenomatous Polyposis.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {99}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Aug 04}, pages = {337-51}, abstract = {

In \~{}30\% of families affected by colorectal adenomatous polyposis, no germline mutations have been identified in the previously implicated genes APC, MUTYH, POLE, POLD1, and NTHL1, although a hereditary etiology is likely. To uncover further genes with high-penetrance causative mutations, we performed exome sequencing of leukocyte DNA from 102 unrelated individuals with unexplained adenomatous polyposis. We identified two unrelated individuals with differing compound-heterozygous loss-of-function (LoF) germline mutations in the mismatch-repair gene MSH3. The impact of the MSH3 mutations (c.1148delA, c.2319-1G>A, c.2760delC, and c.3001-2A>C) was indicated at the RNA and protein levels. Analysis of the diseased individuals{\textquoteright} tumor tissue demonstrated high microsatellite instability of di- and tetranucleotides (EMAST), and immunohistochemical staining illustrated a complete loss of nuclear MSH3 in normal and tumor tissue, confirming the LoF effect and causal relevance of the mutations. The pedigrees, genotypes, and frequency of MSH3 mutations in the general population are consistent with an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance. Both index persons have an affected sibling carrying the same mutations. The tumor spectrum in these four persons comprised colorectal and duodenal adenomas, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and an early-onset astrocytoma. Additionally, we detected one unrelated individual with biallelic PMS2 germline mutations, representing constitutional mismatch-repair deficiency. Potentially causative variants in 14 more candidate genes identified in 26 other individuals require further workup. In the present study, we identified biallelic germline MSH3 mutations in individuals with a suspected hereditary tumor syndrome. Our data suggest that MSH3 mutations represent an additional recessive subtype of colorectal adenomatous polyposis.

}, keywords = {Adenomatous Polyposis Coli, Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Child, Preschool, Colorectal Neoplasms, DNA Mutational Analysis, DNA-Binding Proteins, Exome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Germ-Line Mutation, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mismatch Repair Endonuclease PMS2, MutS Homolog 3 Protein, Pedigree}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.06.015}, author = {Adam, Ronja and Spier, Isabel and Zhao, Bixiao and Kloth, Michael and Marquez, Jonathan and Hinrichsen, Inga and Kirfel, Jutta and Tafazzoli, Aylar and Horpaopan, Sukanya and Uhlhaas, Siegfried and Stienen, Dietlinde and Friedrichs, Nicolaus and Altm{\"u}ller, Janine and Laner, Andreas and Holzapfel, Stefanie and Peters, Sophia and Kayser, Katrin and Thiele, Holger and Holinski-Feder, Elke and Marra, Giancarlo and Kristiansen, Glen and N{\"o}then, Markus M and B{\"u}ttner, Reinhard and M{\"o}slein, Gabriela and Betz, Regina C and Brieger, Angela and Lifton, Richard P and Aretz, Stefan} } @article {100, title = {Expansion of the spectrum of ITGB6-related disorders to adolescent alopecia, dentogingival abnormalities and intellectual disability.}, journal = {Eur J Hum Genet}, volume = {24}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 08}, pages = {1223-7}, abstract = {

Alopecia with mental retardation (APMR) is a very rare disorder. In this study, we report on a consanguineous Pakistani family (AP91) with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability, adolescent alopecia and dentogingival abnormalities. Using homozygosity mapping, linkage analysis and exome sequencing, we identified a novel rare missense variant c.898G>A (p.(Glu300Lys)) in ITGB6, which co-segregates with the phenotype within the family and is predicted to be deleterious. Structural modeling shows that Glu300 lies in the β-propeller domain, and is surrounded by several residues that are important for heterodimerization with α integrin. Previous studies showed that ITGB6 variants can cause amelogenesis imperfecta in humans, but patients from family AP91 who are homozygous for the c.898G>A variant present with neurological and dermatological features, indicating a role for ITGB6 beyond enamel formation. Our study demonstrates that a rare deleterious variant within ITGB6 causes not only dentogingival anomalies but also intellectual disability and alopecia.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alopecia, Child, Female, Humans, Integrin beta Chains, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Phenotype, Protein Domains, Syndrome, Tooth Abnormalities}, issn = {1476-5438}, doi = {10.1038/ejhg.2015.260}, author = {Ansar, Muhammad and Jan, Abid and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Wang, Xin and Suliman, Muhammad and Acharya, Anushree and Habib, Rabia and Abbe, Izoduwa and Ali, Ghazanfar and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Smith, Joshua D and Nickerson, Deborah A and Shendure, Jay and Bamshad, Michael J and Ahmad, Wasim and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {86, title = {FOXE3 mutations predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.}, journal = {J Clin Invest}, volume = {126}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar 01}, pages = {948-61}, abstract = {

The ascending thoracic aorta is designed to withstand biomechanical forces from pulsatile blood. Thoracic aortic aneurysms and acute aortic dissections (TAADs) occur as a result of genetically triggered defects in aortic structure and a dysfunctional response to these forces. Here, we describe mutations in the forkhead transcription factor FOXE3 that predispose mutation-bearing individuals to TAAD. We performed exome sequencing of a large family with multiple members with TAADs and identified a rare variant in FOXE3 with an altered amino acid in the DNA-binding domain (p.Asp153His) that segregated with disease in this family. Additional pathogenic FOXE3 variants were identified in unrelated TAAD families. In mice, Foxe3 deficiency reduced smooth muscle cell (SMC) density and impaired SMC differentiation in the ascending aorta. Foxe3 expression was induced in aortic SMCs after transverse aortic constriction, and Foxe3 deficiency increased SMC apoptosis and ascending aortic rupture with increased aortic pressure. These phenotypes were rescued by inhibiting p53 activity, either by administration of a p53 inhibitor (pifithrin-α), or by crossing Foxe3-/- mice with p53-/- mice. Our data demonstrate that FOXE3 mutations lead to a reduced number of aortic SMCs during development and increased SMC apoptosis in the ascending aorta in response to increased biomechanical forces, thus defining an additional molecular pathway that leads to familial thoracic aortic disease.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aneurysm, Dissecting, Animals, Aorta, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Apoptosis, Cells, Cultured, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21, Female, Forkhead Transcription Factors, Gene Expression, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Middle Aged, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Mutation, Missense, Myocytes, Smooth Muscle, Pedigree, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53, Vascular Remodeling, Zebrafish}, issn = {1558-8238}, doi = {10.1172/JCI83778}, author = {Kuang, Shao-Qing and Medina-Martinez, Olga and Guo, Dong-Chuan and Gong, Limin and Regalado, Ellen S and Reynolds, Corey L and Boileau, Catherine and Jondeau, Guillaume and Prakash, Siddharth K and Kwartler, Callie S and Zhu, Lawrence Yang and Peters, Andrew M and Duan, Xue-Yan and Bamshad, Michael J and Shendure, Jay and Nickerson, Debbie A and Santos-Cortez, Regie L and Dong, Xiurong and Leal, Suzanne M and Majesky, Mark W and Swindell, Eric C and Jamrich, Milan and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {71, title = {Genome-Wide Association and Exome Sequencing Study of Language Disorder in an Isolated Population.}, journal = {Pediatrics}, volume = {137}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 04}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder associated with negative outcomes in different domains; the etiology of DLD is unknown. To investigate the genetic underpinnings of DLD, we performed genome-wide association and whole exome sequencing studies in a geographically isolated population with a substantially elevated prevalence of the disorder (ie, the AZ sample).

METHODS: DNA samples were collected from 359 individuals for the genome-wide association study and from 12 severely affected individuals for whole exome sequencing. Multifaceted phenotypes, representing major domains of expressive language functioning, were derived from collected speech samples.

RESULTS: Gene-based analyses revealed a significant association between SETBP1 and complexity of linguistic output (P = 5.47 {\texttimes} 10(-7)). The analysis of exome variants revealed coding sequence variants in 14 genes, most of which play a role in neural development. Targeted enrichment analysis implicated myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2)-regulated genes in DLD in the AZ population. The main findings were successfully replicated in an independent cohort of children at risk for related disorders (n = 372).

CONCLUSIONS: MEF2-regulated pathways were identified as potential candidate pathways in the etiology of DLD. Several genes (including the candidate SETBP1 and other MEF2-related genes) seem to jointly influence certain, but not all, facets of the DLD phenotype. Even when genetic and environmental diversity is reduced, DLD is best conceptualized as etiologically complex. Future research should establish whether the signals detected in the AZ population can be replicated in other samples and languages and provide further characterization of the identified pathway.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Language Disorders, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Russia, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1098-4275}, doi = {10.1542/peds.2015-2469}, author = {Kornilov, Sergey A and Rakhlin, Natalia and Koposov, Roman and Lee, Maria and Yrigollen, Carolyn and {\c C}a{\u g}layan, Ahmet Okay and Magnuson, James S and Mane, Shrikant and Chang, Joseph T and Grigorenko, Elena L} } @article {65, title = {Germline De Novo Mutations in GNB1 Cause Severe Neurodevelopmental Disability, Hypotonia, and Seizures.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {98}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 05 05}, pages = {1001-1010}, abstract = {

Whole-exome sequencing of 13 individuals with developmental delay commonly accompanied by abnormal muscle tone and seizures identified de novo missense mutations enriched within a sub-region of GNB1, a gene encoding the guanine nucleotide-binding protein~subunit beta-1, Gβ. These 13 individuals were identified among a base of 5,855 individuals recruited for various undiagnosed genetic disorders. The probability of observing 13 or more de novo mutations by chance among 5,855 individuals is very low (p~=~7.1~{\texttimes} 10(-21)), implicating GNB1 as a genome-wide-significant disease-associated gene. The majority of these 13 mutations affect known Gβ binding sites, which suggests that a likely disease mechanism is through the disruption of the protein interface required for Gα-Gβγ interaction (resulting in a constitutively active Gβγ) or through the disruption of residues relevant for interaction between Gβγ and certain downstream effectors (resulting in reduced interaction with the effectors). Strikingly, 8 of the 13 individuals recruited here for a neurodevelopmental disorder have a germline de novo GNB1 mutation that overlaps a set of five recurrent somatic tumor mutations for which recent functional studies demonstrated a gain-of-function effect due to constitutive activation of G protein downstream signaling cascades for some of the affected residues.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, Exome, Female, Germ-Line Mutation, GTP-Binding Protein beta Subunits, Humans, Infant, Intellectual Disability, Male, Muscle Hypotonia, Phenotype, Protein Conformation, Seizures, Signal Transduction, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.03.011}, author = {Petrovski, Slav{\'e} and K{\"u}ry, S{\'e}bastien and Myers, Candace T and Anyane-Yeboa, Kwame and Cogn{\'e}, Benjamin and Bialer, Martin and Xia, Fan and Hemati, Parisa and Riviello, James and Mehaffey, Michele and Besnard, Thomas and Becraft, Emily and Wadley, Alexandrea and Politi, Anya Revah and Colombo, Sophie and Zhu, Xiaolin and Ren, Zhong and Andrews, Ian and Dudding-Byth, Tracy and Schneider, Amy L and Wallace, Geoffrey and Rosen, Aaron B I and Schelley, Susan and Enns, Gregory M and Corre, Pierre and Dalton, Joline and Mercier, Sandra and Latypova, X{\'e}nia and Schmitt, S{\'e}bastien and Guzman, Edwin and Moore, Christine and Bier, Louise and Heinzen, Erin L and Karachunski, Peter and Shur, Natasha and Grebe, Theresa and Basinger, Alice and Nguyen, Joanne M and B{\'e}zieau, St{\'e}phane and Wierenga, Klaas and Bernstein, Jonathan A and Scheffer, Ingrid E and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Mefford, Heather C and Isidor, Bertrand and Goldstein, David B} } @article {8, title = {A germline ERBB3 variant is a candidate for predisposition to erythroid MDS/erythroleukemia.}, journal = {Leukemia}, volume = {30}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Nov}, pages = {2242-2245}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Germ-Line Mutation, Humans, Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute, Male, Middle Aged, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Pedigree, Receptor, ErbB-3}, issn = {1476-5551}, doi = {10.1038/leu.2016.173}, author = {Braunstein, E M and Li, R and Sobreira, N and Marosy, B and Hetrick, K and Doheny, K and Gocke, C D and Valle, D and Brodsky, R A and Cheng, L} } @article {117, title = {Identification and clinical characterization of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome alleles in the Pakistani population.}, journal = {Pigment Cell Melanoma Res}, volume = {29}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar}, pages = {231-5}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Hermanski-Pudlak Syndrome, Humans, Infant, Male, Membrane Proteins, Middle Aged, Pakistan, Pedigree}, issn = {1755-148X}, doi = {10.1111/pcmr.12438}, author = {Yousaf, Sairah and Shahzad, Mohsin and Kausar, Tasleem and Sheikh, Shakeel A and Tariq, Nabeela and Shabbir, Asra S and Ali, Muhammad and Waryah, Ali M and Shaikh, Rehan S and Riazuddin, Saima and Ahmed, Zubair M} } @article {72, title = {Loss of B Cells in Patients with Heterozygous Mutations in IKAROS.}, journal = {N Engl J Med}, volume = {374}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar 17}, pages = {1032-1043}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by late-onset hypogammaglobulinemia in the absence of predisposing factors. The genetic cause is unknown in the majority of cases, and less than 10\% of patients have a family history of the disease. Most patients have normal numbers of B cells but lack plasma cells.

METHODS: We used whole-exome sequencing and array-based comparative genomic hybridization to evaluate a subset of patients with CVID and low B-cell numbers. Mutant proteins were analyzed for DNA binding with the use of an electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA) and confocal microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to analyze peripheral-blood lymphocytes and bone marrow aspirates.

RESULTS: Six different heterozygous mutations in IKZF1, the gene encoding the transcription factor IKAROS, were identified in 29 persons from six families. In two families, the mutation was a de novo event in the proband. All the mutations, four amino acid substitutions, an intragenic deletion, and a 4.7-Mb multigene deletion involved the DNA-binding domain of IKAROS. The proteins bearing missense mutations failed to bind target DNA sequences on EMSA and confocal microscopy; however, they did not inhibit the binding of wild-type IKAROS. Studies in family members showed progressive loss of B cells and serum immunoglobulins. Bone marrow aspirates in two patients had markedly decreased early B-cell precursors, but plasma cells were present. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed in 2 of the 29 patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Heterozygous mutations in the transcription factor IKAROS caused an autosomal dominant form of CVID that is associated with a striking decrease in B-cell numbers. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.).

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Antigens, CD, B-Lymphocytes, Bone Marrow, Bone Marrow Examination, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7, Common Variable Immunodeficiency, Exome, Female, Heterozygote, Humans, Ikaros Transcription Factor, Immunoglobulin G, Lymphocyte Count, Male, Mutation, Pedigree, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1533-4406}, doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa1512234}, author = {Kuehn, H S and Boisson, B and Cunningham-Rundles, C and Reichenbach, J and Stray-Pedersen, A and Gelfand, E W and Maffucci, P and Pierce, K R and Abbott, J K and Voelkerding, K V and South, S T and Augustine, N H and Bush, J S and Dolen, W K and Wray, B B and Itan, Y and Cobat, A and Sorte, H S and Ganesan, S and Prader, S and Martins, T B and Lawrence, M G and Orange, J S and Calvo, K R and Niemela, J E and Casanova, J-L and Fleisher, T A and Hill, H R and Kum{\'a}novics, A and Conley, M E and Rosenzweig, S D} } @article {354, title = {Loss of carbonic anhydrase XII function in individuals with elevated sweat chloride concentration and pulmonary airway disease.}, journal = {Hum Mol Genet}, volume = {25}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 05 15}, pages = {1923-1933}, abstract = {

Elevated sweat chloride levels, failure to thrive (FTT), and lung disease are characteristic features of cystic fibrosis (CF, OMIM $\#$219700). Here we describe variants in CA12 encoding carbonic anhydrase XII in two pedigrees exhibiting CF-like phenotypes. Exome sequencing of a white American adult diagnosed with CF due to elevated sweat chloride, recurrent hyponatremia, infantile FTT and lung disease identified deleterious variants in each CA12 gene: c.908-1 G>A in a splice acceptor and a novel frameshift insertion c.859_860insACCT. In an unrelated consanguineous Omani family, two children with elevated sweat chloride, infantile FTT, and recurrent hyponatremia were homozygous for a novel missense variant (p.His121Gln). Deleterious CFTR variants were absent in both pedigrees. CA XII protein was localized apically in human bronchiolar epithelia and basolaterally in the reabsorptive duct of human sweat glands. Respiratory epithelial cell RNA from the adult proband revealed only aberrant CA12 transcripts and in vitro analysis showed greatly reduced CA XII protein. Studies of ion transport across respiratory epithelial cells in vivo and in culture revealed intact CFTR-mediated chloride transport in the adult proband. CA XII protein bearing either p.His121Gln or a previously identified p.Glu143Lys missense variant localized to the basolateral membranes of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, but enzyme activity was severely diminished when assayed at physiologic concentrations of extracellular chloride. Our findings indicate that loss of CA XII function should be considered in individuals without CFTR mutations who exhibit CF-like features in the sweat gland and lung.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Carbonic Anhydrases, Child, Child, Preschool, Chlorides, Cystic Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, Dogs, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic, Homozygote, Humans, Lung, Lung Diseases, Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells, Male, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, Sweat}, issn = {1460-2083}, doi = {10.1093/hmg/ddw065}, author = {Lee, Melissa and Vecchio-Pag{\'a}n, Briana and Sharma, Neeraj and Waheed, Abdul and Li, Xiaopeng and Raraigh, Karen S and Robbins, Sarah and Han, Sangwoo T and Franca, Arianna L and Pellicore, Matthew J and Evans, Taylor A and Arcara, Kristin M and Nguyen, Hien and Luan, Shan and Belchis, Deborah and Hertecant, Jozef and Zabner, Joseph and Sly, William S and Cutting, Garry R} } @article {112, title = {Low-level APC mutational mosaicism is the underlying cause in a substantial fraction of unexplained colorectal adenomatous polyposis cases.}, journal = {J Med Genet}, volume = {53}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar}, pages = {172-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: In 30-50\% of patients with colorectal adenomatous polyposis, no germline mutation in the known genes APC, causing familial adenomatous polyposis, MUTYH, causing MUTYH-associated polyposis, or POLE or POLD1, causing polymerase-proofreading-associated polyposis can be identified, although a hereditary aetiology is likely. This study aimed to explore the impact of APC mutational mosaicism in unexplained polyposis.

METHODS: To comprehensively screen for somatic low-level APC mosaicism, high-coverage next-generation sequencing of the APC gene was performed using DNA from leucocytes and a total of 53 colorectal tumours from 20 unrelated patients with unexplained sporadic adenomatous polyposis. APC mosaicism was assumed if the same loss-of-function APC mutation was present in >= 2 anatomically separated colorectal adenomas/carcinomas per patient. All mutations were validated using diverse methods.

RESULTS: In 25\% (5/20) of patients, somatic mosaicism of a pathogenic APC mutation was identified as underlying cause of the disease. In 2/5 cases, the mosaic level in leucocyte DNA was slightly below the sensitivity threshold of Sanger sequencing; while in 3/5 cases, the allelic fraction was either very low (0.1-1\%) or no mutations were detectable. The majority of mosaic mutations were located outside the somatic mutation cluster region of the gene.

CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate a high prevalence of pathogenic mosaic APC mutations below the detection thresholds of routine diagnostics in adenomatous polyposis, even if high-coverage sequencing of leucocyte DNA alone is taken into account. This has important implications for both routine work-up and strategies to identify new causative genes in this patient group.

}, keywords = {Adenomatous Polyposis Coli, Adolescent, Adult, Colorectal Neoplasms, Genes, APC, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Middle Aged, Mutation, Mutation Rate}, issn = {1468-6244}, doi = {10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103468}, author = {Spier, Isabel and Drichel, Dmitriy and Kerick, Martin and Kirfel, Jutta and Horpaopan, Sukanya and Laner, Andreas and Holzapfel, Stefanie and Peters, Sophia and Adam, Ronja and Zhao, Bixiao and Becker, Tim and Lifton, Richard P and Perner, Sven and Hoffmann, Per and Kristiansen, Glen and Timmermann, Bernd and N{\"o}then, Markus M and Holinski-Feder, Elke and Schweiger, Michal R and Aretz, Stefan} } @article {87, title = {LOX Mutations Predispose to Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections.}, journal = {Circ Res}, volume = {118}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar 18}, pages = {928-34}, abstract = {

RATIONALE: Mutations in several genes have been identified that are responsible for 25\% of families with familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. However, the causative gene remains unknown in 75\% of families.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the causative mutation in families with autosomal dominant inheritance of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Exome sequencing was used to identify the mutation responsible for a large family with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. A heterozygous rare variant, c.839G>T (p.Ser280Arg), was identified in LOX, encoding a lysyl oxidase, that segregated with disease in the family. Sanger and exome sequencing was used to investigate mutations in LOX in an additional 410 probands from unrelated families. Additional LOX rare variants that segregated with disease in families were identified, including c.125G>A (p.Trp42*), c.604G>T (p.Gly202*), c.743C>T (p.Thr248Ile), c.800A>C (p.Gln267Pro), and c.1044T>A (p.Ser348Arg). The altered amino acids cause haploinsufficiency for LOX or are located at a highly conserved LOX catalytic domain, which is relatively invariant in the population. Expression of the LOX variants p.Ser280Arg and p.Ser348Arg resulted in significantly lower lysyl oxidase activity when compared with the wild-type protein. Individuals with LOX variants had fusiform enlargement of the root and ascending thoracic aorta, leading to ascending aortic dissections.

CONCLUSIONS: These data, along with previous studies showing that the deficiency of LOX in mice or inhibition of lysyl oxidases in turkeys and rats causes aortic dissections, support the conclusion that rare genetic variants in LOX predispose to thoracic aortic disease.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Amino Acid Sequence, Aneurysm, Dissecting, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Female, Genetic Variation, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Pedigree, Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase}, issn = {1524-4571}, doi = {10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.115.307130}, author = {Guo, Dong-Chuan and Regalado, Ellen S and Gong, Limin and Duan, Xueyan and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Arnaud, Pauline and Ren, Zhao and Cai, Bo and Hostetler, Ellen M and Moran, Rocio and Liang, David and Estrera, Anthony and Safi, Hazim J and Leal, Suzanne M and Bamshad, Michael J and Shendure, Jay and Nickerson, Deborah A and Jondeau, Guillaume and Boileau, Catherine and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {119, title = {Mechanisms for the Generation of Two Quadruplications Associated with Split-Hand Malformation.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {37}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Feb}, pages = {160-4}, abstract = {

Germline copy-number variants (CNVs) involving quadruplications are rare and the mechanisms generating them are largely unknown. Previously, we reported a 20-week gestation fetus with split-hand malformation; clinical microarray detected two maternally inherited triplications separated by a copy-number neutral region at 17p13.3, involving BHLHA9 and part of YWHAE. Here, we describe an 18-month-old male sibling of the previously described fetus with split-hand malformation. Custom high-density microarray and digital droplet PCR revealed the copy-number gains were actually quadruplications in the mother, the fetus, and her later born son. This quadruplication-normal-quadruplication pattern was shown to be expanded from the triplication-normal-triplication CNV at the same loci in the maternal grandmother. We mapped two breakpoint junctions and demonstrated that both are mediated by Alu repetitive elements and identical in these four individuals. We propose a three-step process combining Alu-mediated replicative-repair-based mechanism(s) and intergenerational, intrachromosomal nonallelic homologous recombination to generate the quadruplications in this family.

}, keywords = {14-3-3 Proteins, Adult, Aged, Alu Elements, Base Sequence, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Chromosome Duplication, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Genetic Loci, Genome, Human, Hand Deformities, Congenital, Humans, Infant, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Pedigree, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.22929}, author = {Gu, Shen and Posey, Jennifer E and Yuan, Bo and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Luk, H M and Erikson, Kelly and Lo, Ivan F M and Leung, Gordon K C and Pickering, Curtis R and Chung, Brian H Y and Lupski, James R} } @article {10, title = {MIPEP recessive variants cause a syndrome of left ventricular non-compaction, hypotonia, and infantile death.}, journal = {Genome Med}, volume = {8}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Nov 01}, pages = {106}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial presequence proteases perform fundamental functions as they process about 70~\% of all mitochondrial preproteins that are encoded in the nucleus and imported posttranslationally. The mitochondrial intermediate presequence protease MIP/Oct1, which carries out precursor processing, has not yet been established to have a role in human disease.

METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was performed on four unrelated probands with left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC), developmental delay (DD), seizures, and severe hypotonia. Proposed pathogenic variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing or array comparative genomic hybridization. Functional analysis of the identified MIP variants was performed using the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the protein and its functions are highly conserved from yeast to human.

RESULTS: Biallelic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) or copy number variants (CNVs) in MIPEP, which encodes MIP, were present in all four probands, three of whom had infantile/childhood death. Two patients had compound heterozygous SNVs (p.L582R/p.L71Q and p.E602*/p.L306F) and one patient from a consanguineous family had a homozygous SNV (p.K343E). The fourth patient, identified through the GeneMatcher tool, a part of the Matchmaker Exchange Project, was found to have inherited a paternal SNV (p.H512D) and a maternal CNV (1.4-Mb deletion of 13q12.12) that includes MIPEP. All amino acids affected in the patients{\textquoteright} missense variants are highly conserved from yeast to human and therefore S. cerevisiae was employed for functional analysis (for p.L71Q, p.L306F, and p.K343E). The mutations p.L339F (human p.L306F) and p.K376E (human p.K343E) resulted in a severe decrease of Oct1 protease activity and accumulation of non-processed Oct1 substrates and consequently impaired viability under respiratory growth conditions. The p.L83Q (human p.L71Q) failed to localize to the mitochondria.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal for the first time the role of the mitochondrial intermediate peptidase in human disease. Loss of MIP function results in a syndrome which consists of LVNC, DD, seizures, hypotonia, and cataracts. Our approach highlights the power of data exchange and the importance of an interrelationship between clinical and research efforts for disease gene discovery.

}, keywords = {Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Female, Genes, Recessive, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Metalloendopeptidases, Muscle Hypotonia, Pedigree, Phenotype, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid, Sudden Infant Death, Syndrome}, issn = {1756-994X}, doi = {10.1186/s13073-016-0360-6}, author = {Eldomery, Mohammad K and Akdemir, Zeynep C and V{\"o}gtle, F-Nora and Charng, Wu-Lin and Mulica, Patrycja and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Gambin, Tomasz and Gu, Shen and Burrage, Lindsay C and Al Shamsi, Aisha and Penney, Samantha and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Zimmerman, Holly H and Muzny, Donna M and Wang, Xia and Tang, Jia and Medikonda, Ravi and Ramachandran, Prasanna V and Wong, Lee-Jun and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Eng, Christine M and Lalani, Seema R and Hertecant, Jozef and Rodenburg, Richard J and Abdul-Rahman, Omar A and Yang, Yaping and Xia, Fan and Wang, Meng C and Lupski, James R and Meisinger, Chris and Sutton, V Reid} } @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 {110, title = {Molecular diagnostic experience of whole-exome sequencing in adult patients.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {18}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 07}, pages = {678-85}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is increasingly used as a diagnostic tool in medicine, but prior reports focus on predominantly pediatric cohorts with neurologic or developmental disorders. We describe the diagnostic yield and characteristics of WES in adults.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive WES reports for adults from a diagnostic laboratory. Phenotype composition was determined using Human Phenotype Ontology terms.

RESULTS: Molecular diagnoses were reported for 17.5\% (85/486) of adults, which is lower than that for a primarily pediatric population (25.2\%; P = 0.0003); the diagnostic rate was higher (23.9\%) for those 18-30 years of age compared to patients older than 30 years (10.4\%; P = 0.0001). Dual Mendelian diagnoses contributed to 7\% of diagnoses, revealing blended phenotypes. Diagnoses were more frequent among individuals with abnormalities of the nervous system, skeletal system, head/neck, and growth. Diagnostic rate was independent of family history information, and de novo mutations contributed to 61.4\% of autosomal dominant diagnoses.

CONCLUSION: Early WES experience in adults demonstrates molecular diagnoses in a substantial proportion of patients, informing clinical management, recurrence risk, and recommendations for relatives. A positive family history was not predictive, consistent with molecular diagnoses often revealed by de novo events, informing the Mendelian basis of genetic disease in adults.Genet Med 18 7, 678-685.

}, keywords = {Adult, Exome, Female, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Testing, Genome, Human, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Male, Pathology, Molecular}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2015.142}, author = {Posey, Jennifer E and Rosenfeld, Jill A and James, Regis A and Bainbridge, Matthew and Niu, Zhiyv and Wang, Xia and Dhar, Shweta and Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Akdemir, Zeynep H C and Gambin, Tomasz and Xia, Fan and Person, Richard E and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Shaw, Chad A and Sutton, V Reid and Beaudet, Arthur L and Muzny, Donna and Eng, Christine M and Yang, Yaping and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Boerwinkle, Eric and Plon, Sharon E} } @article {41, title = {Nonrecurrent PMP22-RAI1 contiguous gene deletions arise from replication-based mechanisms and result in Smith-Magenis syndrome with evident peripheral neuropathy.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {135}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Oct}, pages = {1161-74}, abstract = {

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) and Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) are genomic disorders associated with deletion copy number variants involving chromosome 17p12 and 17p11.2, respectively. Nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR)-mediated recurrent deletions are responsible for the majority of HNPP and SMS cases; the rearrangement products encompass the key dosage-sensitive genes PMP22 and RAI1, respectively, and result in haploinsufficiency for these genes. Less frequently, nonrecurrent genomic rearrangements occur at this locus. Contiguous gene duplications encompassing both PMP22 and RAI1, i.e., PMP22-RAI1 duplications, have been investigated, and replication-based mechanisms rather than NAHR have been proposed for these rearrangements. In the current study, we report molecular and clinical characterizations of six subjects with the reciprocal phenomenon of deletions spanning both genes, i.e., PMP22-RAI1 deletions. Molecular studies utilizing high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization and breakpoint junction sequencing identified mutational signatures that were suggestive of replication-based mechanisms. Systematic clinical studies revealed features consistent with SMS, including features of intellectual disability, speech and gross motor delays, behavioral problems and ocular abnormalities. Five out of six subjects presented clinical signs and/or objective electrophysiologic studies of peripheral neuropathy. Clinical profiling may improve the clinical management of this unique group of subjects, as the peripheral neuropathy can be more severe or of earlier onset as compared to SMS patients having the common recurrent deletion. Moreover, the current study, in combination with the previous report of PMP22-RAI1 duplications, contributes to the understanding of rare complex phenotypes involving multiple dosage-sensitive genes from a genetic mechanistic standpoint.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17, DNA Copy Number Variations, DNA Replication, Female, Gene Deletion, Haploinsufficiency, Homologous Recombination, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Myelin Proteins, Smith-Magenis Syndrome, Trans-Activators, Transcription Factors}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-016-1703-5}, author = {Yuan, Bo and Neira, Juanita and Gu, Shen and Harel, Tamar and Liu, Pengfei and Brice{\~n}o, Ignacio and Elsea, Sarah H and G{\'o}mez, Alberto and Potocki, Lorraine and Lupski, James R} } @article {111, title = {Pathogenic FBN1 variants in familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.}, journal = {Clin Genet}, volume = {89}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 06}, pages = {719-23}, abstract = {

Marfan syndrome (MFS) due to mutations in FBN1 is a known cause of thoracic aortic aneurysms and acute aortic dissections (TAAD) associated with pleiotropic manifestations. Genetic predisposition to TAAD can also be inherited in families in the absence of syndromic features, termed familial TAAD (FTAAD), and several causative genes have been identified to date. FBN1 mutations can also be identified in FTAAD families, but the frequency of these mutations has not been established. We performed exome sequencing of 183 FTAAD families and identified pathogenic FBN1 variants in five (2.7\%) of these families. We also identified eight additional FBN1 rare variants that could not be unequivocally classified as disease-causing in six families. FBN1 sequencing should be considered in individuals with FTAAD even without significant systemic features of MFS.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aneurysm, Dissecting, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Exome, Family Health, Female, Fibrillin-1, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Marfan Syndrome, Middle Aged, Mutation, Pedigree, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1399-0004}, doi = {10.1111/cge.12702}, author = {Regalado, E S and Guo, D C and Santos-Cortez, R L P and Hostetler, E and Bensend, T A and Pannu, H and Estrera, A and Safi, H and Mitchell, A L and Evans, J P and Leal, S M and Bamshad, M and Shendure, J and Nickerson, D A and Milewicz, D M} } @article {16, title = {Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Is Caused by Mutations in C1R and C1S, which Encode Subcomponents C1r and C1s of Complement.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {99}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Nov 03}, pages = {1005-1014}, abstract = {

Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (pEDS) is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by early-onset periodontitis leading to premature loss of teeth, joint hypermobility, and mild skin findings. A locus was mapped to an approximately 5.8 Mb region at 12p13.1 but no candidate gene was identified. In an international consortium we recruited 19 independent families comprising 107 individuals with pEDS to identify the locus, characterize the clinical details in those with defined genetic causes, and try to understand the physiological basis of the condition. In 17 of these families, we identified heterozygous missense or in-frame insertion/deletion mutations in C1R (15 families) or C1S (2 families), contiguous genes in the mapped locus that encode subunits C1r and C1s of the first component of the classical complement pathway. These two proteins form a heterotetramer that then combines with six C1q subunits. Pathogenic variants involve the subunit interfaces or inter-domain hinges of C1r and C1s and are associated with intracellular retention and mild endoplasmic reticulum enlargement. Clinical features of affected individuals in these families include rapidly progressing periodontitis with onset in the teens or childhood, a previously unrecognized lack of attached gingiva, pretibial hyperpigmentation, skin and vascular fragility, easy bruising, and variable musculoskeletal symptoms. Our findings open a connection between the inflammatory classical complement pathway and connective tissue homeostasis.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Mapping, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12, Complement C1r, Complement C1s, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Exome, Female, Gene Deletion, Genetic Loci, Humans, Male, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Periodontitis, Protein Conformation, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.08.019}, author = {Kapferer-Seebacher, Ines and Pepin, Melanie and Werner, Roland and Aitman, Timothy J and Nordgren, Ann and Stoiber, Heribert and Thielens, Nicole and Gaboriaud, Christine and Amberger, Albert and Schossig, Anna and Gruber, Robert and Giunta, Cecilia and Bamshad, Michael and Bj{\"o}rck, Erik and Chen, Christina and Chitayat, David and Dorschner, Michael and Schmitt-Egenolf, Marcus and Hale, Christopher J and Hanna, David and Hennies, Hans Christian and Heiss-Kisielewsky, Irene and Lindstrand, Anna and Lundberg, Pernilla and Mitchell, Anna L and Nickerson, Deborah A and Reinstein, Eyal and Rohrbach, Marianne and Romani, Nikolaus and Schmuth, Matthias and Silver, Rachel and Taylan, Fulya and Vandersteen, Anthony and Vandrovcova, Jana and Weerakkody, Ruwan and Yang, Margaret and Pope, F Michael and Byers, Peter H and Zschocke, Johannes} } @article {97, title = {POGZ truncating alleles cause syndromic intellectual disability.}, journal = {Genome Med}, volume = {8}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jan 06}, pages = {3}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Large-scale cohort-based whole exome sequencing of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) has identified numerous novel candidate disease genes; however, detailed phenotypic information is often lacking in such studies. De novo mutations in pogo transposable element with zinc finger domain (POGZ) have been identified in six independent and diverse cohorts of individuals with NDDs ranging from autism spectrum disorder to developmental delay.

METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was performed on five unrelated individuals. Sanger sequencing was used to validate variants and segregate mutations with the phenotype in available family members.

RESULTS: We identified heterozygous truncating mutations in POGZ in five unrelated individuals, which were confirmed to be de novo or not present in available parental samples. Careful review of the phenotypes revealed shared features that included developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, behavioral abnormalities, and similar facial characteristics. Variable features included short stature, microcephaly, strabismus and hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONS: While POGZ has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in large cohort studies, our data suggest that loss of function variants in POGZ lead to an identifiable syndrome of NDD with specific phenotypic traits. This study exemplifies the era of human reverse clinical genomics ushered in by large disease-directed cohort studies; first defining a new syndrome molecularly and, only subsequently, phenotypically.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Heterozygote, Humans, Infant, Intellectual Disability, Male, Mutation, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Transposases}, issn = {1756-994X}, doi = {10.1186/s13073-015-0253-0}, author = {White, Janson and Beck, Christine R and Harel, Tamar and Posey, Jennifer E and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Tang, Sha and Farwell, Kelly D and Powis, Z{\"o}e and Mendelsohn, Nancy J and Baker, Janice A and Pollack, Lynda and Mason, Kati J and Wierenga, Klaas J and Arrington, Daniel K and Hall, Melissa and Psychogios, Apostolos and Fairbrother, Laura and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Person, Richard E and Niu, Zhiyv and Zhang, Jing and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Muzny, Donna M and Eng, Christine and Beaudet, Arthur L and Lupski, James R and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Yang, Yaping and Xia, Fan and Sutton, V Reid} } @article {21, title = {Recurrent De Novo and Biallelic Variation of ATAD3A, Encoding a Mitochondrial Membrane Protein, Results in Distinct Neurological Syndromes.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {99}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Oct 06}, pages = {831-845}, abstract = {

ATPase family AAA-domain containing protein 3A (ATAD3A) is a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial membrane protein implicated in mitochondrial dynamics, nucleoid organization, protein translation, cell growth, and cholesterol metabolism. We identified a recurrent de novo ATAD3A c.1582C>T (p.Arg528Trp) variant by whole-exome sequencing (WES) in five unrelated individuals with a core phenotype of global developmental delay, hypotonia, optic atrophy, axonal neuropathy, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We also describe two families with biallelic variants in ATAD3A, including a homozygous variant in two siblings, and biallelic ATAD3A deletions mediated by nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR) between ATAD3A and gene family members ATAD3B and ATAD3C. Tissue-specific overexpression of bor, the Drosophila mutation homologous to the human c.1582C>T (p.Arg528Trp) variant, resulted in a dramatic decrease in mitochondrial content, aberrant mitochondrial morphology, and increased autophagy. Homozygous null bor larvae showed a significant decrease of mitochondria, while overexpression of bor resulted in larger, elongated mitochondria. Finally, fibroblasts of an affected individual exhibited increased mitophagy. We conclude that the p.Arg528Trp variant functions through a dominant-negative mechanism that results in small mitochondria that trigger mitophagy, resulting in a reduction in mitochondrial content. ATAD3A variation represents an additional link between mitochondrial dynamics and recognizable neurological syndromes, as seen with MFN2, OPA1, DNM1L, and STAT2 mutations.

}, keywords = {Adenosine Triphosphatases, Adult, Alleles, Animals, ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities, Axons, Cardiomyopathies, Child, Child, Preschool, Developmental Disabilities, DNA Copy Number Variations, Drosophila melanogaster, Female, Fibroblasts, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mitochondria, Mitochondrial Proteins, Muscle Hypotonia, Muscles, Mutation, Nervous System Diseases, Neurons, Optic Atrophy, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Syndrome, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.08.007}, author = {Harel, Tamar and Yoon, Wan Hee and Garone, Caterina and Gu, Shen and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep and Eldomery, Mohammad K and Posey, Jennifer E and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Cho, Megan T and Fox, Stephanie and Withers, Marjorie and Brooks, Stephanie M and Chiang, Theodore and Duraine, Lita and Erdin, Serkan and Yuan, Bo and Shao, Yunru and Moussallem, Elie and Lamperti, Costanza and Donati, Maria A and Smith, Joshua D and McLaughlin, Heather M and Eng, Christine M and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Xia, Fan and Pippucci, Tommaso and Magini, Pamela and Seri, Marco and Zeviani, Massimo and Hirano, Michio and Hunter, Jill V and Srour, Myriam and Zanigni, Stefano and Lewis, Richard Alan and Muzny, Donna M and Lotze, Timothy E and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Hickey, Scott E and Graham, Brett H and Yang, Yaping and Buhas, Daniela and Martin, Donna M and Potocki, Lorraine and Graziano, Claudio and Bellen, Hugo J and Lupski, James R} } @article {345, title = {The role of combined SNV and CNV burden in patients with distal symmetric polyneuropathy.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {18}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 05}, pages = {443-51}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders of the peripheral nervous system. Copy-number variants (CNVs) contribute significantly to CMT, as duplication of PMP22 underlies the majority of CMT1 cases. We hypothesized that CNVs and/or single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) might exist in patients with CMT with an unknown molecular genetic etiology.

METHODS: Two hundred patients with CMT, negative for both SNV mutations in several CMT genes and for CNVs involving PMP22, were screened for CNVs by high-resolution oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization. Whole-exome sequencing was conducted on individuals with rare, potentially pathogenic CNVs.

RESULTS: Putatively causative CNVs were identified in five subjects (~2.5\%); four of the five map to known neuropathy genes. Breakpoint sequencing revealed Alu-Alu-mediated junctions as a predominant contributor. Exome sequencing identified MFN2 SNVs in two of the individuals.

CONCLUSION: Neuropathy-associated CNV outside of the PMP22 locus is rare in CMT. Nevertheless, there is potential clinical utility in testing for CNVs and exome sequencing in CMT cases negative for the CMT1A duplication. These findings suggest that complex phenotypes including neuropathy can potentially be caused by a combination of SNVs and CNVs affecting more than one disease-associated locus and contributing to a mutational burden.Genet Med 18 5, 443-451.

}, keywords = {Adult, Age of Onset, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, Child, Preschool, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, GTP Phosphohydrolases, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Male, Mitochondrial Proteins, Motor Neurons, Myelin P0 Protein, Myelin Proteins, Neural Conduction, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Polyneuropathies}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2015.124}, author = {Pehlivan, Davut and Beck, Christine R and Okamoto, Yuji and Harel, Tamar and Akdemir, Zeynep H C and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Withers, Marjorie A and Goksungur, Meryem Tuba and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Czesnik, Dirk and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and Rautenstrauss, Bernd and Sereda, Michael W and Lupski, James R} } @article {76, title = {Somatic mosaicism underlies X-linked acrogigantism syndrome in sporadic male subjects.}, journal = {Endocr Relat Cancer}, volume = {23}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 04}, pages = {221-33}, abstract = {

Somatic mosaicism has been implicated as a causative mechanism in a number of genetic and genomic disorders. X-linked acrogigantism (XLAG) syndrome is a recently characterized genomic form of pediatric gigantism due to aggressive pituitary tumors that is caused by submicroscopic chromosome Xq26.3 duplications that include GPR101 We studied XLAG syndrome patients (n= 18) to determine if somatic mosaicism contributed to the genomic pathophysiology. Eighteen subjects with XLAG syndrome caused by Xq26.3 duplications were identified using high-definition array comparative genomic hybridization (HD-aCGH). We noted that males with XLAG had a decreased log2ratio (LR) compared with expected values, suggesting potential mosaicism, whereas females showed no such decrease. Compared with familial male XLAG cases, sporadic males had more marked evidence for mosaicism, with levels of Xq26.3 duplication between 16.1 and 53.8\%. These characteristics were replicated using a novel, personalized breakpoint junction-specific quantification droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) technique. Using a separate ddPCR technique, we studied the feasibility of identifying XLAG syndrome cases in a distinct patient population of 64 unrelated subjects with acromegaly/gigantism, and identified one female gigantism patient who had had increased copy number variation (CNV) threshold for GPR101 that was subsequently diagnosed as having XLAG syndrome on HD-aCGH. Employing a combination of HD-aCGH and novel ddPCR approaches, we have demonstrated, for the first time, that XLAG syndrome can be caused by variable degrees of somatic mosaicism for duplications at chromosome Xq26.3. Somatic mosaicism was shown to occur in sporadic males but not in females with XLAG syndrome, although the clinical characteristics of the disease were similarly severe in both sexes.

}, keywords = {Adult, Female, Genetic Diseases, X-Linked, Gigantism, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mosaicism, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Syndrome, Young Adult}, issn = {1479-6821}, doi = {10.1530/ERC-16-0082}, author = {Daly, Adrian F and Yuan, Bo and Fina, Frederic and Caberg, Jean-Hubert and Trivellin, Giampaolo and Rostomyan, Liliya and de Herder, Wouter W and Naves, Luciana A and Metzger, Daniel and Cuny, Thomas and Rabl, Wolfgang and Shah, Nalini and Jaffrain-Rea, Marie-Lise and Zatelli, Maria Chiara and Faucz, Fabio R and Castermans, Emilie and Nanni-Metellus, Isabelle and Lodish, Maya and Muhammad, Ammar and Palmeira, Leonor and Potorac, Iulia and Mantovani, Giovanna and Neggers, Sebastian J and Klein, Marc and Barlier, Anne and Liu, Pengfei and Ouafik, L{\textquoteright}Houcine and Bours, Vincent and Lupski, James R and Stratakis, Constantine A and Beckers, Albert} } @article {61, title = {Somatic Mutations in NEK9 Cause Nevus Comedonicus.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {98}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 May 05}, pages = {1030-1037}, abstract = {

Acne vulgaris (AV) affects most adolescents, and of those affected, moderate to severe disease occurs in 20\%. Comedones, follicular plugs consisting of desquamated keratinocytes and sebum, are central to its pathogenesis. Despite high heritability in first-degree relatives, AV genetic determinants remain incompletely understood. We therefore employed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in nevus comedonicus (NC), a rare disorder that features comedones and inflammatory acne cysts in localized, linear configurations. WES identified somatic NEK9 mutations, each affecting highly conserved residues within its kinase or RCC1 domains, in affected tissue of three out of three NC-affected subjects. All mutations are gain of function, resulting in increased phosphorylation at Thr210, a hallmark of NEK9 kinase activation. We found that comedo formation in NC is marked by loss of follicular differentiation markers, expansion of keratin-15-positive cells from localization within the bulge to the entire sub-bulge follicle and cyst, and ectopic expression of keratin 10, a marker of interfollicular differentiation not present in normal follicles. These findings suggest that NEK9 mutations in NC disrupt normal follicular differentiation and identify NEK9 as a potential regulator of follicular homeostasis.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Female, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Male, Mutation, Nevus, NIMA-Related Kinases, Prognosis, Skin Neoplasms, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.03.019}, author = {Levinsohn, Jonathan L and Sugarman, Jeffrey L and McNiff, Jennifer M and Antaya, Richard J and Choate, Keith A} } @article {31, title = {SRD5A3-CDG: Expanding the phenotype of a congenital disorder of glycosylation with emphasis on adult onset features.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {170}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Dec}, pages = {3165-3171}, abstract = {

Increasing numbers of congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) have been reported recently resulting in an expansion of the phenotypes associated with this group of disorders. SRD5A3 codes for polyprenol reductase which converts polyprenol to dolichol. This is a major pathway for dolichol biosynthesis for N-glycosylation, O-mannosylation, C-mannosylation, and GPI anchor synthesis. We present the features of five individuals (three children and two adults) with mutations in SRD5A3 focusing on the variable eye and skin involvement. We compare that to 13 affected individuals from the literature including five adults allowing us to delineate the features that may develop over time with this disorder including kyphosis, retinitis pigmentosa, and cataracts. {\textcopyright} 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase, Adult, Child, Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation, Dolichols, Eye, Female, Glycosylation, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mutation, Phenotype, Skin, Tretinoin}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.37875}, author = {Wheeler, Patricia G and Ng, Bobby G and Sanford, Laura and Sutton, V Reid and Bartholomew, Dennis W and Pastore, Matthew T and Bamshad, Michael J and Kircher, Martin and Buckingham, Kati J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Shendure, Jay and Freeze, Hudson H} } @article {115, title = {Whole-Exome Sequencing in Familial Parkinson Disease.}, journal = {JAMA Neurol}, volume = {73}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jan}, pages = {68-75}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which susceptibility is linked to genetic and environmental risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To identify genetic variants contributing to disease risk in familial PD.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A 2-stage study design that included a discovery cohort of families with PD and a replication cohort of familial probands was used. In the discovery cohort, rare exonic variants that segregated in multiple affected individuals in a family and were predicted to be conserved or damaging were retained. Genes with retained variants were prioritized if expressed in the brain and located within PD-relevant pathways. Genes in which prioritized variants were observed in at least 4 families were selected as candidate genes for replication in the replication cohort. The setting was among individuals with familial PD enrolled from academic movement disorder specialty clinics across the United States. All participants had a family history of PD.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Identification of genes containing rare, likely deleterious, genetic variants in individuals with familial PD using a 2-stage exome sequencing study design.

RESULTS: The 93 individuals from 32 families in the discovery cohort (49.5\% [46 of 93] female) had a mean (SD) age at onset of 61.8 (10.0) years. The 49 individuals with familial PD in the replication cohort (32.6\% [16 of 49] female) had a mean (SD) age at onset of 50.1 (15.7) years. Discovery cohort recruitment dates were 1999 to 2009, and replication cohort recruitment dates were 2003 to 2014. Data analysis dates were 2011 to 2015. Three genes containing a total of 13 rare and potentially damaging variants were prioritized in the discovery cohort. Two of these genes (TNK2 and TNR) also had rare variants that were predicted to be damaging in the replication cohort. All 9 variants identified in the 2 replicated genes in 12 families across the discovery and replication cohorts were confirmed via Sanger sequencing.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: TNK2 and TNR harbored rare, likely deleterious, variants in individuals having familial PD, with similar findings in an independent cohort. To our knowledge, these genes have not been previously associated with PD, although they have been linked to critical neuronal functions. Further studies are required to confirm a potential role for these genes in the pathogenesis of PD.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Cohort Studies, Exome, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetic Variation, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Parkinsonian Disorders, Protein-Tyrosine Kinases, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Tenascin}, issn = {2168-6157}, doi = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.3266}, author = {Farlow, Janice L and Robak, Laurie A and Hetrick, Kurt and Bowling, Kevin and Boerwinkle, Eric and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep H and Gambin, Tomasz and Gibbs, Richard A and Gu, Shen and Jain, Preti and Jankovic, Joseph and Jhangiani, Shalini and Kaw, Kaveeta and Lai, Dongbing and Lin, Hai and Ling, Hua and Liu, Yunlong and Lupski, James R and Muzny, Donna and Porter, Paula and Pugh, Elizabeth and White, Janson and Doheny, Kimberly and Myers, Richard M and Shulman, Joshua M and Foroud, Tatiana} } @article {147, title = {Activating Mutations Affecting the Dbl Homology Domain of SOS2 Cause Noonan Syndrome.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Nov}, pages = {1080-7}, abstract = {

The RASopathies constitute a family of autosomal-dominant disorders whose major features include facial dysmorphism, cardiac defects, reduced postnatal growth, variable cognitive deficits, ectodermal and skeletal anomalies, and susceptibility to certain malignancies. Noonan syndrome (NS), the commonest RASopathy, is genetically heterogeneous and caused by functional dysregulation of signal transducers and regulatory proteins with roles in the RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal transduction pathway. Mutations in known disease genes account for approximately 80\% of affected individuals. Here, we report that missense mutations altering Son of Sevenless, Drosophila, homolog 2 (SOS2), which encodes a RAS guanine nucleotide exchange factor, occur in a small percentage of subjects with NS. Four missense mutations were identified in five unrelated sporadic cases and families transmitting NS. Disease-causing mutations affected three conserved residues located in the Dbl homology (DH) domain, of which two are directly involved in the intramolecular binding network maintaining SOS2 in its autoinhibited conformation. All mutations were found to promote enhanced signaling from RAS to ERK. Similar to NS-causing SOS1 mutations, the phenotype associated with SOS2 defects is characterized by normal development and growth, as well as marked ectodermal involvement. Unlike SOS1 mutations, however, those in SOS2 are restricted to the DH domain.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alleles, Amino Acid Substitution, Child, DNA Mutational Analysis, Exome, Facies, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genotype, Humans, Male, Models, Molecular, Mutation, Noonan Syndrome, Phenotype, Protein Conformation, Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs, Son of Sevenless Proteins, Young Adult}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.22834}, author = {Cordeddu, Viviana and Yin, Jiani C and Gunnarsson, Cecilia and Virtanen, Carl and Drunat, S{\'e}verine and Lepri, Francesca and De Luca, Alessandro and Rossi, Cesare and Ciolfi, Andrea and Pugh, Trevor J and Bruselles, Alessandro and Priest, James R and Pennacchio, Len A and Lu, Zhibin and Danesh, Arnavaz and Quevedo, Rene and Hamid, Alaa and Martinelli, Simone and Pantaleoni, Francesca and Gnazzo, Maria and Daniele, Paola and Lissewski, Christina and Bocchinfuso, Gianfranco and Stella, Lorenzo and Odent, Sylvie and Philip, Nicole and Faivre, Laurence and Vlckova, Marketa and Seemanova, Eva and Digilio, Cristina and Zenker, Martin and Zampino, Giuseppe and Verloes, Alain and Dallapiccola, Bruno and Roberts, Amy E and Cav{\'e}, H{\'e}l{\`e}ne and Gelb, Bruce D and Neel, Benjamin G and Tartaglia, Marco} } @article {641, title = {An anadysplasia-like, spontaneously remitting spondylometaphyseal dysplasia secondary to lamin B receptor (LBR) gene mutations: further definition of the phenotypic heterogeneity of LBR-bone dysplasias.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {167A}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jan}, pages = {159-63}, abstract = {

We describe a boy who has an anadysplasia-like spondylometaphyseal dysplasia. By whole exome sequencing he was shown to have compound heterozygous mutations of LBR that codes for the lamin B receptor. He shares many similarities with a case previously described, but in whom the early natural history could not be established [Borovik et al., 2013]. Thus, in addition to Greenberg dysplasia (a perinatal lethal disorder), homozygosity or compound heterozygosity of mutations in LBR can result in a mild, spontaneously regressing bone dysplasia.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mutation, Osteochondrodysplasias, Phenotype, Pregnancy, Radiography, Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear, Spine}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36808}, author = {Sobreira, Nara and Modaff, Peggy and Steel, Gary and You, Jing and Nanda, Sonia and Hoover-Fong, Julie and Valle, David and Pauli, Richard M} } @article {197, title = {Association of Rare Loss-Of-Function Alleles in HAL, Serum Histidine: Levels and Incident Coronary Heart Disease.}, journal = {Circ Cardiovasc Genet}, volume = {8}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr}, pages = {351-5}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Histidine is a semiessential amino acid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Few data are available on the associations between genetic variants, histidine levels, and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a population-based sample.

METHODS AND RESULTS: By conducting whole exome sequencing on 1152 African Americans in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and focusing on loss-of-function (LoF) variants, we identified 3 novel rare LoF variants in HAL, a gene that encodes histidine ammonia-lyase in the first step of histidine catabolism. These LoF variants had large effects on blood histidine levels (β=0.26; P=1.2{\texttimes}10(-13)). The positive association with histidine levels was replicated by genotyping an independent sample of 718 ARIC African Americans (minor allele frequency=1\%; P=1.2{\texttimes}10(-4)). In addition, high blood histidine levels were associated with reduced risk of developing incident CHD with an average of 21.5 years of follow-up among African Americans (hazard ratio=0.18; P=1.9{\texttimes}10(-4)). This finding was validated in an independent sample of European Americans from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring Cohort. However, LoF variants in HAL were not directly significantly associated with incident CHD after meta-analyzing results from the CHARGE Consortium.

CONCLUSIONS: Three LoF mutations in HAL were associated with increased histidine levels, which in turn were shown to be inversely related to the risk of CHD among both African Americans and European Americans. Future investigations on the association between HAL gene variation and CHD are warranted.

}, keywords = {Adult, African Americans, Alleles, Coronary Disease, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Histidine, Histidine Ammonia-Lyase, Humans, Male, Mutation}, issn = {1942-3268}, doi = {10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.114.000697}, author = {Yu, Bing and Li, Alexander H and Muzny, Donna and Veeraraghavan, Narayanan and de Vries, Paul S and Bis, Joshua C and Musani, Solomon K and Alexander, Danny and Morrison, Alanna C and Franco, Oscar H and Uitterlinden, Andr{\'e} and Hofman, Albert and Dehghan, Abbas and Wilson, James G and Psaty, Bruce M and Gibbs, Richard and Wei, Peng and Boerwinkle, Eric} } @article {206, title = {Biallelic mutations in BRCA1 cause a new Fanconi anemia subtype.}, journal = {Cancer Discov}, volume = {5}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Feb}, pages = {135-42}, abstract = {

UNLABELLED: Deficiency in BRCA-dependent DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) repair is intimately connected to breast cancer susceptibility and to the rare developmental syndrome Fanconi anemia. Bona fide Fanconi anemia proteins, BRCA2 (FANCD1), PALB2 (FANCN), and BRIP1 (FANCJ), interact with BRCA1 during ICL repair. However, the lack of detailed phenotypic and cellular characterization of a patient with biallelic BRCA1 mutations has precluded assignment of BRCA1 as a definitive Fanconi anemia susceptibility gene. Here, we report the presence of biallelic BRCA1 mutations in a woman with multiple congenital anomalies consistent with a Fanconi anemia-like disorder and breast cancer at age 23. Patient cells exhibited deficiency in BRCA1 and RAD51 localization to DNA-damage sites, combined with radial chromosome formation and hypersensitivity to ICL-inducing agents. Restoration of these functions was achieved by ectopic introduction of a BRCA1 transgene. These observations provide evidence in support of BRCA1 as a new Fanconi anemia gene (FANCS).

SIGNIFICANCE: We establish that biallelic BRCA1 mutations cause a distinct FA-S, which has implications for risk counselling in families where both parents harbor BRCA1 mutations. The genetic basis of hereditary cancer susceptibility syndromes provides diagnostic information, insights into treatment strategies, and more accurate recurrence risk counseling to families.

}, keywords = {Adult, Alleles, Base Sequence, BRCA1 Protein, Breast Neoplasms, Fanconi Anemia, Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins, Female, Genes, BRCA1, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Mutation, Young Adult}, issn = {2159-8290}, doi = {10.1158/2159-8290.CD-14-1156}, author = {Sawyer, Sarah L and Tian, Lei and K{\"a}hk{\"o}nen, Marketta and Schwartzentruber, Jeremy and Kircher, Martin and Majewski, Jacek and Dyment, David A and Innes, A Micheil and Boycott, Kym M and Moreau, Lisa A and Moilanen, Jukka S and Greenberg, Roger A} } @article {215, title = {Early-onset lymphoproliferation and autoimmunity caused by germline STAT3 gain-of-function mutations.}, journal = {Blood}, volume = {125}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jan 22}, pages = {591-9}, abstract = {

Germline loss-of-function mutations in the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) cause immunodeficiency, whereas somatic gain-of-function mutations in STAT3 are associated with large granular lymphocytic leukemic, myelodysplastic syndrome, and aplastic anemia. Recently, germline mutations in STAT3 have also been associated with autoimmune disease. Here, we report on 13 individuals from 10 families with lymphoproliferation and early-onset solid-organ autoimmunity associated with 9 different germline heterozygous mutations in STAT3. Patients exhibited a variety of clinical features, with most having lymphadenopathy, autoimmune cytopenias, multiorgan autoimmunity (lung, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and/or endocrine dysfunction), infections, and short stature. Functional analyses demonstrate that these mutations confer a gain-of-function in STAT3 leading to secondary defects in STAT5 and STAT1 phosphorylation and the regulatory T-cell compartment. Treatment targeting a cytokine pathway that signals through STAT3 led to clinical improvement in 1 patient, suggesting a potential therapeutic option for such patients. These results suggest that there is a broad range of autoimmunity caused by germline STAT3 gain-of-function mutations, and that hematologic autoimmunity is a major component of this newly described disorder. Some patients for this study were enrolled in a trial registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as $\#$NCT00001350.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Autoimmune Diseases, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Humans, Infant, Lymphoproliferative Disorders, Male, Mutation, Phosphorylation, STAT1 Transcription Factor, STAT3 Transcription Factor, STAT5 Transcription Factor, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory}, issn = {1528-0020}, doi = {10.1182/blood-2014-09-602763}, author = {Milner, Joshua D and Vogel, Tiphanie P and Forbes, Lisa and Ma, Chi A and Stray-Pedersen, Asbj{\o}rg and Niemela, Julie E and Lyons, Jonathan J and Engelhardt, Karin R and Zhang, Yu and Topcagic, Nermina and Roberson, Elisha D O and Matthews, Helen and Verbsky, James W and Dasu, Trivikram and Vargas-Hernandez, Alexander and Varghese, Nidhy and McClain, Kenneth L and Karam, Lina B and Nahmod, Karen and Makedonas, George and Mace, Emily M and Sorte, Hanne S and Perminow, G{\o}ri and Rao, V Koneti and O{\textquoteright}Connell, Michael P and Price, Susan and Su, Helen C and Butrick, Morgan and McElwee, Joshua and Hughes, Jason D and Willet, Joseph and Swan, David and Xu, Yaobo and Santibanez-Koref, Mauro and Slowik, Voytek and Dinwiddie, Darrell L and Ciaccio, Christina E and Saunders, Carol J and Septer, Seth and Kingsmore, Stephen F and White, Andrew J and Cant, Andrew J and Hambleton, Sophie and Cooper, Megan A} } @article {132, title = {Exome analysis of a family with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome identifies a novel disease locus.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {167A}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Dec}, pages = {2975-84}, abstract = {

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a common cause of supraventricular tachycardia that carries a risk of sudden cardiac death. To date, mutations in only one gene, PRKAG2, which encodes the 5{\textquoteright}-AMP-activated protein kinase subunit γ-2, have been identified as causative for WPW. DNA samples from five members of a family with WPW were analyzed by exome sequencing. We applied recently designed prioritization strategies (VAAST/pedigree VAAST) coupled with an ontology-based algorithm (Phevor) that reduced the number of potentially damaging variants to 10: a variant in KCNE2 previously associated with Long QT syndrome was also identified. Of these 11 variants, only MYH6 p.E1885K segregated with the WPW phenotype in all affected individuals and was absent in 10 unaffected family members. This variant was predicted to be damaging by in silico methods and is not present in the 1,000 genome and NHLBI exome sequencing project databases. Screening of a replication cohort of 47 unrelated WPW patients did not identify other likely causative variants in PRKAG2 or MYH6. MYH6 variants have been identified in patients with atrial septal defects, cardiomyopathies, and sick sinus syndrome. Our data highlight the pleiotropic nature of phenotypes associated with defects in this gene.

}, keywords = {Adult, AMP-Activated Protein Kinases, Cardiac Myosins, Exome, Female, Genetic Loci, Humans, Male, Myosin Heavy Chains, Pedigree, Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.37297}, author = {Bowles, Neil E and Jou, Chuanchau J and Arrington, Cammon B and Kennedy, Brett J and Earl, Aubree and Matsunami, Norisada and Meyers, Lindsay L and Etheridge, Susan P and Saarel, Elizabeth V and Bleyl, Steven B and Yost, H Joseph and Yandell, Mark and Leppert, Mark F and Tristani-Firouzi, Martin and Gruber, Peter J} } @article {180, title = {Exome sequencing links mutations in PARN and RTEL1 with familial pulmonary fibrosis and telomere shortening.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {47}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 May}, pages = {512-7}, abstract = {

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related disease featuring progressive lung scarring. To elucidate the molecular basis of IPF, we performed exome sequencing of familial kindreds with pulmonary fibrosis. Gene burden analysis comparing 78 European cases and 2,816 controls implicated PARN, an exoribonuclease with no previous connection to telomere biology or disease, with five new heterozygous damaging mutations in unrelated cases and none in controls (P = 1.3 {\texttimes} 10(-8)); mutations were shared by all affected relatives (odds in favor of linkage = 4,096:1). RTEL1, an established locus for dyskeratosis congenita, harbored significantly more new damaging and missense variants at conserved residues in cases than in controls (P = 1.6 {\texttimes} 10(-6)). PARN and RTEL1 mutation carriers had shortened leukocyte telomere lengths, and we observed epigenetic inheritance of short telomeres in family members. Together, these genes explain ~7\% of familial pulmonary fibrosis and strengthen the link between lung fibrosis and telomere dysfunction.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Amino Acid Sequence, Case-Control Studies, Cells, Cultured, DNA Helicases, DNA Mutational Analysis, Exome, Exoribonucleases, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Leukocytes, Lod Score, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Pedigree, Telomere, Telomere Shortening}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.3278}, author = {Stuart, Bridget D and Choi, Jungmin and Zaidi, Samir and Xing, Chao and Holohan, Brody and Chen, Rui and Choi, Mihwa and Dharwadkar, Pooja and Torres, Fernando and Girod, Carlos E and Weissler, Jonathan and Fitzgerald, John and Kershaw, Corey and Klesney-Tait, Julia and Mageto, Yolanda and Shay, Jerry W and Ji, Weizhen and Bilguvar, Kaya and Mane, Shrikant and Lifton, Richard P and Garcia, Christine Kim} } @article {174, title = {Exome sequencing reveals homozygous TRIM2 mutation in a patient with early onset CMT and bilateral vocal cord paralysis.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {134}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jun}, pages = {671-3}, abstract = {

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a heterogeneous group of inherited distal symmetric polyneuropathies associated with mutations in genes encoding components essential for normal functioning of the Schwann cell and axon. TRIM2, encoding a ligase that ubiquitinates the neurofilament light chain, was recently associated with early-onset neuropathy in a single patient. We report a TRIM2 homozygous missense mutation (c.2000A>C; p.D667A) in a patient with peripheral neuropathy and bilateral vocal cord paralysis, allowing for further delineation of the associated phenotypic spectrum.

}, keywords = {Adult, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, Exome, Female, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mutation, Missense, Nuclear Proteins, Vocal Cord Paralysis}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-015-1548-3}, author = {Pehlivan, Davut and Coban Akdemir, Zeynep and Karaca, Ender and Bayram, Yavuz and Jhangiani, Shalini and Yildiz, Edibe Pembegul and Muzny, Donna and Uluc, Kayihan and Gibbs, Richard A and Elcioglu, Nursel and Lupski, James R and Harel, Tamar} } @article {188, title = {FBN1 contributing to familial congenital diaphragmatic hernia.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {167A}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr}, pages = {831-6}, abstract = {

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a relatively common, life--threatening birth defect. We present a family with recurrent CDH--paraesophageal and central--for whom exome sequencing (ES) revealed a frameshift mutation (c.4969_4970insA, p.Ile1657Asnfs*30) in the fibrillin 1 gene (FBN1) that causes Marfan syndrome. A diagnosis of Marfan syndrome had not been considered previously in this family. However, a review of the literature demonstrated that FBN1 mutations have an unusual pattern of CDH in which paraesophageal hernias are particularly common. Subsequent clinical evaluations revealed evidence for ectopia lentis in affected family members supporting a clinical diagnosis of Marfan syndrome. Since only two other cases of familial CDH have been described in association with FBN1 mutations, we investigated an oligogenic hypothesis by examining ES data for deleterious sequence changes in other CDH-related genes. This search revealed putatively deleterious sequence changes in four other genes that have been shown to cause diaphragm defects in humans and/or mice--FREM1, DES, PAX3 and MET. It is unclear whether these changes, alone or in aggregate, are contributing to the development of CDH in this family. However, their individual contribution is likely to be small compared to that of the frameshift mutation in FBN1. We conclude that ES can be used to identify both major and minor genetic factors that may contribute to CDH. These results also suggest that ES should be considered in the diagnostic evaluation of individuals and families with CDH, particularly when other diagnostic modalities have failed to reveal a molecular etiology.

}, keywords = {Adult, Child, Preschool, DNA Mutational Analysis, Exome, Female, Fibrillin-1, Fibrillins, Frameshift Mutation, Genetic Association Studies, Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital, Humans, Male, Marfan Syndrome, Microfilament Proteins, Pedigree}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36960}, author = {Beck, Tyler F and Campeau, Philippe M and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Gambin, Tomasz and Li, Alexander H and Abo-Zahrah, Reem and Jordan, Valerie K and Hernandez-Garcia, Andres and Wiszniewski, Wojciech K and Muzny, Donna and Gibbs, Richard A and Boerwinkle, Eric and Lupski, James R and Lee, Brendan and Reardon, Willie and Scott, Daryl A} } @article {202, title = {Frequency and phenotypic spectrum of germline mutations in POLE and seven other polymerase genes in 266 patients with colorectal adenomas and carcinomas.}, journal = {Int J Cancer}, volume = {137}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jul 15}, pages = {320-31}, abstract = {

In a number of families with colorectal adenomatous polyposis or suspected Lynch syndrome/HNPCC, no germline alteration in the APC, MUTYH, or mismatch repair (MMR) genes are found. Missense mutations in the polymerase genes POLE and POLD1 have recently been identified as rare cause of multiple colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, a condition termed polymerase proofreading-associated polyposis (PPAP). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical relevance and phenotypic spectrum of polymerase germline mutations. Therefore, targeted sequencing of the polymerase genes POLD1, POLD2, POLD3, POLD4, POLE, POLE2, POLE3 and POLE4 was performed in 266 unrelated patients with polyposis or fulfilled Amsterdam criteria. The POLE mutation c.1270C>G;p.Leu424Val was detected in four unrelated patients. The mutation was present in 1.5\% (4/266) of all patients, 4\% (3/77) of all familial cases and 7\% (2/30) of familial polyposis cases. The colorectal phenotype in 14 affected individuals ranged from typical adenomatous polyposis to a HNPCC phenotype, with high intrafamilial variability. Multiple colorectal carcinomas and duodenal adenomas were common, and one case of duodenal carcinoma was reported. Additionally, various extraintestinal lesions were evident. Nine further putative pathogenic variants were identified. The most promising was c.1306C>T;p.Pro436Ser in POLE. In conclusion, a PPAP was identified in a substantial number of polyposis and familial colorectal cancer patients. Screening for polymerase proofreading mutations should therefore be considered, particularly in unexplained familial cases. The present study broadens the phenotypic spectrum of PPAP to duodenal adenomas and carcinomas, and identified novel, potentially pathogenic variants in four polymerase genes.

}, keywords = {Adenoma, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Colorectal Neoplasms, DNA Polymerase II, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, Family Health, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Germ-Line Mutation, Humans, Isoenzymes, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Phenotype, Phospholipase D, Poly-ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1097-0215}, doi = {10.1002/ijc.29396}, author = {Spier, Isabel and Holzapfel, Stefanie and Altm{\"u}ller, Janine and Zhao, Bixiao and Horpaopan, Sukanya and Vogt, Stefanie and Chen, Sophia and Morak, Monika and Raeder, Susanne and Kayser, Katrin and Stienen, Dietlinde and Adam, Ronja and N{\"u}rnberg, Peter and Plotz, Guido and Holinski-Feder, Elke and Lifton, Richard P and Thiele, Holger and Hoffmann, Per and Steinke, Verena and Aretz, Stefan} } @article {187, title = {Frequent somatic reversion of KRT1 mutations in ichthyosis with confetti.}, journal = {J Clin Invest}, volume = {125}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr}, pages = {1703-7}, abstract = {

Widespread reversion of genetic disease is rare; however, such events are particularly evident in some skin disorders in which normal clones develop on a background of affected skin. We previously demonstrated that mutations in keratin 10 (KRT10) cause ichthyosis with confetti (IWC), a severe dominant disorder that is characterized by progressive development of hundreds of normal skin spots via revertant mosaicism. Here, we report on a clinical and histological IWC subtype in which affected subjects have red, scaly skin at birth, experience worsening palmoplantar keratoderma in childhood, and develop hundreds of normal skin spots, beginning at around 20 years of age, that increase in size and number over time. We identified a causal de novo mutation in keratin 1 (KRT1). Similar to IWC-causing KRT10 mutations, this mutation in KRT1 resulted in a C-terminal frameshift, replacing 22 C-terminal amino acids with an alternate 30-residue peptide. Mutant KRT1 caused partial collapse of the cytoplasmic intermediate filament network and mislocalized to the nucleus. As with KRT10 mutations causing IWC, reversion of KRT1 mutations occurred via mitotic recombination. Because reversion is not observed with other disease-causing keratin mutations, the results of this study implicate KRT1 and KRT10 C-terminal frameshift mutations in the high frequency of revertant mosaicism in IWC.

}, keywords = {Adult, Age of Onset, Amino Acid Sequence, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Nucleus, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12, Cytoskeleton, Frameshift Mutation, Humans, Ichthyosis, Intermediate Filaments, Keratin-1, Keratinocytes, Loss of Heterozygosity, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mosaicism, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Protein Transport, Transfection}, issn = {1558-8238}, doi = {10.1172/JCI64415}, author = {Choate, Keith A and Lu, Yin and Zhou, Jing and Elias, Peter M and Zaidi, Samir and Paller, Amy S and Farhi, Anita and Nelson-Williams, Carol and Crumrine, Debra and Milstone, Leonard M and Lifton, Richard P} } @article {167, title = {Germline PRKACA amplification causes variable phenotypes that may depend on the extent of the genomic defect: molecular mechanisms and clinical presentations.}, journal = {Eur J Endocrinol}, volume = {172}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 06}, pages = {803-11}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: We have recently reported five patients with bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia (BAH) and Cushing{\textquoteright}s syndrome (CS) caused by constitutive activation of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PRKACA). By doing new in-depth analysis of their cytogenetic abnormality, we attempted a better genotype-phenotype correlation of their PRKACA amplification.

DESIGN: This study is a case series.

METHODS: Molecular cytogenetic, genomic, clinical, and histopathological analyses were performed in five patients with CS.

RESULTS: Reinvestigation of the defects of previously described patients by state-of-the-art molecular cytogenetics showed complex genomic rearrangements in the chromosome 19p13.2p13.12 locus, resulting in copy number gains encompassing the entire PRKACA gene; three patients (one sporadic case and two related cases) were observed with gains consistent with duplications, while two sporadic patients were observed with gains consistent with triplications. Although all five patients presented with ACTH-independent CS, the three sporadic patients had micronodular BAH and underwent bilateral adrenalectomy in early childhood, whereas the two related patients, a mother and a son, presented with macronodular BAH as adults. In at least one patient, PRKACA triplication was associated with a more severe phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS: Constitutional chromosomal PRKACA gene amplification is a recently identified genetic defect associated with CS, a trait that may be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner or occur de novo. Genomic rearrangements can be complex and can result in different copy number states of dosage-sensitive genes, e.g., duplication and triplication. PRKACA amplification can lead to variable phenotypes clinically and pathologically, both micro- and macro-nodular BAH, the latter of which we speculate may depend on the extent of amplification.

}, keywords = {Adrenal Glands, Adrenalectomy, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Cushing Syndrome, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Gene Amplification, Humans, Hyperplasia, Male, Phenotype, Young Adult}, issn = {1479-683X}, doi = {10.1530/EJE-14-1154}, author = {Lodish, Maya B and Yuan, Bo and Levy, Isaac and Braunstein, Glenn D and Lyssikatos, Charalampos and Salpea, Paraskevi and Szarek, Eva and Karageorgiadis, Alexander S and Belyavskaya, Elena and Raygada, Margarita and Faucz, Fabio Rueda and Izzat, Louise and Brain, Caroline and Gardner, James and Quezado, Martha and Carney, J Aidan and Lupski, James R and Stratakis, Constantine A} } @article {198, title = {Global transcriptional disturbances underlie Cornelia de Lange syndrome and related phenotypes.}, journal = {J Clin Invest}, volume = {125}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Feb}, pages = {636-51}, abstract = {

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder that presents with extensive phenotypic variability, including facial dysmorphism, developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID), abnormal extremities, and hirsutism. About 65\% of patients harbor mutations in genes that encode subunits or regulators of the cohesin complex, including NIPBL, SMC1A, SMC3, RAD21, and HDAC8. Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome (WDSTS), which shares CdLS phenotypic features, is caused by mutations in lysine-specific methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A). Here, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) of 2 male siblings clinically diagnosed with WDSTS; this revealed a hemizygous, missense mutation in SMC1A that was predicted to be deleterious. Extensive clinical evaluation and WES of 32 Turkish patients clinically diagnosed with CdLS revealed the presence of a de novo heterozygous nonsense KMT2A mutation in 1 patient without characteristic WDSTS features. We also identified de novo heterozygous mutations in SMC3 or SMC1A that affected RNA splicing in 2 independent patients with combined CdLS and WDSTS features. Furthermore, in families from 2 separate world populations segregating an autosomal-recessive disorder with CdLS-like features, we identified homozygous mutations in TAF6, which encodes a core transcriptional regulatory pathway component. Together, our data, along with recent transcriptome studies, suggest that CdLS and related phenotypes may be "transcriptomopathies" rather than cohesinopathies.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Cell Cycle Proteins, Child, Child, Preschool, Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans, Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone, Codon, Nonsense, De Lange Syndrome, Exome, Exonucleases, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Expression Regulation, Genome-Wide Association Study, Heterozygote, Histone Deacetylases, Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase, Humans, Infant, Male, Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein, Phenotype, Proteins, Repressor Proteins, Transcriptome}, issn = {1558-8238}, doi = {10.1172/JCI77435}, author = {Yuan, Bo and Pehlivan, Davut and Karaca, Ender and Patel, Nisha and Charng, Wu-Lin and Gambin, Tomasz and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Sutton, V Reid and Yesil, G{\"o}zde and Bozdogan, Sevcan Tug and Tos, Tulay and Koparir, Asuman and Koparir, Erkan and Beck, Christine R and Gu, Shen and Aslan, Huseyin and Yuregir, Ozge Ozalp and Al Rubeaan, Khalid and Alnaqeb, Dhekra and Alshammari, Muneera J and Bayram, Yavuz and Atik, Mehmed M and Aydin, Hatip and Geckinli, B Bilge and Seven, Mehmet and Ulucan, Hakan and Fenercioglu, Elif and Ozen, Mustafa and Jhangiani, Shalini and Muzny, Donna M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Tuysuz, Beyhan and Alkuraya, Fowzan S and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R} } @article {154, title = {KIAA0586 is Mutated in Joubert Syndrome.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Sep}, pages = {831-5}, abstract = {

Joubert syndrome (JS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a distinctive mid-hindbrain malformation. JS is part of a group of disorders called ciliopathies based on their overlapping phenotypes and common underlying pathophysiology linked to primary cilium dysfunction. Biallelic mutations in one of 28 genes, all encoding proteins localizing to the primary cilium or basal body, can cause JS. Despite this large number of genes, the genetic cause can currently be determined in about 62\% of individuals with JS. To identify novel JS genes, we performed whole exome sequencing on 35 individuals with JS and found biallelic rare deleterious variants (RDVs) in KIAA0586, encoding a centrosomal protein required for ciliogenesis, in one individual. Targeted next-generation sequencing in a large JS cohort identified biallelic RDVs in eight additional families for an estimated prevalence of 2.5\% (9/366 JS families). All affected individuals displayed JS phenotypes toward the mild end of the spectrum.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Adolescent, Adult, Alternative Splicing, Brain, Cell Cycle Proteins, Cerebellum, Child, Child, Preschool, DNA Mutational Analysis, Eye Abnormalities, Gene Order, Genetic Association Studies, Humans, Kidney Diseases, Cystic, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Mutation, Phenotype, Retina, Young Adult}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.22821}, author = {Bachmann-Gagescu, Ruxandra and Phelps, Ian G and Dempsey, Jennifer C and Sharma, Vivek A and Ishak, Gisele E and Boyle, Evan A and Wilson, Meredith and Marques Louren{\c c}o, Charles and Arslan, Mutluay and Shendure, Jay and Doherty, Dan} } @article {196, title = {Mutations in RAD21 disrupt regulation of APOB in patients with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.}, journal = {Gastroenterology}, volume = {148}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr}, pages = {771-782.e11}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND \& AIMS: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is characterized by severe intestinal dysmotility that mimics a mechanical subocclusion with no~evidence of gut obstruction. We searched for genetic variants associated with CIPO to increase our understanding of its pathogenesis and to identify potential biomarkers.

METHODS: We performed whole-exome sequencing of genomic DNA from patients with familial CIPO syndrome. Blood and lymphoblastoid cells were collected from patients and controls (individuals without CIPO); levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) and proteins were analyzed by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblot, and mobility shift assays. Complementary DNAs were transfected into HEK293 cells. Expression of rad21 was suppressed in zebrafish embryos using a splice-blocking morpholino (rad21a). Gut tissues were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: We identified a homozygous mutation (p.622, encodes Ala>Thr) in RAD21 in patients from a consanguineous family with CIPO. Expression of RUNX1, a target of RAD21, was reduced in cells from patients with CIPO compared with controls. In zebrafish, suppression of rad21a reduced expression of runx1; this phenotype was corrected by injection of human RAD21 mRNA, but not with the mRNA from the mutated p.622 allele. rad21a Morpholino zebrafish had delayed intestinal transit and greatly reduced numbers of enteric neurons, similar to patients with CIPO. This defect was greater in zebrafish with suppressed expression of ret and rad21, indicating their interaction in the regulation of gut neurogenesis. The promoter region of APOB bound RAD21 but not RAD21 p.622 Ala>Thr; expression of wild-type RAD21 in HEK293 cells repressed expression of APOB, compared with control vector. The gut-specific isoform of APOB (APOB48) is overexpressed in sera from patients with CIPO who carry the RAD21 mutation. APOB48 also is overexpressed in sporadic CIPO in sera and gut biopsy specimens.

CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with CIPO carry mutations in RAD21 that disrupt the ability of its product to regulate genes such as RUNX1 and APOB. Reduced expression of rad21 in zebrafish, and dysregulation of these target genes, disrupts intestinal transit and the development of enteric neurons.

}, keywords = {Adult, Animals, Apolipoprotein B-100, Case-Control Studies, Cell Cycle Proteins, Chronic Disease, Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit, Enteric Nervous System, Female, Gastrointestinal Motility, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Knockdown Techniques, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction, Male, Middle Aged, Nuclear Proteins, Phosphoproteins, RNA, Messenger, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult, Zebrafish, Zebrafish Proteins}, issn = {1528-0012}, doi = {10.1053/j.gastro.2014.12.034}, author = {Bonora, Elena and Bianco, Francesca and Cordeddu, Lina and Bamshad, Michael and Francescatto, Ludmila and Dowless, Dustin and Stanghellini, Vincenzo and Cogliandro, Rosanna F and Lindberg, Greger and Mungan, Zeynel and Cefle, Kivanc and Ozcelik, Tayfun and Palanduz, Sukru and Ozturk, Sukru and Gedikbasi, Asuman and Gori, Alessandra and Pippucci, Tommaso and Graziano, Claudio and Volta, Umberto and Caio, Giacomo and Barbara, Giovanni and D{\textquoteright}Amato, Mauro and Seri, Marco and Katsanis, Nicholas and Romeo, Giovanni and De Giorgio, Roberto} } @article {216, title = {New mutations in the RAB28 gene in 2 Spanish families with cone-rod dystrophy.}, journal = {JAMA Ophthalmol}, volume = {133}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Feb}, pages = {133-9}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: The families evaluated in this study represent the second report of cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) cases caused by mutations in RAB28, a recently discovered gene associated with CRD.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the disease-causing gene in 2 families of Spanish descent presenting with CRD who do not have ABCA4 mutations.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Molecular genetics and observational case studies of 2 families, each with 1 affected proband with CRD and 3 or 5 unaffected family members. The affected individual from each family received a complete ophthalmic examination including assessment of refractive errors and best-corrected visual acuity, biomicroscopy, color fundus photography, electroretinography analysis, and visual-evoked potential analysis. After complete sequencing of the ABCA4 gene with negative results, the screening for disease-causing mutations was performed by whole-exome sequencing. Possible disease-associated variants were determined by filtering based on minor allele frequency, predicted pathogenicity, and segregation analysis in all family members.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The appearance of the macula was evaluated by clinical examination, fundus photography, and fundus autofluorescence imaging, and visual function was assessed by electroretinography. Disease-causing mutations were assessed by sequence analyses.

RESULTS: Ophthalmologic findings included markedly reduced visual acuity, bull{\textquoteright}s eye maculopathy, foveal hyperpigmentation, peripapillary atrophy, dyschromatopsia, extinguished photopic responses, and reduced scotopic responses observed on electroretinography consistent with the CRD phenotype often associated with ABCA4 mutations. Although no ABCA4 mutations were detected in either patient, whole-exome sequencing analysis identified 2 new homozygous mutations in the recently described RAB28 gene, the c.172 + 1G>C splice site variant in IVS2 and the missense c.T651G:p.C217W substitution. Both variants were determined as deleterious by predictive programs and were segregated with the disease in both families. Sequencing of 107 additional patients of Spanish descent with CRD did not reveal other cases with RAB28 mutations.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Deleterious mutations in RAB28 result in a classic CRD phenotype and are an infrequent cause of CRD in the Spanish population.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Diagnosis, Differential, DNA Mutational Analysis, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Hispanic Americans, Humans, Male, Microscopy, Acoustic, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, rab GTP-Binding Proteins, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Retrospective Studies, Young Adult}, issn = {2168-6173}, doi = {10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2014.4266}, author = {Riveiro-{\'A}lvarez, Rosa and Xie, Yajing Angela and L{\'o}pez-Mart{\'\i}nez, Miguel-{\'A}ngel and Gambin, Tomasz and P{\'e}rez-Carro, Raquel and {\'A}vila-Fern{\'a}ndez, Almudena and L{\'o}pez-Molina, Mar{\'\i}a-Isabel and Zernant, Jana and Jhangiani, Shalini and Muzny, Donna and Yuan, Bo and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard and Lupski, James R and Ayuso, Carmen and Allikmets, Rando} } @article {144, title = {Novel COL2A1 variant (c.619G>A, p.Gly207Arg) manifesting as a phenotype similar to progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, Stanescu type.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Oct}, pages = {1004-8}, abstract = {

Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPRD) is a rare, autosomal-recessive condition characterized by mild spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SED) and severe, progressive, early-onset arthritis due to WISP3 mutations. SED, Stanescu type, is a vaguely delineated autosomal-dominant dysplasia of unknown genetic etiology. Here, we report three individuals from two unrelated families with radiological features similar to PPRD and SED, Stanescu type who share the same novel COL2A1 variant and were matched following discussion at an academic conference. In the first family, we performed whole-exome sequencing on three family members, two of whom have a PPRD-like phenotype, and identified a heterozygous variant (c.619G>A, p.Gly207Arg) in both affected individuals. Independently, targeted sequencing of the COL2A1 gene in an unrelated proband with a similar phenotype identified the same heterozygous variant. We suggest that the p.Gly207Arg variant causes a distinct type II collagenopathy with features of PPRD and SED, Stanescu type.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Collagen Type II, Exome, Female, Humans, Joint Diseases, Male, Osteochondrodysplasias, Pedigree, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Radiography, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.22839}, author = {Jurgens, Julie and Sobreira, Nara and Modaff, Peggy and Reiser, Catherine A and Seo, Soo Hyun and Seong, Moon-Woo and Park, Sung Sup and Kim, Ok Hwa and Cho, Tae-Joon and Pauli, Richard M} } @article {171, title = {Recurrent gain of function mutation in calcium channel CACNA1H causes early-onset hypertension with primary aldosteronism.}, journal = {Elife}, volume = {4}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr 24}, pages = {e06315}, abstract = {

Many Mendelian traits are likely unrecognized owing to absence of traditional segregation patterns in families due to causation by de novo mutations, incomplete penetrance, and/or variable expressivity. Genome-level sequencing can overcome these complications. Extreme childhood phenotypes are promising candidates for new Mendelian traits. One example is early onset hypertension, a rare form of a global cause of morbidity and mortality. We performed exome sequencing of 40 unrelated subjects with hypertension due to primary aldosteronism by age 10. Five subjects (12.5\%) shared the identical, previously unidentified, heterozygous CACNA1H(M1549V) mutation. Two mutations were demonstrated to be de novo events, and all mutations occurred independently. CACNA1H encodes a voltage-gated calcium channel (CaV3.2) expressed in adrenal glomerulosa. CACNA1H(M1549V) showed drastically impaired channel inactivation and activation at more hyperpolarized potentials, producing increased intracellular Ca(2+), the signal for aldosterone production. This mutation explains disease pathogenesis and provides new insight into mechanisms mediating aldosterone production and hypertension.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Age of Onset, Aldosterone, Amino Acid Sequence, Calcium, Calcium Channels, T-Type, Calcium Signaling, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Gene Expression, Genotype, Heterozygote, Humans, Hyperaldosteronism, Hypertension, Infant, Male, Membrane Potentials, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Phenotype, Recurrence, Sequence Alignment, Zona Glomerulosa}, issn = {2050-084X}, doi = {10.7554/eLife.06315}, author = {Scholl, Ute I and St{\"o}lting, Gabriel and Nelson-Williams, Carol and Vichot, Alfred A and Choi, Murim and Loring, Erin and Prasad, Manju L and Goh, Gerald and Carling, Tobias and Juhlin, C Christofer and Quack, Ivo and Rump, Lars C and Thiel, Anne and Lande, Marc and Frazier, Britney G and Rasoulpour, Majid and Bowlin, David L and Sethna, Christine B and Trachtman, Howard and Fahlke, Christoph and Lifton, Richard P} } @article {106, title = {Safety and Proof-of-Concept Study of Oral QLT091001 in Retinitis Pigmentosa Due to Inherited Deficiencies of Retinal Pigment Epithelial 65 Protein (RPE65) or Lecithin:Retinol Acyltransferase (LRAT).}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {10}, year = {2015}, month = {2015}, pages = {e0143846}, abstract = {

UNLABELLED: Restoring vision in inherited retinal degenerations remains an unmet medical need. In mice exhibiting a genetically engineered block of the visual cycle, vision was recently successfully restored by oral administration of 9-cis-retinyl acetate (QLT091001). Safety and visual outcomes of a once-daily oral dose of 40 mg/m2/day QLT091001 for 7 consecutive days was investigated in an international, multi-center, open-label, proof-of-concept study in 18 patients with RPE65- or LRAT-related retinitis pigmentosa. Eight of 18 patients (44\%) showed a >=20\% increase and 4 of 18 (22\%) showed a >=40\% increase in functional retinal area determined from Goldmann visual fields; 12 (67\%) and 5 (28\%) of 18 patients showed a >=5 and >=10 ETDRS letter score increase of visual acuity, respectively, in one or both eyes at two or more visits within 2 months of treatment. In two patients who underwent fMRI, a significant positive response was measured to stimuli of medium contrast, moving, pattern targets in both left and right hemispheres of the occipital cortex. There were no serious adverse events. Treatment-related adverse events were transient and the most common included headache, photophobia, nausea, vomiting, and minor biochemical abnormalities. Measuring the outer segment length of the photoreceptor layer with high-definition optical coherence tomography was highly predictive of treatment responses with responders having a significantly larger baseline outer segment thickness (11.7 {\textpm} 4.8 μm, mean {\textpm} 95\% CI) than non-responders (3.5 {\textpm} 1.2 μm). This structure-function relationship suggests that treatment with QLT091001 is more likely to be efficacious if there is sufficient photoreceptor integrity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01014052.

}, keywords = {Acyltransferases, Administration, Oral, Adult, Anticarcinogenic Agents, Cerebral Cortex, Child, cis-trans-Isomerases, Drug Dosage Calculations, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Radiography, Retinal Ganglion Cells, Retinal Neurons, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Treatment Outcome, Visual Acuity, Visual Fields, Vitamin A, Young Adult}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0143846}, author = {Scholl, Hendrik P N and Moore, Anthony T and Koenekoop, Robert K and Wen, Yuquan and Fishman, Gerald A and van den Born, L Ingeborgh and Bittner, Ava and Bowles, Kristen and Fletcher, Emily C and Collison, Frederick T and Dagnelie, Gislin and Degli Eposti, Simona and Michaelides, Michel and Saperstein, David A and Schuchard, Ronald A and Barnes, Claire and Zein, Wadih and Zobor, Ditta and Birch, David G and Mendola, Janine D and Zrenner, Eberhart} } @article {125, title = {Somatic p.T771R KDR (VEGFR2) Mutation Arising in a Sporadic Angioma During Ramucirumab Therapy.}, journal = {JAMA Dermatol}, volume = {151}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Nov}, pages = {1240-3}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: Inhibition of angiogenesis is an effective anticancer strategy because neoplasms require a rich blood supply. Ramucirumab, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014 to treat gastric adenocarcinomas and non-small cell lung carcinomas, targets vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (VEGFR2). We identified a patient prescribed a regimen of irinotecan hydrochloride, cetuximab, and ramucirumab for metastatic rectal cancer (diagnosed in November 2013 and treated through early January 2015) who developed a new-onset, expanding vascular lesion on his right leg. Via exome sequencing, we found that the lesion contained a single somatic mutation in KDR (encodes VEGFR2), possibly in response to ramucirumab. Vascular tumors are not a known complication of antiangiogenic therapeutics.

OBSERVATIONS: Exome sequencing of the well-demarcated, blanching vascular lesion on the lateral right shin revealed a somatic p.T771R mutation in KDR, without evidence of other somatic mutations or loss of heterozygosity. Histological features included lobules of small vessels within the dermis, resembling a tufted angioma.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A potential adverse effect of ramucirumab in combination therapy is the development of sporadic angiomas. The p.T771R mutation was previously implicated in autophosphorylation of VEGFR2 and reported in angiosarcomas alongside other driver mutations. Our observations suggest that this mutation confers a proliferative advantage in the setting of ramucirumab therapy. Patients receiving ramucirumab should be monitored for the development of new vascular lesions.

}, keywords = {Adult, Angiogenesis Inhibitors, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols, Camptothecin, Cetuximab, Hemangioma, Humans, Irinotecan, Male, Mutation, Rectal Neoplasms, Skin Neoplasms, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2}, issn = {2168-6084}, doi = {10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.1925}, author = {Lim, Young H and Odell, Ian D and Ko, Christine J and Choate, Keith A} } @article {192, title = {Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies an Adult-Onset Case of Methylmalonic Aciduria and Homocystinuria Type C (cblC) with Non-Syndromic Bull{\textquoteright}s Eye Maculopathy.}, journal = {Ophthalmic Genet}, volume = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {2015}, pages = {270-5}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria type C (cblC), a disorder of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) metabolism caused by mutations in the MMACHC gene, presents with many systemic symptoms, including neurological, cognitive, psychiatric, and thromboembolic events. Retinal phenotypes, including maculopathy, pigmentary retinopathy, and optic atrophy are common in early onset form of the disease but are rare in adult onset forms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: An adult Hispanic female presented with decreased central vision, bilateral pericentral ring scotomas and bull{\textquoteright}s eye-appearing macular lesions at 28 years of age. Her medical history was otherwise unremarkable except for iron deficiency anemia and both urinary tract and kidney infections. Screening of the ABCA4 gene, mutations in which frequently cause bull{\textquoteright}s eye maculopathy, was negative. Subsequently, analysis with whole exome sequencing was performed.

RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing discovered compound heterozygous mutations in MMACHC, c.G482A:p.Arg161Gln and c.270_271insA:p.Arg91Lysfs*14, which segregated with the disease in the family. The genetic diagnosis was confirmed by biochemical laboratory testing, showing highly elevated urine methylmalonic acid/creatinine and homocysteine levels, and suggesting disease management with hydroxycobalamin injections and carnitine supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS: In summary, a unique case of an adult patient with bull{\textquoteright}s eye macular lesions and no clinically relevant systemic symptoms was diagnosed with cblC by genetic screening and follow-up biochemical laboratory tests.

}, keywords = {Adult, Carrier Proteins, Electroretinography, Exome, Female, Genetic Testing, Heterozygote, Homocystinuria, Humans, Macular Degeneration, Mutation, Pedigree, Scotoma, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Tomography, Optical Coherence, Visual Acuity, Visual Fields, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin B 12 Deficiency, Vitamin B Complex}, issn = {1744-5094}, doi = {10.3109/13816810.2015.1010736}, author = {Collison, Frederick T and Xie, Yajing Angela and Gambin, Tomasz and Jhangiani, Shalini and Muzny, Donna and Gibbs, Richard and Lupski, James R and Fishman, Gerald A and Allikmets, Rando} } @article {165, title = {Whole-exome sequencing identifies novel homozygous mutation in NPAS2 in family with nonobstructive azoospermia.}, journal = {Fertil Steril}, volume = {104}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Aug}, pages = {286-91}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic cause of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) in a consanguineous Turkish family through homozygosity mapping followed by targeted exon/whole-exome sequencing to identify genetic variations.

DESIGN: Whole-exome sequencing (WES).

SETTING: Research laboratory.

PATIENT(S): Two siblings in a consanguineous family with NOA.

INTERVENTION(S): Validating all variants passing filter criteria with Sanger sequencing to confirm familial segregation and absence in the control population.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Discovery of a mutation that could potentially cause NOA.

RESULT(S): A novel nonsynonymous mutation in the neuronal PAS-2 domain (NPAS2) was identified in a consanguineous family from Turkey. This mutation in exon 14 (chr2: 101592000 C>G) of NPAS2 is likely a disease-causing mutation as it is predicted to be damaging, it is a novel variant, and it segregates with the disease. Family segregation of the variants showed the presence of the homozygous mutation in the three brothers with NOA and a heterozygous mutation in the mother as well as one brother and one sister who were both fertile. The mutation is not found in the single-nucleotide polymorphism database, the 1000 Genomes Project, the Baylor College of Medicine cohort of 500 Turkish patients (not a population-specific polymorphism), or the matching 50 fertile controls.

CONCLUSION(S): With the use of WES we identified a novel homozygous mutation in NPAS2 as a likely disease-causing variant in a Turkish family diagnosed with NOA. Our data reinforce the clinical role of WES in the molecular diagnosis of highly heterogeneous genetic diseases for which conventional genetic approaches have previously failed to find a molecular diagnosis.

}, keywords = {Adult, Azoospermia, Base Sequence, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Exome, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Pedigree}, issn = {1556-5653}, doi = {10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.04.001}, author = {Ramasamy, Ranjith and Bak{\i}rc{\i}o{\u g}lu, M Emre and Cengiz, Cenk and Karaca, Ender and Scovell, Jason and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Bainbridge, Matthew and Yu, Yao and Huff, Chad and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Lamb, Dolores J} } @article {191, title = {γ-Secretase Mutation in an African American Family With Hidradenitis Suppurativa.}, journal = {JAMA Dermatol}, volume = {151}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jun}, pages = {668-70}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, African Americans, Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, Exome, Female, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Humans, Membrane Glycoproteins, Middle Aged, Mutation, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {2168-6084}, doi = {10.1001/jamadermatol.2014.5306}, author = {Chen, Sean and Mattei, Peter and You, Jing and Sobreira, Nara L and Hinds, Ginette A} } @article {238, title = {Attitudes of genetics professionals toward the return of incidental results from exome and whole-genome sequencing.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Jul 03}, pages = {77-84}, abstract = {

Professional recommendations for the return of results from exome and whole-genome sequencing (ES/WGS) have been controversial. The lack of clear guidance about whether and, if so, how to return ES/WGS incidental results limits the extent to which individuals and families might benefit from ES/WGS. The perspectives of genetics professionals, particularly those at the forefront of using ES/WGS in clinics, are largely unknown. Data on stakeholder perspectives could help clarify how to weigh expert positions and recommendations. We conducted an online survey of 9,857 genetics professionals to learn their attitudes on the return of incidental results from ES/WGS and the recent American College of Medical Genetic and Genomics Recommendations for Reporting of Incidental Findings in Clinical Exome and Genome Sequencing. Of the 847 respondents, 760 completed the survey. The overwhelming majority of respondents thought that incidental ES/WGS results should be offered to adult patients (85\%), healthy adults (75\%), and the parents of a child with a medical condition (74\%). The majority thought that incidental results about adult-onset conditions (62\%) and carrier status (62\%) should be offered to the parents of a child with a medical condition. About half thought that offered results should not be limited to those deemed clinically actionable. The vast majority (81\%) thought that individual preferences should guide return. Genetics professionals{\textquoteright} perspectives on the return of ES/WGS results differed substantially from current recommendations, underscoring the need to establish clear purpose for recommendations on the return of incidental ES/WGS results as professional societies grapple with developing and updating recommendations.

}, keywords = {Adult, Attitude of Health Personnel, Child, Exome, Genetics, Medical, Genome, Human, Humans, Incidental Findings, Workforce}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.06.004}, author = {Yu, Joon-Ho and Harrell, Tanya M and Jamal, Seema M and Tabor, Holly K and Bamshad, Michael J} } @article {246, title = {Attitudes of non-African American focus group participants toward return of results from exome and whole genome sequencing.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Sep}, pages = {2153-60}, abstract = {

Exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing (ES/WGS) present individuals with the opportunity to benefit from a broad scope of genetic results of clinical and personal utility. Yet, it is unclear which genetic results people want to receive (i.e., what type of genetic information they want to learn about themselves) or conversely not receive, and how they want to receive or manage results over time. Very little is known about whether and how attitudes toward receiving individual results from ES/WGS vary among racial/ethnic populations. We conducted 13 focus groups with a racially and ethnically diverse parent population (n = 76) to investigate attitudes toward return of individual results from WGS. We report on our findings for non-African American (non-AA) participants. Non-AA participants were primarily interested in genetic results on which they could act or "do something about." They defined "actionability" broadly to include individual medical treatment and disease prevention. The ability to plan for the future was both a motivation for and an expected benefit of receiving results. Their concerns focused on the meaning of results, specifically the potential inaccuracy and uncertainty of results. Non-AA participants expected healthcare providers to be involved in results management by helping them interpret results in the context of their own health and by providing counseling support. We compare and contrast these themes with those we previously reported from our analysis of African American (AA) perspectives to highlight the importance of varying preferences for results, characterize the central role of temporal orientation in framing expectations about the possibility of receiving ES/WGS results, and identify potential avenues by which genomic healthcare disparities may be inadvertently perpetuated.

}, keywords = {Adult, African Americans, Aged, Attitude to Health, Exome, Female, Focus Groups, Genome, Human, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36610}, author = {Yu, Joon-Ho and Crouch, Julia and Jamal, Seema M and Bamshad, Michael J and Tabor, Holly K} } @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 {208, title = {Brain malformations associated with Knobloch syndrome--review of literature, expanding clinical spectrum, and identification of novel mutations.}, journal = {Pediatr Neurol}, volume = {51}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec}, pages = {806-813.e8}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Knobloch syndrome is a rare, autosomal recessive, developmental disorder characterized by stereotyped ocular abnormalities with or without occipital skull deformities (encephalocele, bone defects, and cutis aplasia). Although there is clear heterogeneity in clinical presentation, central nervous system malformations, aside from the characteristic encephalocele, have not typically been considered a component of the disease phenotype.

METHODS: Four patients originally presented for genetic evaluation of symptomatic structural brain malformations. Whole-genome genotyping, whole-exome sequencing, and confirmatory Sanger sequencing were performed. Using immunohistochemical analysis, we investigated the protein expression pattern of COL18A1 in the mid-fetal and adult human cerebral cortex and then analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in the expression pattern of COL18A1 during human cortical development using the Human Brain Transcriptome database.

RESULTS: We identified two novel homozygous deleterious frame-shift mutations in the COL18A1 gene. On further investigation of these patients and their families, we found that many exhibited certain characteristics of Knobloch syndrome, including pronounced ocular defects. Our data strongly support an important role for COL18A1 in brain development, and this report contributes to an enhanced characterization of the brain malformations that can result from deficiencies of collagen XVIII.

CONCLUSIONS: This case series highlights the diagnostic power and clinical utility of whole-exome sequencing technology-allowing clinicians and physician scientists to better understand the pathophysiology and presentations of rare diseases. We suggest that patients who are clinically diagnosed with Knobloch syndrome and/or found to have COL18A1 mutations via genetic screening should be investigated for potential structural brain abnormalities even in the absence of an encephalocele.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Cerebral Cortex, Collagen Type XVIII, Consanguinity, Encephalocele, Exome, Female, Fetus, Humans, Male, Mutation, Retinal Degeneration, Retinal Detachment, Young Adult}, issn = {1873-5150}, doi = {10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2014.08.025}, author = {{\c C}a{\u g}layan, Ahmet Okay and Baranoski, Jacob F and Aktar, Fesih and Han, Wengi and Tuysuz, Beyhan and Guzel, Aslan and Guclu, Bulent and Kaymak{\c c}alan, Hande and Aktekin, Berrin and Akg{\"u}m{\"u}{\c s}, G{\"o}zde Tu{\u g}ce and Murray, Phillip B and Erson-Omay, Emine Z and Caglar, Caner and Bakircioglu, Mehmet and Sakalar, Yildirim Bayezit and Guzel, Ebru and Demir, Nihat and Tuncer, Oguz and Senturk, Senem and Ekici, Bar{\i}{\c s} and Minja, Frank J and {\v S}estan, Nenad and Yasuno, Katsuhito and Bilguvar, Kaya and Caksen, Huseyin and G{\"u}nel, Murat} } @article {251, title = {Clinical utility of whole-exome sequencing in rare diseases: Galactosialidosis.}, journal = {Eur J Med Genet}, volume = {57}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Jul}, pages = {339-344}, abstract = {

Rare genetic disorders can go undiagnosed for years as the entire spectrum of phenotypic variation is not well characterized given the reduced number of patients reported in the literature and the low frequency at which these occur. Moreover, the current paradigm for clinical diagnostics defines disease diagnosis by a specified spectrum of phenotypic findings; when such parameters are either missing, or other findings not usually observed are seen, the phenotype driven approach to diagnosis may result in a specific etiological diagnosis not even being considered within the differential diagnosis. The novel implementation of genomic sequencing approaches to investigate rare genetic disorders is allowing not only the discovery of new genes, but also the phenotypic expansion of known Mendelian genetic disorders. Here we report the detailed clinical assessment of a patient with a rare genetic disorder with undefined molecular diagnosis. We applied whole-exome sequencing to this patient and unaffected parents in order to identify the molecular cause of her disorder. We identified compound heterozygous mutations in the CTSA gene, responsible for causing galactosialidosis; the molecular diagnosis was further confirmed by biochemical studies. This report expands on the clinical spectrum of this rare lysosomal disorder and exemplifies how genomic approaches are further elucidating the characterization and understanding of genetic diseases.

}, keywords = {Adult, Cathepsin A, Exome, Female, Humans, Lysosomal Storage Diseases, Mutation, Rare Diseases, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1878-0849}, doi = {10.1016/j.ejmg.2014.04.005}, author = {Prada, Carlos E and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Tannenbaum, Rebecca and Penney, Samantha and Lupski, James R and Hopkin, Robert J and Sutton, V Reid} } @article {240, title = {Diamond-Blackfan anemia with mandibulofacial dystostosis is heterogeneous, including the novel DBA genes TSR2 and RPS28.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Sep}, pages = {2240-9}, abstract = {

Patients with physical findings suggestive of Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) or mandibulofacial dysostosis (MFD) and macrocytic anemia diagnostic of Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) have been reported. Disease-causing genes have been identified for TCS and other MFDs. Mutations in several ribosomal protein genes and the transcription factor GATA1 result in DBA. However, no disease-causing mutation had been identified in the reported patients with the combination of TCS/MFD and DBA phenotype, and we hypothesized that pathogenic mutations in a single gene could be identified using whole exome analysis. We studied probands from six unrelated families. Combining exome analysis and Sanger sequencing, we identified likely pathogenic mutations in 5/6 families. Two mutations in unrelated families were seen in RPS26, the known DBA10 gene. One variant was predicted to affect mRNA splicing, and the other to lead to protein truncation. In another family a likely pathogenic X-linked mutation affecting a highly conserved residue was found in TSR2, which encodes a direct binding partner of RPS26. De novo mutations affecting the RPS28 start codon were found in two unrelated probands, identifying RPS28 as a novel disease gene. We conclude that the phenotype combining features of TCS with DBA is genetically heterogeneous. Each of the pathogenic variants identified is predicted to impede ribosome biogenesis, which in turn could result in altered cell growth and proliferation, causing abnormal embryologic development, defective erythropoiesis and reduced growth. The phenotype combining TCS/MFD and DBA is highly variable, overlaps with DBA and lies within the phenotypic spectrum of ribosomopathies. {\textcopyright} 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {Adult, Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan, Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins, Child, Preschool, Exome, Family, Female, Genetic Heterogeneity, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mandibulofacial Dysostosis, Pedigree, Phenotype, Pregnancy, Ribosomal Proteins, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36633}, author = {Gripp, Karen W and Curry, Cynthia and Olney, Ann Haskins and Sandoval, Claudio and Fisher, Jamie and Chong, Jessica Xiao-Ling and Pilchman, Lisa and Sahraoui, Rebecca and Stabley, Deborah L and Sol-Church, Katia} } @article {285, title = {Exonic duplication CNV of NDRG1 associated with autosomal-recessive HMSN-Lom/CMT4D.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {16}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 May}, pages = {386-394}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Copy-number variations as a mutational mechanism contribute significantly to human disease. Approximately one-half of the patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease have a 1.4 Mb duplication copy-number variation as the cause of their neuropathy. However, non-CMT1A neuropathy patients rarely have causative copy-number variations, and to date, autosomal-recessive disease has not been associated with copy-number variation as a mutational mechanism.

METHODS: We performed Agilent 8 {\texttimes} 60 K array comparative genomic hybridization on DNA from 12 recessive Turkish families with CMT disease. Additional molecular studies were conducted to detect breakpoint junctions and to evaluate gene expression levels in a family in which we detected an intragenic duplication copy-number variation.

RESULTS: We detected an ~6.25 kb homozygous intragenic duplication in NDRG1, a gene known to be causative for recessive HMSNL/CMT4D, in three individuals from a Turkish family with CMT neuropathy. Further studies showed that this intragenic copy-number variation resulted in a homozygous duplication of exons 6-8 that caused decreased mRNA expression of NDRG1.

CONCLUSION: Exon-focused high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization enables the detection of copy-number variation carrier states in recessive genes, particularly small copy-number variations encompassing or disrupting single genes. In families for whom a molecular diagnosis has not been elucidated by conventional clinical assays, an assessment for copy-number variations in known CMT genes might be considered.

}, keywords = {Adult, Base Sequence, Cell Cycle Proteins, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Gene Duplication, Gene Expression, Genes, Recessive, Humans, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Male, Mutation, Refsum Disease, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Turkey, Young Adult}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2013.155}, author = {Okamoto, Yuji and Goksungur, Meryem Tuba and Pehlivan, Davut and Beck, Christine R and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Muzny, Donna M and Atik, Mehmed M and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Matur, Zeliha and Bayraktar, Serife and Boone, Philip M and Akyuz, Kaya and Gibbs, Richard A and Battaloglu, Esra and Parman, Yesim and Lupski, James R} } @article {207, title = {Gigantism and acromegaly due to Xq26 microduplications and GPR101 mutation.}, journal = {N Engl J Med}, volume = {371}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec 18}, pages = {2363-74}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Increased secretion of growth hormone leads to gigantism in children and acromegaly in adults; the genetic causes of gigantism and acromegaly are poorly understood.

METHODS: We performed clinical and genetic studies of samples obtained from 43 patients with gigantism and then sequenced an implicated gene in samples from 248 patients with acromegaly.

RESULTS: We observed microduplication on chromosome Xq26.3 in samples from 13 patients with gigantism; of these samples, 4 were obtained from members of two unrelated kindreds, and 9 were from patients with sporadic cases. All the patients had disease onset during early childhood. Of the patients with gigantism who did not carry an Xq26.3 microduplication, none presented before the age of 5 years. Genomic characterization of the Xq26.3 region suggests that the microduplications are generated during chromosome replication and that they contain four protein-coding genes. Only one of these genes, GPR101, which encodes a G-protein-coupled receptor, was overexpressed in patients{\textquoteright} pituitary lesions. We identified a recurrent GPR101 mutation (p.E308D) in 11 of 248 patients with acromegaly, with the mutation found mostly in tumors. When the mutation was transfected into rat GH3 cells, it led to increased release of growth hormone and proliferation of growth hormone-producing cells.

CONCLUSIONS: We describe a pediatric disorder (which we have termed X-linked acrogigantism [X-LAG]) that is caused by an Xq26.3 genomic duplication and is characterized by early-onset gigantism resulting from an excess of growth hormone. Duplication of GPR101 probably causes X-LAG. We also found a recurrent mutation in GPR101 in some adults with acromegaly. (Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and others.).

}, keywords = {Acromegaly, Adolescent, Adult, Age of Onset, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Duplication, Chromosomes, Human, X, Female, Gigantism, Human Growth Hormone, Humans, Infant, Male, Mutation, Phenotype, Protein Conformation, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled}, issn = {1533-4406}, doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa1408028}, author = {Trivellin, Giampaolo and Daly, Adrian F and Faucz, Fabio R and Yuan, Bo and Rostomyan, Liliya and Larco, Darwin O and Schernthaner-Reiter, Marie Helene and Szarek, Eva and Leal, Let{\'\i}cia F and Caberg, Jean-Hubert and Castermans, Emilie and Villa, Chiara and Dimopoulos, Aggeliki and Chittiboina, Prashant and Xekouki, Paraskevi and Shah, Nalini and Metzger, Daniel and Lysy, Philippe A and Ferrante, Emanuele and Strebkova, Natalia and Mazerkina, Nadia and Zatelli, Maria Chiara and Lodish, Maya and Horvath, Anelia and de Alexandre, Rodrigo Bertollo and Manning, Allison D and Levy, Isaac and Keil, Margaret F and Sierra, Maria de la Luz and Palmeira, Leonor and Coppieters, Wouter and Georges, Michel and Naves, Luciana A and Jamar, Mauricette and Bours, Vincent and Wu, T John and Choong, Catherine S and Bertherat, Jerome and Chanson, Philippe and Kamenick{\'y}, Peter and Farrell, William E and Barlier, Anne and Quezado, Martha and Bjelobaba, Ivana and Stojilkovic, Stanko S and Wess, Jurgen and Costanzi, Stefano and Liu, Pengfei and Lupski, James R and Beckers, Albert and Stratakis, Constantine A} } @article {257, title = {Heterozygous de novo and inherited mutations in the smooth muscle actin (ACTG2) gene underlie megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome.}, journal = {PLoS Genet}, volume = {10}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Mar}, pages = {e1004258}, abstract = {

Megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is a rare disorder of enteric smooth muscle function affecting the intestine and bladder. Patients with this severe phenotype are dependent on total parenteral nutrition and urinary catheterization. The cause of this syndrome has remained a mystery since Berdon{\textquoteright}s initial description in 1976. No genes have been clearly linked to MMIHS. We used whole-exome sequencing for gene discovery followed by targeted Sanger sequencing in a cohort of patients with MMIHS and intestinal pseudo-obstruction. We identified heterozygous ACTG2 missense variants in 15 unrelated subjects, ten being apparent de novo mutations. Ten unique variants were detected, of which six affected CpG dinucleotides and resulted in missense mutations at arginine residues, perhaps related to biased usage of CpG containing codons within actin genes. We also found some of the same heterozygous mutations that we observed as apparent de novo mutations in MMIHS segregating in families with intestinal pseudo-obstruction, suggesting that ACTG2 is responsible for a spectrum of smooth muscle disease. ACTG2 encodes γ2 enteric actin and is the first gene to be clearly associated with MMIHS, suggesting an important role for contractile proteins in enteric smooth muscle disease.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Actins, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Colon, Exome, Female, Heterozygote, Humans, Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction, Male, Muscle, Smooth, Mutation, Urinary Bladder}, issn = {1553-7404}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1004258}, author = {Wangler, Michael F and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Gambin, Tomasz and Penney, Samantha and Moss, Timothy and Chopra, Atul and Probst, Frank J and Xia, Fan and Yang, Yaping and Werlin, Steven and Eglite, Ieva and Kornejeva, Liene and Bacino, Carlos A and Baldridge, Dustin and Neul, Jeff and Lehman, Efrat Lev and Larson, Austin and Beuten, Joke and Muzny, Donna M and Jhangiani, Shalini and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Beaudet, Arthur} } @article {221, title = {Informed consent for exome sequencing research in families with genetic disease: the emerging issue of incidental findings.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {2745-52}, abstract = {

Genomic sequencing technology is increasingly used in genetic research. Studies of informed consent for exome and genome sequencing (ES/GS) research have largely involved hypothetical scenarios or healthy individuals enrolling in population-based studies. Studies have yet to explore the consent experiences of adults with inherited disease. We conducted a qualitative interview study of 15 adults recently enrolled in a large-scale ES/GS study (11 affected adults, four parents of affected children). Our study had two goals: (1) to explore three theoretical barriers to consent for ES/GS research (interpretive/technical complexity, possibility of incidental findings, and risks of loss of privacy); and (2) to explore how interviewees experienced the consent process. Interviewees could articulate study goals and processes, describe incidental findings, discuss risks of privacy loss, and reflect on their consent experience. Few expected the study would identify the genetic cause of their condition. All elected to receive incidental findings. Interviewees acknowledged paying little attention to potential implications of incidental findings in light of more pressing goals of supporting research regarding their own medical conditions. Interviewees suggested that experience living with a genetic condition prepared them to adjust to incidental findings. Interviewees also expressed little concern about loss of confidentiality of study data. Some experienced the consent process as very long. None desired reconsent prior to return of study results. Families with inherited disease likely would benefit from a consent process in which study risks and benefits were discussed in the context of prior experiences with genetic research and genetic disease.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Confidentiality, Ethics, Medical, Exome, Family, Female, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Genetic Research, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Incidental Findings, Informed Consent, Male, Middle Aged, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36706}, author = {Bergner, Amanda L and Bollinger, Juli and Raraigh, Karen S and Tichnell, Crystal and Murray, Brittney and Blout, Carrie Lynn and Telegrafi, Aida Bytyci and James, Cynthia A} } @article {262, title = {Laterality defects other than situs inversus totalis in primary ciliary dyskinesia: insights into situs ambiguus and heterotaxy.}, journal = {Chest}, volume = {146}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {1176-1186}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Motile cilia dysfunction causes primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), situs inversus totalis (SI), and a spectrum of laterality defects, yet the prevalence of laterality defects other than SI in PCD has not been prospectively studied.

METHODS: In this prospective study, participants with suspected PCD were referred to our multisite consortium. We measured nasal nitric oxide (nNO) level, examined cilia with electron microscopy, and analyzed PCD-causing gene mutations. Situs was classified as (1) situs solitus (SS), (2) SI, or (3) situs ambiguus (SA), including heterotaxy. Participants with hallmark electron microscopic defects, biallelic gene mutations, or both were considered to have classic PCD.

RESULTS: Of 767 participants (median age, 8.1 years, range, 0.1-58 years), classic PCD was defined in 305, including 143 (46.9\%), 125 (41.0\%), and 37 (12.1\%) with SS, SI, and SA, respectively. A spectrum of laterality defects was identified with classic PCD, including 2.6\% and 2.3\% with SA plus complex or simple cardiac defects, respectively; 4.6\% with SA but no cardiac defect; and 2.6\% with an isolated possible laterality defect. Participants with SA and classic PCD had a higher prevalence of PCD-associated respiratory symptoms vs SA control participants (year-round wet cough, P < .001; year-round nasal congestion, P = .015; neonatal respiratory distress, P = .009; digital clubbing, P = .021) and lower nNO levels (median, 12 nL/min vs 252 nL/min; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: At least 12.1\% of patients with classic PCD have SA and laterality defects ranging from classic heterotaxy to subtle laterality defects. Specific clinical features of PCD and low nNO levels help to identify PCD in patients with laterality defects.

TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00323167; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Biopsy, Child, Child, Preschool, Cilia, DNA, DNA Mutational Analysis, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Kartagener Syndrome, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Middle Aged, Mutation, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, United States, Young Adult}, issn = {1931-3543}, doi = {10.1378/chest.13-1704}, author = {Shapiro, Adam J and Davis, Stephanie D and Ferkol, Thomas and Dell, Sharon D and Rosenfeld, Margaret and Olivier, Kenneth N and Sagel, Scott D and Milla, Carlos and Zariwala, Maimoona A and Wolf, Whitney and Carson, Johnny L and Hazucha, Milan J and Burns, Kimberlie and Robinson, Blair and Knowles, Michael R and Leigh, Margaret W} } @article {217, title = {Molecular findings among patients referred for clinical whole-exome sequencing.}, journal = {JAMA}, volume = {312}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov 12}, pages = {1870-9}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: Clinical whole-exome sequencing is increasingly used for diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected genetic disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To perform clinical whole-exome sequencing and report (1) the rate of molecular diagnosis among phenotypic groups, (2) the spectrum of genetic alterations contributing to disease, and (3) the prevalence of medically actionable incidental findings such as FBN1 mutations causing Marfan syndrome.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Observational study of 2000 consecutive patients with clinical whole-exome sequencing analyzed between June 2012 and August 2014. Whole-exome sequencing tests were performed at a clinical genetics laboratory in the United States. Results were reported by clinical molecular geneticists certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics. Tests were ordered by the patient{\textquoteright}s physician. The patients were primarily pediatric (1756 [88\%]; mean age, 6 years; 888 females [44\%], 1101 males [55\%], and 11 fetuses [1\% gender unknown]), demonstrating diverse clinical manifestations most often including nervous system dysfunction such as developmental delay.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Whole-exome sequencing diagnosis rate overall and by phenotypic category, mode of inheritance, spectrum of genetic events, and reporting of incidental findings.

RESULTS: A molecular diagnosis was reported for 504 patients (25.2\%) with 58\% of the diagnostic mutations not previously reported. Molecular diagnosis rates for each phenotypic category were 143/526 (27.2\%; 95\% CI, 23.5\%-31.2\%) for the neurological group, 282/1147 (24.6\%; 95\% CI, 22.1\%-27.2\%) for the neurological plus other organ systems group, 30/83 (36.1\%; 95\% CI, 26.1\%-47.5\%) for the specific neurological group, and 49/244 (20.1\%; 95\% CI, 15.6\%-25.8\%) for the nonneurological group. The Mendelian disease patterns of the 527 molecular diagnoses included 280 (53.1\%) autosomal dominant, 181 (34.3\%) autosomal recessive (including 5 with uniparental disomy), 65 (12.3\%) X-linked, and 1 (0.2\%) mitochondrial. Of 504 patients with a molecular diagnosis, 23 (4.6\%) had blended phenotypes resulting from 2 single gene defects. About 30\% of the positive cases harbored mutations in disease genes reported since 2011. There were 95 medically actionable incidental findings in genes unrelated to the phenotype but with immediate implications for management in 92 patients (4.6\%), including 59 patients (3\%) with mutations in genes recommended for reporting by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Whole-exome sequencing provided a potential molecular diagnosis for 25\% of a large cohort of patients referred for evaluation of suspected genetic conditions, including detection of rare genetic events and new mutations contributing to disease. The yield of whole-exome sequencing may offer advantages over traditional molecular diagnostic approaches in certain patients.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Fetus, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Genetic Testing, Genomics, Humans, Incidental Findings, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Mutation, Phenotype, Referral and Consultation, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1538-3598}, doi = {10.1001/jama.2014.14601}, author = {Yang, Yaping and Muzny, Donna M and Xia, Fan and Niu, Zhiyv and Person, Richard and Ding, Yan and Ward, Patricia and Braxton, Alicia and Wang, Min and Buhay, Christian and Veeraraghavan, Narayanan and Hawes, Alicia and Chiang, Theodore and Leduc, Magalie and Beuten, Joke and Zhang, Jing and He, Weimin and Scull, Jennifer and Willis, Alecia and Landsverk, Megan and Craigen, William J and Bekheirnia, Mir Reza and Stray-Pedersen, Asbjorg and Liu, Pengfei and Wen, Shu and Alcaraz, Wendy and Cui, Hong and Walkiewicz, Magdalena and Reid, Jeffrey and Bainbridge, Matthew and Patel, Ankita and Boerwinkle, Eric and Beaudet, Arthur L and Lupski, James R and Plon, Sharon E and Gibbs, Richard A and Eng, Christine M} } @article {243, title = {Monoallelic and biallelic mutations in MAB21L2 cause a spectrum of major eye malformations.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {94}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Jun 05}, pages = {915-23}, abstract = {

We identified four different missense mutations in the single-exon gene MAB21L2 in eight individuals with bilateral eye malformations from five unrelated families via three independent exome sequencing projects. Three mutational events altered the same amino acid (Arg51), and two were identical de novo mutations (c.151C>T [p.Arg51Cys]) in unrelated children with bilateral anophthalmia, intellectual disability, and rhizomelic skeletal dysplasia. c.152G>A (p.Arg51His) segregated with autosomal-dominant bilateral colobomatous microphthalmia in a large multiplex family. The fourth heterozygous mutation (c.145G>A [p.Glu49Lys]) affected an amino acid within two residues of Arg51 in an adult male with bilateral colobomata. In a fifth family, a homozygous mutation (c.740G>A [p.Arg247Gln]) altering a different region of the protein was identified in two male siblings with bilateral retinal colobomata. In mouse embryos, Mab21l2 showed strong expression in the developing eye, pharyngeal arches, and limb bud. As predicted by structural homology, wild-type MAB21L2 bound single-stranded RNA, whereas this activity was lost in all altered forms of the protein. MAB21L2 had no detectable nucleotidyltransferase activity in~vitro, and its function remains unknown. Induced expression of wild-type MAB21L2 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells increased phospho-ERK (pERK1/2) signaling. Compared to the wild-type and p.Arg247Gln proteins, the proteins with the Glu49 and Arg51 variants had increased stability. Abnormal persistence of pERK1/2 signaling in MAB21L2-expressing cells during development is a plausible pathogenic mechanism for the heterozygous mutations. The phenotype associated with the homozygous mutation might be a consequence of complete loss of MAB21L2 RNA binding, although the cellular function of this interaction remains unknown.

}, keywords = {Adult, Alleles, Animals, Anophthalmos, Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn, Coloboma, Corneal Opacity, Exome, Eye Proteins, Female, Gene Expression, HEK293 Cells, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Male, Mice, Microcephaly, Microphthalmos, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Phenotype, Protein Conformation, Signal Transduction}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.05.005}, author = {Rainger, Joe and Pehlivan, Davut and Johansson, Stefan and Bengani, Hemant and Sanchez-Pulido, Luis and Williamson, Kathleen A and Ture, Mehmet and Barker, Heather and Rosendahl, Karen and Spranger, J{\"u}rgen and Horn, Denise and Meynert, Alison and Floyd, James A B and Prescott, Trine and Anderson, Carl A and Rainger, Jacqueline K and Karaca, Ender and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Jhangiani, Shalini and Muzny, Donna M and Seawright, Anne and Soares, Dinesh C and Kharbanda, Mira and Murday, Victoria and Finch, Andrew and Gibbs, Richard A and van Heyningen, Veronica and Taylor, Martin S and Yakut, Tahsin and Knappskog, Per M and Hurles, Matthew E and Ponting, Chris P and Lupski, James R and Houge, Gunnar and FitzPatrick, David R} } @article {228, title = {Mutations in LAMA1 cause cerebellar dysplasia and cysts with and without retinal dystrophy.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Aug 07}, pages = {227-34}, abstract = {

Cerebellar dysplasia with cysts (CDC) is an imaging finding typically seen in combination with cobblestone cortex and congenital muscular dystrophy in individuals with dystroglycanopathies. More recently, CDC was reported in seven children without neuromuscular involvement (Poretti-Boltshauser syndrome). Using a combination of homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing, we identified biallelic mutations in LAMA1 as the cause of CDC in seven affected individuals (from five families) independent from those included in the phenotypic description of Poretti-Boltshauser syndrome. Most of these individuals also have high myopia, and some have retinal dystrophy and patchy increased T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2/FLAIR) signal in cortical white matter. In one additional family, we identified two siblings who have truncating LAMA1 mutations in combination with retinal dystrophy and mild cerebellar dysplasia without cysts, indicating that cysts are not an obligate feature associated with loss of LAMA1 function. This work expands the phenotypic spectrum associated with the lamininopathy disorders and highlights the tissue-specific roles played by different laminin-encoding genes.

}, keywords = {Adult, Alleles, Base Sequence, Cerebellar Cortex, Cerebellar Diseases, Child, Child, Preschool, Cysts, Exome, Female, Humans, Laminin, Male, Muscular Dystrophies, Retinal Dystrophies, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.07.007}, author = {Aldinger, Kimberly A and Mosca, Stephen J and T{\'e}treault, Martine and Dempsey, Jennifer C and Ishak, Gisele E and Hartley, Taila and Phelps, Ian G and Lamont, Ryan E and O{\textquoteright}Day, Diana R and Basel, Donald and Gripp, Karen W and Baker, Laura and Stephan, Mark J and Bernier, Francois P and Boycott, Kym M and Majewski, Jacek and Parboosingh, Jillian S and Innes, A Micheil and Doherty, Dan} } @article {263, title = {Mutations in RSPH1 cause primary ciliary dyskinesia with a unique clinical and ciliary phenotype.}, journal = {Am J Respir Crit Care Med}, volume = {189}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Mar 15}, pages = {707-17}, abstract = {

RATIONALE: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous recessive disorder of motile cilia, but the genetic cause is not defined for all patients with PCD.

OBJECTIVES: To identify disease-causing mutations in novel genes, we performed exome sequencing, follow-up characterization, mutation scanning, and genotype-phenotype studies in patients with PCD.

METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing was performed using NimbleGen capture and Illumina HiSeq sequencing. Sanger-based sequencing was used for mutation scanning, validation, and segregation analysis.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We performed exome sequencing on an affected sib-pair with normal ultrastructure in more than 85\% of cilia. A homozygous splice-site mutation was detected in RSPH1 in both siblings; parents were carriers. Screening RSPH1 in 413 unrelated probands, including 325 with PCD and 88 with idiopathic bronchiectasis, revealed biallelic loss-of-function mutations in nine additional probands. Five affected siblings of probands in RSPH1 families harbored the familial mutations. The 16 individuals with RSPH1 mutations had some features of PCD; however, nasal nitric oxide levels were higher than in patients with PCD with other gene mutations (98.3 vs. 20.7 nl/min; P < 0.0003). Additionally, individuals with RSPH1 mutations had a lower prevalence (8 of 16) of neonatal respiratory distress, and later onset of daily wet cough than typical for PCD, and better lung function (FEV1), compared with 75 age- and sex-matched PCD cases (73.0 vs. 61.8, FEV1 \% predicted; P = 0.043). Cilia from individuals with RSPH1 mutations had normal beat frequency (6.1 {\textpm} Hz at 25{\textdegree}C), but an abnormal, circular beat pattern.

CONCLUSIONS: The milder clinical disease and higher nasal nitric oxide in individuals with biallelic mutations in RSPH1 provides evidence of a unique genotype-phenotype relationship in PCD, and suggests that mutations in RSPH1 may be associated with residual ciliary function.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Child, Cilia, DNA Mutational Analysis, DNA-Binding Proteins, Exome, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Markers, Genetic Testing, Homozygote, Humans, Kartagener Syndrome, Linear Models, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Nasal Mucosa, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1535-4970}, doi = {10.1164/rccm.201311-2047OC}, author = {Knowles, Michael R and Ostrowski, Lawrence E and Leigh, Margaret W and Sears, Patrick R and Davis, Stephanie D and Wolf, Whitney E and Hazucha, Milan J and Carson, Johnny L and Olivier, Kenneth N and Sagel, Scott D and Rosenfeld, Margaret and Ferkol, Thomas W and Dell, Sharon D and Milla, Carlos E and Randell, Scott H and Yin, Weining and Sannuti, Aruna and Metjian, Hilda M and Noone, Peadar G and Noone, Peter J and Olson, Christina A and Patrone, Michael V and Dang, Hong and Lee, Hye-Seung and Hurd, Toby W and Gee, Heon Yung and Otto, Edgar A and Halbritter, Jan and Kohl, Stefan and Kircher, Martin and Krischer, Jeffrey and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm and Shendure, Jay and Zariwala, Maimoona A} } @article {271, title = {NR2F1 mutations cause optic atrophy with intellectual disability.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {94}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Feb 06}, pages = {303-9}, abstract = {

Optic nerve atrophy and hypoplasia can be primary disorders or can result from trans-synaptic degeneration arising from cerebral visual impairment (CVI). Here we report six individuals with CVI and/or optic nerve abnormalities, born after an uneventful pregnancy and delivery, who have either de novo heterozygous missense mutations in NR2F1, also known as COUP-TFI, or deletions encompassing NR2F1. All affected individuals show mild to moderate intellectual impairment. NR2F1 encodes a nuclear receptor protein that regulates transcription. A reporter assay showed that missense mutations in the zinc-finger DNA-binding domain and the putative ligand-binding domain decrease NR2F1 transcriptional activity. These findings indicate that NR2F1 plays an important role in the neurodevelopment of the visual system and that its disruption can lead to optic atrophy with intellectual disability.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, COUP Transcription Factor I, DNA-Binding Proteins, Female, Genotype, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Missense, Optic Atrophy, Phenotype, Young Adult, Zinc Fingers}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.01.002}, author = {Bosch, Dani{\"e}lle G M and Boonstra, F Nienke and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Xu, Mafei and de Ligt, Joep and Jhangiani, Shalini and Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Muzny, Donna M and Yntema, Helger G and Pfundt, Rolph and Vissers, Lisenka E L M and Spruijt, Liesbeth and Blokland, Ellen A W and Chen, Chun-An and Lewis, Richard A and Tsai, Sophia Y and Gibbs, Richard A and Tsai, Ming-Jer and Lupski, James R and Zoghbi, Huda Y and Cremers, Frans P M and de Vries, Bert B A and Schaaf, Christian P} } @article {222, title = {Parent of origin, mosaicism, and recurrence risk: probabilistic modeling explains the broken symmetry of transmission genetics.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Oct 02}, pages = {345-59}, abstract = {

Most new mutations are observed to arise in fathers, and increasing paternal age positively correlates with the risk of new variants. Interestingly, new mutations in X-linked recessive disease show elevated familial recurrence rates. In male offspring, these mutations must be inherited from mothers. We previously developed a simulation model to consider parental mosaicism as a source of transmitted mutations. In this paper, we extend and formalize the model to provide analytical results and flexible formulas. The results implicate parent of origin and parental mosaicism as central variables in recurrence risk. Consistent with empirical data, our model predicts that more transmitted mutations arise in fathers and that this tendency increases as fathers age. Notably, the lack of expansion later in the male germline determines relatively lower variance in the proportion of mutants, which decreases with paternal age. Subsequently, observation of a transmitted mutation has less impact on the expected risk for future offspring. Conversely, for the female germline, which arrests after clonal expansion in early development, variance in the mutant proportion is higher, and observation of a transmitted mutation dramatically increases the expected risk of recurrence in another pregnancy. Parental somatic mosaicism considerably elevates risk for both parents. These findings have important implications for genetic counseling and for understanding patterns of recurrence in transmission genetics. We provide a convenient online tool and source code implementing our analytical results. These tools permit varying the underlying parameters that influence recurrence risk and could be useful for analyzing risk in diverse family structures.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Chromosome Aberrations, DNA Copy Number Variations, Fathers, Female, Gametogenesis, Genetic Diseases, Inborn, Genomics, Germ Cells, Germ-Line Mutation, Humans, Inheritance Patterns, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Theoretical, Mosaicism, Mothers, Pregnancy, Recurrence, Risk Factors, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.08.010}, author = {Campbell, Ian M and Stewart, Jonathan R and James, Regis A and Lupski, James R and Stankiewicz, Pawe{\l} and Olofsson, Peter and Shaw, Chad A} } @article {255, title = {Recurrent activating mutation in PRKACA in cortisol-producing adrenal tumors.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {46}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Jun}, pages = {613-7}, abstract = {

Adrenal tumors autonomously producing cortisol cause Cushing{\textquoteright}s syndrome. We performed exome sequencing of 25 tumor-normal pairs and identified 2 subgroups. Eight tumors (including three carcinomas) had many somatic copy number variants (CNVs) with frequent deletion of CDC42 and CDKN2A, amplification of 5q31.2 and protein-altering mutations in TP53 and RB1. Seventeen tumors (all adenomas) had no somatic CNVs or TP53 or RB1 mutations. Six of these had known gain-of-function mutations in CTNNB1 (β-catenin) or GNAS (Gαs). Six others had somatic mutations in PRKACA (protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit) resulting in a p.Leu206Arg substitution. Further sequencing identified this mutation in 13 of 63 tumors (35\% of adenomas with overt Cushing{\textquoteright}s syndrome). PRKACA, GNAS and CTNNB1 mutations were mutually exclusive. Leu206 directly interacts with the regulatory subunit of PKA, PRKAR1A. Leu206Arg PRKACA loses PRKAR1A binding, increasing the phosphorylation of downstream targets. PKA activity induces cortisol production and cell proliferation, providing a mechanism for tumor development. These findings define distinct mechanisms underlying adrenal cortisol-producing tumors.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adrenal Gland Neoplasms, Adult, Aged, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein, Cell Proliferation, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16, DNA Copy Number Variations, Exome, Female, Gene Deletion, Gene Dosage, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Phosphorylation, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.2956}, author = {Goh, Gerald and Scholl, Ute I and Healy, James M and Choi, Murim and Prasad, Manju L and Nelson-Williams, Carol and Kunstman, John W and Kuntsman, John W and Korah, Reju and Suttorp, Anna-Carinna and Dietrich, Dimo and Haase, Matthias and Willenberg, Holger S and St{\r a}lberg, Peter and Hellman, Per and Akerstr{\"o}m, G{\"o}ran and Bj{\"o}rklund, Peyman and Carling, Tobias and Lifton, Richard P} } @article {219, title = {RNF213 rare variants in an ethnically diverse population with Moyamoya disease.}, journal = {Stroke}, volume = {45}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {3200-7}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare, genetically heterogeneous cerebrovascular disease resulting from occlusion of the distal internal carotid arteries. A variant in the Ring Finger 213 gene (RNF213), altering arginine at position 4810 (p.R4810K), is associated with MMD in Asian populations. However, there are a lack of data on the role of RNF213 in patients with MMD of additional ethnicities and diasporic Asian populations. We investigate the contribution of RNF213 alterations to MMD in an ethnically diverse population based in the United States.

METHODS: We initially sequenced RNF213 exons 43, 44, and 45 (encoding the eponymous RING finger domain) and exon 60 (encoding p.R4810K) in 86 ethnically diverse patients with MMD. Comprehensive exome sequencing data from 24 additional patients with MMD was then analyzed to identify RNF213 variants globally. Segregation of variants with MMD and other vascular diseases was assessed in families.

RESULTS: RNF213 p.R4810K was identified in 56\% (9/16) of patients with MMD of Asian descent and not in 94 patients of non-Asian descent. 3.6\% (4/110) of patients had variants in the exons encoding the RING finger domain. Seven additional variants were identified in 29\% (7/24) of patients with MMD who underwent exome sequencing. Segregation analysis supported an association with MMD for 2 variants and a lack of association with disease for 1 variant.

CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm that alterations in RNF213 predispose patients of diverse ethnicities to MMD, and that the p.R4810K variant predisposes individuals of Asian descent in the United States to MMD.

}, keywords = {Adenosine Triphosphatases, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Cohort Studies, Ethnic Groups, Female, Genetic Variation, Humans, Male, Moyamoya Disease, Population Surveillance, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases, Young Adult}, issn = {1524-4628}, doi = {10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.006244}, author = {Cecchi, Alana C and Guo, Dongchuan and Ren, Zhao and Flynn, Kelly and Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Leal, Suzanne M and Wang, Gao T and Regalado, Ellen S and Steinberg, Gary K and Shendure, Jay and Bamshad, Michael J and Grotta, James C and Nickerson, Deborah A and Pannu, Hariyadarshi and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {269, title = {Sclerocornea in a patient with van den Ende-Gupta syndrome homozygous for a SCARF2 microdeletion.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 May}, pages = {1170-4}, abstract = {

Van den Ende-Gupta Syndrome (VDEGS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by blepharophimosis, distinctive nose, hypoplastic maxilla, and skeletal abnormalities. Using homozygosity mapping in four VDEGS patients from three consanguineous families, Anastacio et al. [Anastacio et al. (2010); Am J Hum Genet 87:553-559] identified homozygous mutations in SCARF2, located at 22q11.2. Bedeschi et al. [2010] described a VDEGS patient with sclerocornea and cataracts with compound heterozygosity for the common 22q11.2 microdeletion and a hemizygous SCARF2 mutation. Because sclerocornea had been described in DiGeorge-velo-cardio-facial syndrome but not in VDEGS, they suggested that the ocular abnormalities were caused by the 22q11.2 microdeletion. We report on a 23-year-old male who presented with bilateral sclerocornea and the VDGEGS phenotype who was subsequently found to be homozygous for a 17 bp deletion in exon 4 of SCARF2. The occurrence of bilateral sclerocornea in our patient together with that of Bedeschi et al., suggests that the full VDEGS phenotype may include sclerocornea resulting from homozygosity or compound heterozygosity for loss of function variants in SCARF2.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Adult, Arachnodactyly, Blepharophimosis, Bone and Bones, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22, Contracture, Cornea, Corneal Diseases, Exons, Facies, Hand Deformities, Congenital, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Phenotype, Radiography, Scavenger Receptors, Class F, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion, Young Adult}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36425}, author = {Migliavacca, Michele P and Sobreira, Nara L M and Antonialli, Graziela P M and Oliveira, Mariana M and Melaragno, Maria Isabel S A and Casteels, Ingele and de Ravel, Thomy and Brunoni, Decio and Valle, David and Perez, Ana Beatriz A} } @article {233, title = {Whole exome sequencing identifies three novel mutations in ANTXR1 in families with GAPO syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Sep}, pages = {2328-34}, abstract = {

GAPO syndrome (OMIM$\#$230740) is the acronym for growth retardation, alopecia, pseudoanodontia, and optic atrophy. About 35 cases have been reported, making it among one of the rarest recessive conditions. Distinctive craniofacial features including alopecia, rarefaction of eyebrows and eyelashes, frontal bossing, high forehead, mid-facial hypoplasia, hypertelorism, and thickened eyelids and lips make GAPO syndrome a clinically recognizable phenotype. While this genomic study was in progress mutations in ANTXR1 were reported to cause GAPO syndrome. In our study we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) for five affected individuals from three Turkish kindreds segregating the GAPO trait. Exome sequencing analysis identified three novel homozygous mutations including; one frame-shift (c.1220_1221insT; p.Ala408Cysfs*2), one splice site (c.411A>G; p.Gln137Gln), and one non-synonymous (c.1150G>A; p.Gly384Ser) mutation in the ANTXR1 gene. Our studies expand the allelic spectrum in this rare condition and potentially provide insight into the role of ANTXR1 in the regulation of the extracellular matrix.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Alopecia, Anodontia, Base Sequence, Child, Chromosome Segregation, DNA Mutational Analysis, Exome, Facies, Family, Female, Growth Disorders, Humans, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Neoplasm Proteins, Optic Atrophies, Hereditary, Pedigree, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Receptors, Cell Surface}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36678}, author = {Bayram, Yavuz and Pehlivan, Davut and Karaca, Ender and Gambin, Tomasz and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Erdin, Serkan and Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia and Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Muzny, Donna and Elcioglu, Nursel H and Yildirim, M Selman and Bozkurt, Banu and Zamani, Ayse Gul and Boerwinkle, Eric and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R} } @article {303, title = {Attitudes of African Americans toward return of results from exome and whole genome sequencing.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {161A}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 May}, pages = {1064-72}, abstract = {

Exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing (ES/WGS) present patients and research participants with the opportunity to benefit from a broad scope of genetic results of clinical and personal utility. Yet, this potential for benefit also risks disenfranchising populations such as African Americans (AAs) that are already underrepresented in genetic research and utilize genetic tests at lower rates than other populations. Understanding a diverse range of perspectives on consenting for ES/WGS and receiving ES/WGS results is necessary to ensure parity in genomic health care and research. We conducted a series of 13 focus groups (n = 76) to investigate if and how attitudes toward participation in ES/WGS research and return of results from ES/WGS differ between self-described AAs and non-AAs. The majority of both AAs and non-AAs were willing to participate in WGS studies and receive individual genetic results, but the fraction not interested in either was higher in AAs. This is due in part to different expectations of health benefits from ES/WGS and how results should be managed. Our results underscore the need to develop and test culturally tailored strategies for returning ES/WGS results to AAs.

}, keywords = {Adult, African Americans, Aged, Attitude, Exome, Female, Focus Groups, Genetic Research, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Surveys and Questionnaires, Washington}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.35914}, author = {Yu, Joon-Ho and Crouch, Julia and Jamal, Seema M and Tabor, Holly K and Bamshad, Michael J} } @article {302, title = {De novo mutations in histone-modifying genes in congenital heart disease.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {498}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jun 13}, pages = {220-3}, abstract = {

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most frequent birth defect, affecting 0.8\% of live births. Many cases occur sporadically and impair reproductive fitness, suggesting a role for de novo mutations. Here we compare the incidence of de novo mutations in 362 severe CHD cases and 264 controls by analysing exome sequencing of parent-offspring trios. CHD cases show a significant excess of protein-altering de novo mutations in genes expressed in the developing heart, with an odds ratio of 7.5 for damaging (premature termination, frameshift, splice site) mutations. Similar odds ratios are seen across the main classes of severe CHD. We find a marked excess of de novo mutations in genes involved in the production, removal or reading of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation, or ubiquitination of H2BK120, which is required for H3K4 methylation. There are also two de novo mutations in SMAD2, which regulates H3K27 methylation in the embryonic left-right organizer. The combination of both activating (H3K4 methylation) and inactivating (H3K27 methylation) chromatin marks characterizes {\textquoteright}poised{\textquoteright} promoters and enhancers, which regulate expression of key developmental genes. These findings implicate de novo point mutations in several hundreds of genes that collectively contribute to approximately 10\% of severe CHD.

}, keywords = {Adult, Case-Control Studies, Child, Chromatin, DNA Mutational Analysis, Enhancer Elements, Genetic, Exome, Female, Genes, Developmental, Heart Diseases, Histones, Humans, Lysine, Male, Methylation, Mutation, Odds Ratio, Promoter Regions, Genetic}, issn = {1476-4687}, doi = {10.1038/nature12141}, author = {Zaidi, Samir and Choi, Murim and Wakimoto, Hiroko and Ma, Lijiang and Jiang, Jianming and Overton, John D and Romano-Adesman, Angela and Bjornson, Robert D and Breitbart, Roger E and Brown, Kerry K and Carriero, Nicholas J and Cheung, Yee Him and Deanfield, John and DePalma, Steve and Fakhro, Khalid A and Glessner, Joseph and Hakonarson, Hakon and Italia, Michael J and Kaltman, Jonathan R and Kaski, Juan and Kim, Richard and Kline, Jennie K and Lee, Teresa and Leipzig, Jeremy and Lopez, Alexander and Mane, Shrikant M and Mitchell, Laura E and Newburger, Jane W and Parfenov, Michael and Pe{\textquoteright}er, Itsik and Porter, George and Roberts, Amy E and Sachidanandam, Ravi and Sanders, Stephan J and Seiden, Howard S and State, Mathew W and Subramanian, Sailakshmi and Tikhonova, Irina R and Wang, Wei and Warburton, Dorothy and White, Peter S and Williams, Ismee A and Zhao, Hongyu and Seidman, Jonathan G and Brueckner, Martina and Chung, Wendy K and Gelb, Bruce D and Goldmuntz, Elizabeth and Seidman, Christine E and Lifton, Richard P} } @article {280, title = {Effect of catechol-o-methyltransferase-gene (COMT) variants on experimental and acute postoperative pain in 1,000 women undergoing surgery for breast cancer.}, journal = {Anesthesiology}, volume = {119}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Dec}, pages = {1422-33}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes catecholamines in different tissues. Polymorphisms in COMT gene can attenuate COMT activity and increase sensitivity to pain. Human studies exploring the effect of COMT polymorphisms on pain sensitivity have mostly included small, heterogeneous samples and have ignored several important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This study examines the effect of COMT polymorphisms on experimental and postoperative pain phenotypes in a large ethnically homogeneous female patient cohort.

METHODS: Intensity of cold (+2-4{\textdegree}C) and heat (+48{\textdegree}C) pain and tolerance to cold pain were assessed in 1,000 patients scheduled for breast cancer surgery. Acute postoperative pain and oxycodone requirements were recorded. Twenty-two COMT SNPs were genotyped and their association with six pain phenotypes analyzed with linear regression.

RESULTS: There was no association between any of the tested pain phenotypes and SNP rs4680. The strongest association signals were seen between rs165774 and heat pain intensity as well as rs887200 and cold pain intensity. In both cases, minor allele carriers reported less pain. Neither of these results remained significant after strict multiple testing corrections. When analyzed further, the effect of rs887200 was, however, shown to be significant and consistent throughout the cold pressure test. No evidence of association between the SNPs and postoperative oxycodone consumption was found.

CONCLUSIONS: SNPs rs887200 and rs165774 located in the untranslated regions of the gene had the strongest effects on pain sensitivity. Their effect on pain is described here for the first time. These results should be confirmed in further studies and the potential functional mechanisms of the variants studied.

}, keywords = {Acute Pain, Adult, Aged, Analgesics, Opioid, Anesthesia, Breast Neoplasms, Catechol O-Methyltransferase, Cold Temperature, Databases, Genetic, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Genetic Variation, Genome-Wide Association Study, Genotype, Haplotypes, Hot Temperature, Humans, Middle Aged, Oxycodone, Pain Measurement, Pain, Postoperative, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide}, issn = {1528-1175}, doi = {10.1097/ALN.0000000000000013}, author = {Kambur, Oleg and Kaunisto, Mari A and Tikkanen, Emmi and Leal, Suzanne M and Ripatti, Samuli and Kalso, Eija A} } @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 {308, title = {Perrault syndrome is caused by recessive mutations in CLPP, encoding a mitochondrial ATP-dependent chambered protease.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {92}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Apr 04}, pages = {605-13}, abstract = {

Perrault syndrome is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous autosomal-recessive condition characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and ovarian failure. By a combination of linkage analysis, homozygosity mapping, and exome sequencing in three families, we identified mutations in CLPP as the likely cause of this phenotype. In each family, affected individuals were homozygous for a different pathogenic CLPP allele: c.433A>C (p.Thr145Pro), c.440G>C (p.Cys147Ser), or an experimentally demonstrated splice-donor-site mutation, c.270+4A>G. CLPP, a component of a mitochondrial ATP-dependent proteolytic complex, is a highly conserved endopeptidase encoded by CLPP and forms an element of the evolutionarily ancient mitochondrial unfolded-protein response (UPR(mt)) stress signaling pathway. Crystal-structure modeling suggests that both substitutions would alter the structure of the CLPP barrel chamber that captures unfolded proteins and exposes them to proteolysis. Together with the previous identification of mutations in HARS2, encoding mitochondrial histidyl-tRNA synthetase, mutations in CLPP expose dysfunction of mitochondrial protein homeostasis as a cause of Perrault syndrome.

}, keywords = {Adenosine Triphosphate, Adolescent, Adult, ATP-Dependent Proteases, Endopeptidase Clp, Exome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XX, Hearing Loss, Sensorineural, Homozygote, Humans, In Situ Hybridization, Male, Mitochondria, Mutation, Pedigree, Phenotype, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.02.013}, author = {Jenkinson, Emma M and Rehman, Atteeq U and Walsh, Tom and Clayton-Smith, Jill and Lee, Kwanghyuk and Morell, Robert J and Drummond, Meghan C and Khan, Shaheen N and Naeem, Muhammad Asif and Rauf, Bushra and Billington, Neil and Schultz, Julie M and Urquhart, Jill E and Lee, Ming K and Berry, Andrew and Hanley, Neil A and Mehta, Sarju and Cilliers, Deirdre and Clayton, Peter E and Kingston, Helen and Smith, Miriam J and Warner, Thomas T and Black, Graeme C and Trump, Dorothy and Davis, Julian R E and Ahmad, Wasim and Leal, Suzanne M and Riazuddin, Sheikh and King, Mary-Claire and Friedman, Thomas B and Newman, William G} } @article {311, title = {Recessive loss of function of the neuronal ubiquitin hydrolase UCHL1 leads to early-onset progressive neurodegeneration.}, journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}, volume = {110}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Feb 26}, pages = {3489-94}, abstract = {

Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCHL1), a neuron-specific de-ubiquitinating enzyme, is one of the most abundant proteins in the brain. We describe three siblings from a consanguineous union with a previously unreported early-onset progressive neurodegenerative syndrome featuring childhood onset blindness, cerebellar ataxia, nystagmus, dorsal column dysfuction, and spasticity with upper motor neuron dysfunction. Through homozygosity mapping of the affected individuals followed by whole-exome sequencing of the index case, we identified a previously undescribed homozygous missense mutation within the ubiquitin binding domain of UCHL1 (UCHL1(GLU7ALA)), shared by all affected subjects. As demonstrated by isothermal titration calorimetry, purified UCHL1(GLU7ALA), compared with WT, exhibited at least sevenfold reduced affinity for ubiquitin. In vitro, the mutation led to a near complete loss of UCHL1 hydrolase activity. The GLU7ALA variant is predicted to interfere with the substrate binding by restricting the proper positioning of the substrate for tunneling underneath the cross-over loop spanning the catalytic cleft of UCHL1. This interference with substrate binding, combined with near complete loss of hydrolase activity, resulted in a >100-fold reduction in the efficiency of UCHL1(GLU7ALA) relative to WT. These findings demonstrate a broad requirement of UCHL1 in the maintenance of the nervous system.

}, keywords = {Adult, Age of Onset, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Child, Preschool, Exome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Homozygote, Humans, Hydrolysis, Male, Models, Molecular, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Missense, Nerve Degeneration, Neurons, Pedigree, Protein Binding, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Substrate Specificity, Syndrome, Thermodynamics, Ubiquitin, Ubiquitin Thiolesterase}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1222732110}, author = {Bilguvar, Kaya and Tyagi, Navneet K and Ozkara, Cigdem and Tuysuz, Beyhan and Bakircioglu, Mehmet and Choi, Murim and Delil, Sakir and {\c C}a{\u g}layan, Ahmet O and Baranoski, Jacob F and Erturk, Ozdem and Yalcinkaya, Cengiz and Karacorlu, Murat and Dincer, Alp and Johnson, Michele H and Mane, Shrikant and Chandra, Sreeganga S and Louvi, Angeliki and Boggon, Titus J and Lifton, Richard P and Horwich, Arthur L and G{\"u}nel, Murat} } @article {294, title = {Recurrent gain-of-function mutation in PRKG1 causes thoracic aortic aneurysms and acute aortic dissections.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {93}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Aug 08}, pages = {398-404}, abstract = {

Gene mutations that lead to decreased contraction of vascular smooth-muscle cells (SMCs) can cause inherited thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. Exome sequencing of distant relatives affected by thoracic aortic disease and subsequent Sanger sequencing of additional probands with familial thoracic aortic disease identified the same rare variant, PRKG1 c.530G>A (p.Arg177Gln), in four families. This mutation segregated with aortic disease in these families with a combined two-point LOD score of 7.88. The majority of affected individuals presented with acute aortic dissections (63\%) at relatively young ages (mean 31 years, range 17-51 years). PRKG1 encodes type I cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG-1), which is activated upon binding of cGMP and controls SMC relaxation. Although the p.Arg177Gln alteration disrupts binding to the high-affinity cGMP binding site within the regulatory domain, the altered PKG-1 is constitutively active even in the absence of cGMP. The increased PKG-1 activity leads to decreased phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain in fibroblasts and is predicted to cause decreased contraction of vascular SMCs. Thus, identification of a gain-of-function mutation in PRKG1 as a cause of thoracic aortic disease provides further evidence that proper SMC contractile function is critical for maintaining the integrity of the thoracic aorta throughout a lifetime.

}, keywords = {Acute Disease, Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Aneurysm, Dissecting, Aorta, Thoracic, Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Cyclic GMP, Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type I, Exome, Female, Fibroblasts, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Muscle Contraction, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Mutation, Myosin Light Chains, Pedigree}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.06.019}, author = {Guo, Dong-Chuan and Regalado, Ellen and Casteel, Darren E and Santos-Cortez, Regie L and Gong, Limin and Kim, Jeong Joo and Dyack, Sarah and Horne, S Gabrielle and Chang, Guijuan and Jondeau, Guillaume and Boileau, Catherine and Coselli, Joseph S and Li, Zhenyu and Leal, Suzanne M and Shendure, Jay and Rieder, Mark J and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Kim, Choel and Milewicz, Dianna M} } @article {318, title = {Whole-exome sequencing reveals somatic mutations in HRAS and KRAS, which cause nevus sebaceus.}, journal = {J Invest Dermatol}, volume = {133}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Mar}, pages = {827-830}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Amino Acid Sequence, Biopsy, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Epidermis, Exome, Humans, Infant, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras), ras Proteins, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult}, issn = {1523-1747}, doi = {10.1038/jid.2012.379}, author = {Levinsohn, Jonathan L and Tian, Li C and Boyden, Lynn M and McNiff, Jennifer M and Narayan, Deepak and Loring, Erin S and Yun, Duri and Sugarman, Jeffrey L and Overton, John D and Mane, Shrikant M and Lifton, Richard P and Paller, Amy S and Wagner, Annette M and Antaya, Richard J and Choate, Keith A} } @article {317, title = {Digenic inheritance of an SMCHD1 mutation and an FSHD-permissive D4Z4 allele causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 2.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {44}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Dec}, pages = {1370-4}, abstract = {

Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is characterized by chromatin relaxation of the D4Z4 macrosatellite array on chromosome 4 and expression of the D4Z4-encoded DUX4 gene in skeletal muscle. The more common form, autosomal dominant FSHD1, is caused by contraction of the D4Z4 array, whereas the genetic determinants and inheritance of D4Z4 array contraction-independent FSHD2 are unclear. Here, we show that mutations in SMCHD1 (encoding structural maintenance of chromosomes flexible hinge domain containing 1) on chromosome 18 reduce SMCHD1 protein levels and segregate with genome-wide D4Z4 CpG hypomethylation in human kindreds. FSHD2 occurs in individuals who inherited both the SMCHD1 mutation and a normal-sized D4Z4 array on a chromosome 4 haplotype permissive for DUX4 expression. Reducing SMCHD1 levels in skeletal muscle results in D4Z4 contraction-independent DUX4 expression. Our study identifies SMCHD1 as an epigenetic modifier of the D4Z4 metastable epiallele and as a causal genetic determinant of FSHD2 and possibly other human diseases subject to epigenetic regulation.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18, CpG Islands, DNA Methylation, Epigenesis, Genetic, Female, Haplotypes, Heredity, Homeodomain Proteins, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral, Mutation}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.2454}, author = {Lemmers, Richard J L F and Tawil, Rabi and Petek, Lisa M and Balog, Judit and Block, Gregory J and Santen, Gijs W E and Amell, Amanda M and van der Vliet, Patrick J and Almomani, Rowida and Straasheijm, Kirsten R and Krom, Yvonne D and Klooster, Rinse and Sun, Yu and den Dunnen, Johan T and Helmer, Quinta and Donlin-Smith, Colleen M and Padberg, George W and van Engelen, Baziel G M and de Greef, Jessica C and Aartsma-Rus, Annemieke M and Frants, Rune R and de Visser, Marianne and Desnuelle, Claude and Sacconi, Sabrina and Filippova, Galina N and Bakker, Bert and Bamshad, Michael J and Tapscott, Stephen J and Miller, Daniel G and van der Maarel, Silv{\`e}re M} } @article {327, title = {Haploinsufficiency of SF3B4, a component of the pre-mRNA spliceosomal complex, causes Nager syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {90}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 May 04}, pages = {925-33}, abstract = {

Nager syndrome, first described more than 60 years ago, is the archetype of a class of disorders called the acrofacial dysostoses, which are characterized by craniofacial and limb malformations. Despite intensive efforts, no gene for Nager syndrome has yet been identified. In an international collaboration, FORGE Canada and the National Institutes of Health Centers for Mendelian Genomics used exome sequencing as a discovery tool and found that mutations in SF3B4, a component of the U2 pre-mRNA spliceosomal complex, cause Nager syndrome. After Sanger sequencing of SF3B4 in a validation cohort, 20 of 35 (57\%) families affected by Nager syndrome had 1 of 18 different mutations, nearly all of which were frameshifts. These results suggest that most cases of Nager syndrome are caused by haploinsufficiency of SF3B4. Our findings add Nager syndrome to a growing list of disorders caused by mutations in genes that encode major components of the spliceosome and also highlight the synergistic potential of international collaboration when exome sequencing is applied in the search for genes responsible for rare Mendelian phenotypes.

}, keywords = {Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Exome, Female, Haploinsufficiency, Humans, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Male, Mandibulofacial Dysostosis, Mutation, Reproducibility of Results, RNA Precursors, RNA Splicing Factors, RNA-Binding Proteins, Spliceosomes, Young Adult}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.04.004}, author = {Bernier, Francois P and Caluseriu, Oana and Ng, Sarah and Schwartzentruber, Jeremy and Buckingham, Kati J and Innes, A Micheil and Jabs, Ethylin Wang and Innis, Jeffrey W and Schuette, Jane L and Gorski, Jerome L and Byers, Peter H and Andelfinger, Gregor and Siu, Victoria and Lauzon, Julie and Fernandez, Bridget A and McMillin, Margaret and Scott, Richard H and Racher, Hilary and Majewski, Jacek and Nickerson, Deborah A and Shendure, Jay and Bamshad, Michael J and Parboosingh, Jillian S} } @article {328, title = {Phenotype diversity in type 1 Gaucher disease: discovering the genetic basis of Gaucher disease/hematologic malignancy phenotype by individual genome analysis.}, journal = {Blood}, volume = {119}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 May 17}, pages = {4731-40}, abstract = {

Gaucher disease (GD), an inherited macrophage glycosphingolipidosis, manifests with an extraordinary variety of phenotypes that show imperfect correlation with mutations in the GBA gene. In addition to the classic manifestations, patients suffer from increased susceptibility to hematologic and nonhematologic malignancies. The mechanism(s) underlying malignancy in GD is not known, but is postulated to be secondary to macrophage dysfunction and immune dysregulation arising from lysosomal accumulation of glucocerebroside. However, there is weak correlation between GD/cancer phenotype and the systemic burden of glucocerebroside-laden macrophages. Therefore, we hypothesized that genetic modifier(s) may underlie the GD/cancer phenotype. In the present study, the genetic basis of GD/T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma in 2 affected siblings was deciphered through genomic analysis. GBA gene sequencing revealed homozygosity for a novel mutation, D137N. Whole-exome capture and massively parallel sequencing combined with homozygosity mapping identified a homozygous novel mutation in the MSH6 gene that leads to constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome and increased cancer risk. Enzyme studies demonstrated that the D137N mutation in GBA is a pathogenic mutation, and immunohistochemistry confirmed the absence of the MSH6 protein. Therefore, precise phenotype annotation followed by individual genome analysis has the potential to identify genetic modifiers of GD, facilitate personalized management, and provide novel insights into disease pathophysiology.

}, keywords = {Adult, beta-Glucosidase, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Gaucher Disease, Genome, Human, Hematologic Neoplasms, Humans, Individuality, Male, Pedigree, Phenotype, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Siblings}, issn = {1528-0020}, doi = {10.1182/blood-2011-10-386862}, author = {Lo, Sarah M and Choi, Murim and Liu, Jun and Jain, Dhanpat and Boot, Rolf G and Kallemeijn, Wouter W and Aerts, Johannes M F G and Pashankar, Farzana and Kupfer, Gary M and Mane, Shrikant and Lifton, Richard P and Mistry, Pramod K} }