@article {962, title = {Bi-allelic Variations of SMO in Humans Cause a Broad Spectrum of Developmental Anomalies Due to Abnormal Hedgehog Signaling.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {106}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 06 04}, pages = {779-792}, abstract = {

The evolutionarily conserved hedgehog (Hh) pathway is essential for organogenesis and plays critical roles in postnatal tissue maintenance and renewal. A unique feature of the vertebrate Hh pathway is that signal transduction requires the primary cilium (PC) where major pathway components are dynamically enriched. These factors include smoothened (SMO) and patched, which constitute the core reception system for sonic hedgehog (SHH) as well as GLI transcription factors, the key mediators of the pathway. Here, we report bi-allelic loss-of-function variations in SMO in seven individuals from five independent families; these variations cause a wide phenotypic spectrum of developmental anomalies affecting the brain (hypothalamic hamartoma and microcephaly), heart (atrioventricular septal defect), skeleton (postaxial polydactyly, narrow chest, and shortening of long bones), and enteric nervous system (aganglionosis). Cells derived from affected individuals showed normal ciliogenesis but severely altered Hh-signal transduction as a result of either altered PC trafficking or abnormal activation of the pathway downstream of SMO. In addition, Hh-independent GLI2 accumulation at the PC tip in cells from the affected individuals suggests a potential function of SMO in regulating basal ciliary trafficking of GLI2 when the pathway is off. Thus, loss of SMO function results in abnormal PC dynamics of key components of the Hh signaling pathway and leads to a large continuum of malformations in humans.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Cilia, Developmental Disabilities, Female, Hedgehog Proteins, Humans, Infant, Male, Models, Molecular, Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Nuclear Proteins, Pedigree, Signal Transduction, Smoothened Receptor, Zinc Finger Protein Gli2, Zinc Finger Protein Gli3}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.04.010}, author = {Le, Thuy-Linh and Sribudiani, Yunia and Dong, Xiaomin and Huber, Celine and Kois, Chelsea and Baujat, Genevi{\`e}ve and Gordon, Christopher T and Mayne, Valerie and Galmiche, Louise and Serre, Val{\'e}rie and Goudin, Nicolas and Zarhrate, Mohammed and Bole-Feysot, Christine and Masson, Cecile and Nitschk{\'e}, Patrick and Verheijen, Frans W and Pais, Lynn and Pelet, Anna and Sadedin, Simon and Pugh, John A and Shur, Natasha and White, Susan M and El Chehadeh, Salima and Christodoulou, John and Cormier-Daire, Val{\'e}rie and Hofstra, R M W and Lyonnet, Stanislas and Tan, Tiong Yang and Atti{\'e}-Bitach, Tania and Kerstjens-Frederikse, Wilhelmina S and Amiel, Jeanne and Thomas, Sophie} } @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 {856, title = {Spinal muscular atrophy diagnosis and carrier screening from genome sequencing data.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {22}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 05}, pages = {945-953}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), caused by loss of the SMN1 gene, is a leading cause of early childhood death. Due to the near identical sequences of SMN1 and SMN2, analysis of this region is challenging. Population-wide SMA screening to quantify the SMN1 copy number (CN) is recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

METHODS: We developed a method that accurately identifies the CN of SMN1 and SMN2 using genome sequencing (GS) data by analyzing read depth and eight informative reference genome differences between SMN1/2.

RESULTS: We characterized SMN1/2 in 12,747 genomes, identified 1568 samples with SMN1 gains or losses and 6615 samples with SMN2 gains or losses, and calculated a pan-ethnic carrier frequency of 2\%, consistent with previous studies. Additionally, 99.8\% of our SMN1 and 99.7\% of SMN2 CN calls agreed with orthogonal methods, with a recall of 100\% for SMA and 97.8\% for carriers, and a precision of 100\% for both SMA and carriers.

CONCLUSION: This SMN copy-number caller can be used to identify both carrier and affected status of SMA, enabling SMA testing to be offered as a comprehensive test in neonatal care and an accurate carrier screening tool in GS sequencing projects.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Muscular Atrophy, Spinal, Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/s41436-020-0754-0}, author = {Chen, Xiao and Sanchis-Juan, Alba and French, Courtney E and Connell, Andrew J and Delon, Isabelle and Kingsbury, Zoya and Chawla, Aditi and Halpern, Aaron L and Taft, Ryan J and Bentley, David R and Butchbach, Matthew E R and Raymond, F Lucy and Eberle, Michael A} } @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 {628, title = {Dissecting the Causal Mechanism of X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism by Integrating Genome and Transcriptome Assembly.}, journal = {Cell}, volume = {172}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 02 22}, pages = {897-909.e21}, abstract = {

X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP) is a Mendelian~neurodegenerative disease that is endemic to the Philippines and is associated with a founder haplotype. We integrated multiple genome and transcriptome assembly technologies to narrow the causal mutation to the TAF1 locus, which included a SINE-VNTR-Alu (SVA) retrotransposition into intron 32 of the gene. Transcriptome analyses identified decreased expression of the canonical cTAF1 transcript among XDP probands, and de novo assembly~across multiple pluripotent stem-cell-derived neuronal lineages discovered aberrant TAF1 transcription that involved alternative splicing and intron retention (IR) in proximity to the SVA that was anti-correlated with overall TAF1 expression. CRISPR/Cas9 excision of the SVA rescued this XDP-specific~transcriptional signature and normalized TAF1 expression in probands. These data suggest an SVA-mediated aberrant transcriptional mechanism associated with XDP and may provide a roadmap for layered technologies and integrated assembly-based analyses for other unsolved Mendelian disorders.

}, keywords = {Alternative Splicing, Alu Elements, Base Sequence, Cohort Studies, CRISPR-Cas Systems, Dystonic Disorders, Family, Female, Genetic Diseases, X-Linked, Genetic Loci, Genome, Human, Haplotypes, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Histone Acetyltransferases, Humans, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Introns, Male, Minisatellite Repeats, Models, Genetic, Nerve Degeneration, Neural Stem Cells, Neurons, RNA, Messenger, Short Interspersed Nucleotide Elements, TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors, Transcription Factor TFIID, Transcriptome}, issn = {1097-4172}, doi = {10.1016/j.cell.2018.02.011}, author = {Aneichyk, Tatsiana and Hendriks, William T and Yadav, Rachita and Shin, David and Gao, Dadi and Vaine, Christine A and Collins, Ryan L and Domingo, Aloysius and Currall, Benjamin and Stortchevoi, Alexei and Multhaupt-Buell, Trisha and Penney, Ellen B and Cruz, Lilian and Dhakal, Jyotsna and Brand, Harrison and Hanscom, Carrie and Antolik, Caroline and Dy, Marisela and Ragavendran, Ashok and Underwood, Jason and Cantsilieris, Stuart and Munson, Katherine M and Eichler, Evan E and Acu{\~n}a, Patrick and Go, Criscely and Jamora, R Dominic G and Rosales, Raymond L and Church, Deanna M and Williams, Stephen R and Garcia, Sarah and Klein, Christine and M{\"u}ller, Ulrich and Wilhelmsen, Kirk C and Timmers, H T Marc and Sapir, Yechiam and Wainger, Brian J and Henderson, Daniel and Ito, Naoto and Weisenfeld, Neil and Jaffe, David and Sharma, Nutan and Breakefield, Xandra O and Ozelius, Laurie J and Bragg, D Cristopher and Talkowski, Michael E} } @article {631, title = {Enrolling Genomics Research Participants through a Clinical Setting: the Impact of Existing Clinical Relationships on Informed Consent and Expectations for Return of Research Results.}, journal = {J Genet Couns}, volume = {27}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 02}, pages = {263-273}, abstract = {

Genetic counselors working in a clinical setting may find themselves recruiting, enrolling, and returning results for genomic research, and existing clinical relationships with study participants may impact these research interactions. We present a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews of participants enrolled in a genome sequencing/exome sequencing (GS/ES) study at the same institution where they receive clinical care. Interviews were coded for motivations to participate and expectations of this research. The interviews revealed common motivations for participation, including altruism and hope for benefit for themselves, family members, and/or others with their condition. Additionally, themes emerged related to unintentional influence based on trust of the clinical provider that recruited them to the study. Participant trust in the enrolling provider at times appeared to extend to the study team to decide which research results to return and to do so in an appropriate format. Participants also based expectations for research results return on previous clinical genetic testing experiences, which may or may not be realistic depending on study design. It is imperative that genetic counselors enrolling patients into research studies be aware of the potential influence of their clinical relationship on potential subjects, be transparent about their role on the study team, and help set expectations about the study process, including results return.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Decision Making, Family, Female, Genetic Testing, Humans, Informed Consent, Male, Motivation, Qualitative Research, Research Design, Trust}, issn = {1573-3599}, doi = {10.1007/s10897-017-0143-2}, author = {Berrios, Courtney and James, Cynthia A and Raraigh, Karen and Bollinger, Juli and Murray, Brittney and Tichnell, Crystal and Applegate, Carolyn D and Bergner, Amanda L} } @article {473, title = {Heterozygous Truncating Variants in POMP Escape Nonsense-Mediated Decay and Cause a Unique Immune Dysregulatory Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 06 07}, pages = {1126-1142}, abstract = {

The proteasome processes proteins to facilitate immune recognition and host defense. When inherently defective, it can lead to aberrant immunity resulting in a dysregulated response that can cause autoimmunity and/or autoinflammation. Biallelic or digenic loss-of-function variants in some of the proteasome subunits have been described as causing a primary immunodeficiency disease that manifests as a severe dysregulatory syndrome: chronic atypical neutrophilic dermatosis with lipodystrophy and elevated temperature (CANDLE). Proteasome maturation protein (POMP) is a chaperone for proteasome assembly and is critical for the incorporation of catalytic subunits into the proteasome. Here, we characterize and describe POMP-related autoinflammation and immune dysregulation disease (PRAID) discovered in two unrelated individuals with a unique constellation of early-onset combined immunodeficiency, inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis, and autoimmunity. We also begin to delineate a complex genetic mechanism whereby de novo heterozygous frameshift variants in the penultimate exon of POMP escape nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and result in a truncated protein that~perturbs proteasome assembly by a dominant-negative mechanism. To our knowledge, this mechanism has not been reported in~any primary immunodeficiencies, autoinflammatory syndromes, or autoimmune diseases. Here, we define a unique hypo- and hyper-immune~phenotype and report an immune dysregulation syndrome caused by frameshift mutations that escape NMD.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Cell Line, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Exons, Family, Frameshift Mutation, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Heterozygote, Humans, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes, Immunophenotyping, Infant, Newborn, Inflammation, Interferon Type I, Male, Molecular Chaperones, Mutant Proteins, Mutation, Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay, Phenotype, Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex, RNA, Messenger, Syndrome, Unfolded Protein Response}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.04.010}, author = {Poli, M Cecilia and Ebstein, Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric and Nicholas, Sarah K and de Guzman, Marietta M and Forbes, Lisa R and Chinn, Ivan K and Mace, Emily M and Vogel, Tiphanie P and Carisey, Alexandre F and Benavides, Felipe and Coban-Akdemir, Zeynep H and Gibbs, Richard A and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Schady, Deborah A and Jain, Mahim and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Emrick, Lisa and Lewis, Richard A and Lee, Brendan and Zieba, Barbara A and K{\"u}ry, S{\'e}bastien and Kr{\"u}ger, Elke and Lupski, James R and Bostwick, Bret L and Orange, Jordan S} } @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 {447, title = {A noncoding variant in GANAB explains isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) in a large family.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {39}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 03}, pages = {378-382}, abstract = {

Expanded mutation detection and novel gene discovery for isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) are necessary as 50\% of cases do not have identified mutations in the seven published disease genes. We investigated a family with five affected siblings for which no loss-of-function variants were identified by whole exome sequencing analysis. SNP genotyping and linkage analysis narrowed the candidate regions to \~{}8\% of the genome, which included two published PCLD genes in close proximity to each other, GANAB and LRP5. Based on these findings, we re-evaluated the exome sequencing data and identified a novel intronic nine base pair deletion in the vicinity of the GANAB exon 24 splice donor that had initially been discarded by the sequence analysis pipelines. We used a minigene assay to show that this deletion leads to skipping of exon 24 in cell lines and primary human cholangiocytes. These findings prompt genomic evaluation beyond the coding region to enhance mutation detection in PCLD and to avoid premature implication of other genes in linkage disequilibrium.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Cysts, DNA, Intergenic, Evolution, Molecular, Exons, Glucosidases, Humans, Liver Diseases, Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-5, Mutation}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.23383}, author = {Besse, Whitney and Choi, Jungmin and Ahram, Dina and Mane, Shrikant and Sanna-Cherchi, Simone and Torres, Vicente and Somlo, Stefan} } @article {629, title = {A novel pathogenic variant in a family with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia and benign familial infantile seizures.}, journal = {Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud}, volume = {4}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 02}, abstract = {

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of dyskinetic movements without alteration of consciousness that are often triggered by the initiation of voluntary movements. Whole-exome sequencing has revealed a cluster of pathogenic variants in (proline-rich transmembrane protein), a gene with a function in synaptic regulation that remains poorly understood. Here, we report the discovery of a novel pathogenic variant inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern in a family with PKD and benign familial infantile seizures (BFIS). After targeted Sanger sequencing did not identify the presence of previously described pathogenic variants, we carried out whole-exome sequencing in the proband and her affected paternal grandfather. This led to the discovery of a novel variant, NM_001256442:exon3:c.C959T/NP_660282.2:p.A320V, altering an evolutionarily conserved alanine at the amino acid position 320 located in the M2 transmembrane region. Sanger sequencing further confirmed the presence of this variant in four affected family members (paternal grandfather, father, brother, and proband) and its absence in two unaffected ones (paternal grandmother and mother). This newly found variant further reinforces the importance of in PKD, BFIS, and possibly other movement disorders. Future functional studies using animal models and human pluripotent stem cell models will provide new insights into the role of and the significance of this variant in regulating neural development and/or function.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Child, Chromosome Segregation, Conserved Sequence, Dystonia, Epilepsy, Benign Neonatal, Evolution, Molecular, Family, Female, Humans, Infant, Inheritance Patterns, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mutation, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Pedigree}, issn = {2373-2873}, doi = {10.1101/mcs.a002287}, author = {Lu, Jacqueline G and Bishop, Juliet and Cheyette, Sarah and Zhulin, Igor B and Guo, Su and Sobreira, Nara and Brenner, Steven E} } @article {490, title = {Variants in EXOSC9 Disrupt the RNA Exosome and Result in Cerebellar Atrophy with Spinal Motor Neuronopathy.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {102}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 05 03}, pages = {858-873}, abstract = {

The exosome is a conserved multi-protein complex that is essential for correct RNA processing. Recessive variants in exosome components EXOSC3, EXOSC8, and RBM7 cause various constellations of pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and central nervous system demyelination. Here, we report on four unrelated affected individuals with recessive variants in EXOSC9 and the effect of the variants on the function of the RNA exosome in~vitro in affected individuals{\textquoteright} fibroblasts and skeletal muscle and in~vivo in zebrafish. The clinical presentation was severe, early-onset, progressive SMA-like motor neuronopathy, cerebellar atrophy, and in one affected individual, congenital fractures of the long bones. Three affected individuals of different ethnicity carried the homozygous c.41T>C (p.Leu14Pro) variant, whereas one affected individual was compound heterozygous for c.41T>C (p.Leu14Pro) and c.481C>T (p.Arg161). We detected reduced EXOSC9 in fibroblasts and skeletal muscle and observed a reduction of the whole multi-subunit exosome complex on blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. RNA sequencing of fibroblasts and skeletal muscle detected significant >2-fold changes in genes involved in neuronal development and cerebellar and motor neuron degeneration, demonstrating the widespread effect of the variants. Morpholino oligonucleotide knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of exosc9 in zebrafish recapitulated aspects of the human phenotype, as they have in other zebrafish models of exosomal disease. Specifically, portions of the cerebellum and hindbrain were absent, and motor neurons failed to develop and migrate properly. In summary, we show that variants in EXOSC9 result in a neurological syndrome combining cerebellar atrophy and spinal motoneuronopathy, thus expanding the list of human exosomopathies.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Atrophy, Base Sequence, Cerebellum, Child, Preschool, Exosome Multienzyme Ribonuclease Complex, Exosomes, Female, Fibroblasts, Gene Knockdown Techniques, Genetic Variation, Haplotypes, Humans, Infant, Male, Motor Neurons, Muscle, Skeletal, Pedigree, RNA-Binding Proteins, Spinal Cord, Zebrafish}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.011}, author = {Burns, David T and Donkervoort, Sandra and M{\"u}ller, Juliane S and Knierim, Ellen and Bharucha-Goebel, Diana and Faqeih, Eissa Ali and Bell, Stephanie K and AlFaifi, Abdullah Y and Monies, Dorota and Millan, Francisca and Retterer, Kyle and Dyack, Sarah and MacKay, Sara and Morales-Gonzalez, Susanne and Giunta, Michele and Munro, Benjamin and Hudson, Gavin and Scavina, Mena and Baker, Laura and Massini, Tara C and Lek, Monkol and Hu, Ying and Ezzo, Daniel and Alkuraya, Fowzan S and Kang, Peter B and Griffin, Helen and Foley, A Reghan and Schuelke, Markus and Horvath, Rita and B{\"o}nnemann, Carsten G} } @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 {361, title = {Dual molecular diagnosis contributes to atypical Prader-Willi phenotype in monozygotic twins.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {173}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Sep}, pages = {2451-2455}, abstract = {

We describe monozygotic twin girls with genetic variation at two separate loci resulting in a blended phenotype of Prader-Willi syndrome and Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. These girls were diagnosed in early infancy with Prader-Willi syndrome, but developed an atypical phenotype, with apparent intellectual deficiency and lack of obesity. Array-comparative genomic hybridization confirmed a de novo paternal deletion of the 15q11.2q13 region and exome sequencing identified a second mutational event in both girls, which was a novel variant c.145+1G>A affecting a TCF4 canonical splicing site inherited from the mosaic mother. RNA studies showed that the variant abolished the donor splicing site, which was accompanied by activation of an alternative non-canonical splicing-site which then predicts a premature stop codon in the following exon. Clinical re-evaluation of the twins indicated that both variants are likely contributing to the more severe phenotypic presentation. Our data show that atypical clinical presentations may actually be the expression of blended clinical phenotypes arising from independent pathogenic events at two loci.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Base Sequence, Child, Chromosome Deletion, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Exome, Facies, Female, Humans, Hyperventilation, Intellectual Disability, Obesity, Pathology, Molecular, Phenotype, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Transcription Factor 4, Twins, Monozygotic}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.38315}, author = {Jehee, Fernanda S and de Oliveira, Valdirene T and Gurgel-Giannetti, Juliana and Pietra, Rafaella X and Rubatino, Fernando V M and Carobin, Nat{\'a}lia V and Vianna, Gabrielle S and de Freitas, Mariana L and Fernandes, Karla S and Ribeiro, Beatriz S V and Br{\"u}ggenwirth, Hennie T and Ali-Amin, Roza and White, Janson J and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Varela, Monica C and Koiffmann, C{\'e}lia and Rosenberg, Carla and Carvalho, Claudia M B} } @article {366, title = {Efficient CNV breakpoint analysis reveals unexpected structural complexity and correlation of dosage-sensitive genes with clinical severity in genomic disorders.}, journal = {Hum Mol Genet}, volume = {26}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 05 15}, pages = {1927-1941}, abstract = {

Genomic disorders are the clinical conditions manifested by submicroscopic genomic rearrangements including copy number variants (CNVs). The CNVs can be identified by array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), the most commonly used technology for molecular diagnostics of genomic disorders. However, clinical aCGH only informs CNVs in the probe-interrogated regions. Neither orientational information nor the resulting genomic rearrangement structure is provided, which is a key to uncovering mutational and pathogenic mechanisms underlying genomic disorders. Long-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a traditional approach to obtain CNV breakpoint junction, but this method is inefficient when challenged by structural complexity such as often found at the PLP1 locus in association with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD). Here we introduced {\textquoteright}capture and single-molecule real-time sequencing{\textquoteright} (cap-SMRT-seq) and newly developed {\textquoteright}asymmetry linker-mediated nested PCR walking{\textquoteright} (ALN-walking) for CNV breakpoint sequencing in 49 subjects with PMD-associated CNVs. Remarkably, 29 (94\%) of the 31 CNV breakpoint junctions unobtainable by conventional long-range PCR were resolved by cap-SMRT-seq and ALN-walking. Notably, unexpected CNV complexities, including inter-chromosomal rearrangements that cannot be resolved by aCGH, were revealed by efficient breakpoint sequencing. These sequence-based structures of PMD-associated CNVs further support the role of DNA replicative mechanisms in CNV mutagenesis, and facilitate genotype-phenotype correlation studies. Intriguingly, the lengths of gained segments by CNVs are strongly correlated with clinical severity in PMD, potentially reflecting the functional contribution of other dosage-sensitive genes besides PLP1. Our study provides new efficient experimental approaches (especially ALN-walking) for CNV breakpoint sequencing and highlights their importance in uncovering CNV mutagenesis and pathogenesis in genomic disorders.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, DNA Replication, Female, Gene Dosage, Gene Duplication, Gene Rearrangement, Genetic Association Studies, Genome, Human, Genomics, Humans, Male, Mutation, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1460-2083}, doi = {10.1093/hmg/ddx102}, author = {Zhang, Ling and Wang, Jingmin and Zhang, Cheng and Li, Dongxiao and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Ji, Haoran and Xiao, Jianqiu and Wu, Ye and Zhou, Weichen and Wang, Hongyan and Jin, Li and Luo, Yang and Wu, Xiru and Lupski, James R and Zhang, Feng and Jiang, Yuwu} } @article {393, title = {Loss-of-Function Variants in MYLK Cause Recessive Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jul 06}, pages = {123-129}, abstract = {

Megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS) is a congenital disorder characterized by loss of smooth muscle contraction in the bladder and intestine. To date, three genes are known to be involved in MMIHS pathogenesis: ACTG2, MYH11, and LMOD1. However, for approximately 10\% of affected individuals, the genetic cause of the disease is unknown, suggesting that~other~loci are most likely involved. Here, we report on three MMIHS-affected subjects from two consanguineous families with~no~variants~in the known MMIHS-associated genes. By performing homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing, we found~homozygous variants in myosin light chain kinase (MYLK) in both families. We identified a 7~bp duplication (c.3838_3844dupGAAAGCG~[p.Glu1282_Glyfs51]) in one family and a putative splice-site variant (c.3985+5C>A) in the other. Expression studies and splicing assays indicated that both variants affect normal MYLK expression. Because MYLK encodes an important kinase required for myosin activation and subsequent interaction with actin filaments, it is likely that in its absence, contraction of smooth muscle cells is impaired. The existence of a conditional-Mylk-knockout mouse model with severe gut dysmotility and abnormal function of the bladder supports the involvement of this gene in MMIHS pathogenesis. In aggregate, our findings implicate MYLK as a gene involved in the recessive form of MMIHS, confirming that this disease of the visceral organs is heterogeneous with a myopathic origin.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Base Sequence, Colon, Female, Genes, Recessive, Homozygote, Humans, Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction, Male, Mutation, Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase, Pedigree, Urinary Bladder}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.05.011}, author = {Halim, Danny and Brosens, Erwin and Muller, Fran{\c c}oise and Wangler, Michael F and Beaudet, Arthur L and Lupski, James R and Akdemir, Zeynep H Coban and Doukas, Michael and Stoop, Hans J and de Graaf, Bianca M and Brouwer, Rutger W W and van Ijcken, Wilfred F J and Oury, Jean-Fran{\c c}ois and Rosenblatt, Jonathan and Burns, Alan J and Tibboel, Dick and Hofstra, Robert M W and Alves, Maria 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 {392, title = {Mutations in ARMC9, which Encodes a Basal Body Protein, Cause Joubert Syndrome in Humans and Ciliopathy Phenotypes in Zebrafish.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jul 06}, pages = {23-36}, abstract = {

Joubert syndrome (JS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hypotonia, ataxia, abnormal eye movements, and variable cognitive impairment. It is defined by a distinctive brain malformation known as the "molar tooth sign" on axial MRI. Subsets of affected individuals have malformations such as coloboma, polydactyly, and encephalocele, as well as progressive retinal dystrophy, fibrocystic kidney disease, and liver fibrosis. More than 35 genes have been associated with JS, but in a subset of families the genetic cause remains unknown. All of the gene products localize in and around the primary cilium, making JS a canonical ciliopathy. Ciliopathies are unified by their overlapping clinical features and underlying mechanisms involving ciliary dysfunction. In this work, we identify biallelic rare, predicted-deleterious ARMC9 variants (stop-gain, missense, splice-site, and single-exon deletion) in 11 individuals with JS from 8 families, accounting for approximately 1\% of the disorder. The associated phenotypes range from isolated neurological involvement to JS with retinal dystrophy, additional brain abnormalities (e.g., heterotopia, Dandy-Walker malformation), pituitary insufficiency, and/or synpolydactyly. We show that ARMC9 localizes to the basal body of the cilium and is upregulated during ciliogenesis. Typical ciliopathy phenotypes (curved body shape, retinal dystrophy, coloboma, and decreased cilia) in a CRISPR/Cas9-engineered zebrafish mutant model provide additional support for ARMC9 as a ciliopathy-associated gene. Identifying ARMC9 mutations as a cause of JS takes us one step closer to a full genetic understanding of this important disorder and enables future functional work to define the central biological mechanisms underlying JS and other ciliopathies.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Animals, Armadillo Domain Proteins, Basal Bodies, Base Sequence, Brain, Cerebellum, Cilia, Ciliopathies, Diagnostic Imaging, Exome, Eye Abnormalities, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Kidney Diseases, Cystic, Mutation, Phenotype, Retina, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Up-Regulation, Zebrafish, Zebrafish Proteins}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.05.010}, author = {Van De Weghe, Julie C and Rusterholz, Tamara D S and Latour, Brooke and Grout, Megan E and Aldinger, Kimberly A and Shaheen, Ranad and Dempsey, Jennifer C and Maddirevula, Sateesh and Cheng, Yong-Han H and Phelps, Ian G and Gesemann, Matthias and Goel, Himanshu and Birk, Ohad S and Alanzi, Talal and Rawashdeh, Rifaat and Khan, Arif O and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Neuhauss, Stephan C F and Dobyns, William B and Alkuraya, Fowzan S and Roepman, Ronald and Bachmann-Gagescu, Ruxandra and Doherty, Dan} } @article {390, title = {REST Final-Exon-Truncating Mutations Cause Hereditary Gingival Fibromatosis.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {101}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jul 06}, pages = {149-156}, abstract = {

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is the most common genetic form of gingival fibromatosis that develops as a slowly progressive, benign, localized or generalized enlargement of keratinized gingiva. HGF is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and can be transmitted either as an autosomal-dominant or autosomal-recessive trait or appear sporadically. To date, four loci (2p22.1, 2p23.3-p22.3, 5q13-q22, and 11p15) have been mapped to autosomes and one gene (SOS1) has been associated with the HGF trait observed to segregate in a dominant inheritance pattern. Here we report 11 individuals with HGF from three unrelated families. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) revealed three different truncating mutations including two frameshifts and one nonsense variant in RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST) in the probands from all families and further genetic and genomic analyses confirmed the WES-identified findings. REST is a transcriptional repressor that is expressed throughout the body; it has different roles in different cellular contexts, such as oncogenic and tumor-suppressor functions and hematopoietic and cardiac differentiation. Here we show the consequences of germline final-exon-truncating mutations in REST for organismal development and the association with the HGF phenotype.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Base Sequence, Chromosome Segregation, Exons, Family, Female, Fibromatosis, Gingival, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Pedigree, Repressor Proteins}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.06.006}, author = {Bayram, Yavuz and White, Janson J and Elcioglu, Nursel and Cho, Megan T and Zadeh, Neda and Gedikbasi, Asuman and Palanduz, Sukru and Ozturk, Sukru and Cefle, Kivanc and Kasapcopur, Ozgur and Coban Akdemir, Zeynep and Pehlivan, Davut and Begtrup, Amber and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Paine, Ingrid Sophie and Mentes, Ali and Bektas-Kayhan, Kivanc and Karaca, Ender and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R} } @article {17, title = {The sensitivity of exome sequencing in identifying pathogenic mutations for LGMD in the United States.}, journal = {J Hum Genet}, volume = {62}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Feb}, pages = {243-252}, abstract = {

The current study characterizes a cohort of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) in the United States using whole-exome sequencing. Fifty-five families affected by LGMD were recruited using an institutionally approved protocol. Exome sequencing was performed on probands and selected parental samples. Pathogenic mutations and cosegregation patterns were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Twenty-two families (40\%) had novel and previously reported pathogenic mutations, primarily in LGMD genes, and also in genes for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, congenital myopathy, myofibrillar myopathy, inclusion body myopathy and Pompe disease. One family was diagnosed via clinical testing. Dominant mutations were identified in COL6A1, COL6A3, FLNC, LMNA, RYR1, SMCHD1 and VCP, recessive mutations in ANO5, CAPN3, GAA, LAMA2, SGCA and SGCG, and X-linked mutations in DMD. A previously reported variant in DMD was confirmed to be benign. Exome sequencing is a powerful diagnostic tool for LGMD. Despite careful phenotypic screening, pathogenic mutations were found in other muscle disease genes, largely accounting for the increased sensitivity of exome sequencing. Our experience suggests that broad sequencing panels are useful for these analyses because of the phenotypic overlap of many neuromuscular conditions. The confirmation of a benign DMD variant illustrates the potential of exome sequencing to help determine pathogenicity.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Distal Myopathies, Exome, Female, Genetic Testing, Glycogen Storage Disease Type II, Humans, Male, Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle, Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne, Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral, Mutation, Myopathies, Structural, Congenital, Sequence Analysis, DNA, United States}, issn = {1435-232X}, doi = {10.1038/jhg.2016.116}, author = {Reddy, Hemakumar M and Cho, Kyung-Ah and Lek, Monkol and Estrella, Elicia and Valkanas, Elise and Jones, Michael D and Mitsuhashi, Satomi and Darras, Basil T and Amato, Anthony A and Lidov, Hart Gw and Brownstein, Catherine A and Margulies, David M and Yu, Timothy W and Salih, Mustafa A and Kunkel, Louis M and MacArthur, Daniel G and Kang, Peter B} } @article {7, title = {Whole-Genome Sequencing of Cytogenetically Balanced Chromosome Translocations Identifies Potentially Pathological Gene Disruptions and Highlights the Importance of Microhomology in the Mechanism of Formation.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {38}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Feb}, pages = {180-192}, abstract = {

Most balanced translocations are thought to result mechanistically from nonhomologous end joining or, in rare cases of recurrent events, by nonallelic homologous recombination. Here, we use low-coverage mate pair whole-genome sequencing to fine map rearrangement breakpoint junctions in both phenotypically normal and affected translocation carriers. In total, 46 junctions from 22 carriers of balanced translocations were characterized. Genes were disrupted in 48\% of the breakpoints; recessive genes in four normal carriers and known dominant intellectual disability genes in three affected carriers. Finally, seven candidate disease genes were disrupted in five carriers with neurocognitive disabilities (SVOPL, SUSD1, TOX, NCALD, SLC4A10) and one XX-male carrier with Tourette syndrome (LYPD6, GPC5). Breakpoint junction analyses revealed microhomology and small templated insertions in a substantive fraction of the analyzed translocations (17.4\%; n = 4); an observation that was substantiated by reanalysis of 37 previously published translocation junctions. Microhomology associated with templated insertions is a characteristic seen in the breakpoint junctions of rearrangements mediated by error-prone replication-based repair mechanisms. Our data implicate that a mechanism involving template switching might contribute to the formation of at least 15\% of the interchromosomal translocation events.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Chromosome Breakage, Chromosome Mapping, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genomics, Genotype, Homologous Recombination, Humans, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Karyotype, Male, Phenotype, Translocation, Genetic, Whole Genome Sequencing}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.23146}, author = {Nilsson, Daniel and Pettersson, Maria and Gustavsson, Peter and F{\"o}rster, Alisa and Hofmeister, Wolfgang and Wincent, Josephine and Zachariadis, Vasilios and Anderlid, Britt-Marie and Nordgren, Ann and M{\"a}kitie, Outi and Wirta, Valtteri and K{\"a}ller, Max and Vezzi, Francesco and Lupski, James R and Nordenskj{\"o}ld, Magnus and Lundberg, Elisabeth Syk and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Lindstrand, Anna} } @article {103, title = {Chimeric transcripts resulting from complex duplications in chromosome Xq28.}, journal = {Hum Genet}, volume = {135}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Feb}, pages = {253-6}, abstract = {

Gene fusions have been observed in somatic alterations in cancer and in schizophrenia. However, the underlying mechanism(s) for their formation are poorly understood. We experimentally demonstrated the expression of splicing variants of in silico predicted chimeric genes F8/CSAG1 and BCAP31/TEX28 in two individuals with de novo complex genomic rearrangements of Xq28; F8/CSAG1 includes exonization of an ERVL-MaLR intronic repetitive element. We provide evidence that replicative repair may contribute to exon shuffling processes and diversify the repertoire of expressed transcripts.

}, keywords = {Antigens, Neoplasm, Base Sequence, Cell Line, Chromosomes, Human, X, Exons, Gene Duplication, Gene Expression Regulation, Gene Rearrangement, Humans, Introns, Male, Membrane Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Neoplasm Proteins, RNA Splicing, RNA, Messenger, Transcription, Genetic}, issn = {1432-1203}, doi = {10.1007/s00439-015-1614-x}, author = {Zuccherato, Luciana W and Alleva, Benjamin and Whiters, Marjorie A and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Lupski, James R} } @article {79, title = {DVL3 Alleles Resulting in a -1 Frameshift of the Last Exon Mediate Autosomal-Dominant Robinow Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {98}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Mar 03}, pages = {553-561}, abstract = {

Robinow syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterized by mesomelic limb shortening, genital hypoplasia, and distinctive facial features. Recent reports have identified, in individuals with dominant Robinow syndrome, a specific type of variant characterized by being uniformly located in the penultimate exon of DVL1 and resulting in a -1 frameshift allele with a premature termination codon that escapes nonsense-mediated decay. Here, we studied a cohort of individuals who had been clinically diagnosed with Robinow syndrome but who had not received a molecular diagnosis from variant studies of DVL1, WNT5A, and ROR2. Because of the uniform location of frameshift variants in DVL1-mediated Robinow syndrome and the functional redundancy of DVL1, DVL2, and DVL3, we elected to pursue direct Sanger sequencing of the penultimate exon of DVL1 and its paralogs DVL2 and DVL3 to search for potential disease-associated variants. Remarkably, targeted sequencing identified five unrelated individuals harboring heterozygous, de novo frameshift variants in DVL3, including two splice acceptor mutations and three 1 bp deletions. Similar to the variants observed in DVL1-mediated Robinow syndrome, all variants in DVL3 result in a -1 frameshift, indicating that these highly specific alterations might be a common cause of dominant Robinow syndrome. Here, we review the current knowledge of these peculiar variant alleles in DVL1- and DVL3-mediated Robinow syndrome and further elucidate the phenotypic features present in subjects with DVL1 and DVL3 frameshift mutations.

}, keywords = {Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Alleles, Base Sequence, Codon, Nonsense, Craniofacial Abnormalities, Dishevelled Proteins, Dwarfism, Exons, Female, Frameshift Mutation, Genetic Variation, Humans, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Phosphoproteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-like Orphan Receptors, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion, Urogenital Abnormalities, Wnt Proteins, Wnt-5a Protein}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.01.005}, author = {White, Janson J and Mazzeu, Juliana F and Hoischen, Alexander and Bayram, Yavuz and Withers, Marjorie and Gezdirici, Alper and Kimonis, Virginia and Steehouwer, Marloes and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and van Bon, Bregje W M and Sutton, V Reid and Lupski, James R and Brunner, Han G and Carvalho, Claudia M B} } @article {417, title = {Exome sequencing identifies a de novo frameshift mutation in the imprinted gene ZDBF2 in a sporadic patient with Nasopalpebral Lipoma-coloboma syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {170}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 07}, pages = {1934-7}, abstract = {

Nasopalpebral lipoma-coloboma syndrome (NPLCS, OMIM\%167730) is an uncommon malformation entity with autosomal dominant inheritance characterized by the combination of nasopalpebral lipoma, colobomas in upper and lower eyelids, telecanthus, and maxillary hypoplasia. To date, no genetic defects have been associated with familial or sporadic NPLCS cases and the etiology of the disease remains unknown. In this work, the results of whole exome sequencing in a sporadic NPLCS patient are presented. Exome sequencing identified a de novo heterozygous frameshift dinucleotide insertion c.6245_6246 insTT (p.His2082fs*67) in ZDBF2 (zinc finger, DBF-type containing 2), a gene located at 2q33.3. This variant was absent in parental DNA, in a set of 300 ethnically matched controls, and in public exome variant databases. This is the first genetic variant identified in a NPLCS patient and evidence supporting the pathogenicity of the identified mutation is discussed. {\textcopyright} 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Base Sequence, Child, Preschool, Coloboma, DNA-Binding Proteins, Exome, Eyelid Neoplasms, Female, Frameshift Mutation, Genomic Imprinting, Humans, Lipoma, Pedigree}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.37683}, author = {Chac{\'o}n-Camacho, Oscar F and Sobreira, Nara and You, Jing and Pi{\~n}a-Aguilar, Raul E and Villegas-Ruiz, Vanessa and Zenteno, Juan C} } @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 {90, title = {Recurrent Muscle Weakness with Rhabdomyolysis, Metabolic Crises, and Cardiac Arrhythmia Due to Bi-allelic TANGO2 Mutations.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {98}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Feb 04}, pages = {347-57}, abstract = {

The underlying genetic etiology of rhabdomyolysis remains elusive in a significant fraction of individuals presenting with recurrent metabolic crises and muscle weakness. Using exome sequencing, we identified bi-allelic mutations in TANGO2 encoding transport and Golgi organization 2 homolog (Drosophila) in 12 subjects with episodic rhabdomyolysis, hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, and susceptibility to life-threatening cardiac tachyarrhythmias. A recurrent homozygous c.460G>A (p.Gly154Arg) mutation was found in four unrelated individuals of Hispanic/Latino origin, and a homozygous \~{}34 kb deletion affecting exons 3-9 was observed in two families of European ancestry. One individual of mixed Hispanic/European descent was found to be compound heterozygous for c.460G>A (p.Gly154Arg) and the deletion of exons 3-9. Additionally, a homozygous exons 4-6 deletion was identified in a consanguineous Middle Eastern Arab family. No homozygotes have been reported for these changes in control databases. Fibroblasts derived from a subject with the recurrent c.460G>A (p.Gly154Arg) mutation showed evidence of increased endoplasmic reticulum stress and a reduction in Golgi volume density in comparison to control. Our results show that the c.460G>A (p.Gly154Arg) mutation and the exons 3-9 heterozygous deletion in TANGO2 are recurrent pathogenic alleles present in the Latino/Hispanic and European populations, respectively, causing considerable morbidity in the homozygotes in these populations.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Arabs, Arrhythmias, Cardiac, Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, European Continental Ancestry Group, Exome, Exons, Female, Gene Deletion, Golgi Apparatus, Hispanic Americans, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Muscle Weakness, Pedigree, Rhabdomyolysis}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.12.008}, author = {Lalani, Seema R and Liu, Pengfei and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Watkin, Levi B and Chiang, Theodore and Leduc, Magalie S and Zhu, Wenmiao and Ding, Yan and Pan, Shujuan and Vetrini, Francesco and Miyake, Christina Y and Shinawi, Marwan and Gambin, Tomasz and Eldomery, Mohammad K and Akdemir, Zeynep Hande Coban and Emrick, Lisa and Wilnai, Yael and Schelley, Susan and Koenig, Mary Kay and Memon, Nada and Farach, Laura S and Coe, Bradley P and Azamian, Mahshid and Hernandez, Patricia and Zapata, Gladys and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Muzny, Donna M and Lotze, Timothy and Clark, Gary and Wilfong, Angus and Northrup, Hope and Adesina, Adekunle and Bacino, Carlos A and Scaglia, Fernando and Bonnen, Penelope E and Crosson, Jane and Duis, Jessica and Maegawa, Gustavo H B and Coman, David and Inwood, Anita and McGill, Jim and Boerwinkle, Eric and Graham, Brett and Beaudet, Art and Eng, Christine M and Hanchard, Neil A and Xia, Fan and Orange, Jordan S and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Yang, Yaping} } @article {185, title = {Absence of heterozygosity due to template switching during replicative rearrangements.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {96}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr 02}, pages = {555-64}, abstract = {

We investigated complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) consisting of triplication copy-number variants (CNVs) that were accompanied by extended regions of copy-number-neutral absence of heterozygosity (AOH) in subjects with multiple congenital abnormalities. Molecular analyses provided observational evidence that in humans, post-zygotically generated CGRs can lead to regional uniparental disomy (UPD) due to template switches between homologs versus sister chromatids by using microhomology to prime DNA replication-a prediction of the replicative repair model, MMBIR. Our findings suggest that replication-based mechanisms might underlie the formation of diverse types of genomic alterations (CGRs and AOH) implicated in constitutional disorders.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, DNA Copy Number Variations, DNA Repair, DNA Replication, Gene Rearrangement, Humans, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Loss of Heterozygosity, Models, Genetic, Molecular Sequence Data, Netherlands, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Uniparental Disomy}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.01.021}, author = {Carvalho, Claudia M B and Pfundt, Rolph and King, Daniel A and Lindsay, Sarah J and Zuccherato, Luciana W and Macville, Merryn V E and Liu, Pengfei and Johnson, Diana and Stankiewicz, Pawel and Brown, Chester W and Shaw, Chad A and Hurles, Matthew E and Ira, Grzegorz and Hastings, P J and Brunner, Han G and Lupski, James R} } @article {170, title = {Alu-mediated diverse and complex pathogenic copy-number variants within human chromosome 17 at p13.3.}, journal = {Hum Mol Genet}, volume = {24}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jul 15}, pages = {4061-77}, abstract = {

Alu repetitive elements are known to be major contributors to genome instability by generating Alu-mediated copy-number variants (CNVs). Most of the reported Alu-mediated CNVs are simple deletions and duplications, and the mechanism underlying Alu-Alu-mediated rearrangement has been attributed to non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR). Chromosome 17 at the p13.3 genomic region lacks extensive low-copy repeat architecture; however, it is highly enriched for Alu repetitive elements, with a fraction of 30\% of total sequence annotated in the human reference genome, compared with the 10\% genome-wide and 18\% on chromosome 17. We conducted mechanistic studies of the 17p13.3 CNVs by performing high-density oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization, specifically interrogating the 17p13.3 region with \~{}150 bp per probe density; CNV breakpoint junctions were mapped to nucleotide resolution by polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. Studied rearrangements include 5 interstitial deletions, 14 tandem duplications, 7 terminal deletions and 13 complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs). Within the 17p13.3 region, Alu-Alu-mediated rearrangements were identified in 80\% of the interstitial deletions, 46\% of the tandem duplications and 50\% of the CGRs, indicating that this mechanism was a major contributor for formation of breakpoint junctions. Our studies suggest that Alu repetitive elements facilitate formation of non-recurrent CNVs, CGRs and other structural aberrations of chromosome 17 at p13.3. The common observation of Alu-mediated rearrangement in CGRs and breakpoint junction sequences analysis further demonstrates that this type of mechanism is unlikely attributed to NAHR, but rather may be due to a recombination-coupled DNA replicative repair process.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Alu Elements, Base Sequence, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Gene Duplication, Gene Rearrangement, Genome, Human, Genomic Instability, Genomics, Homologous Recombination, Humans, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Segmental Duplications, Genomic, Sequence Deletion}, issn = {1460-2083}, doi = {10.1093/hmg/ddv146}, author = {Gu, Shen and Yuan, Bo and Campbell, Ian M and Beck, Christine R and Carvalho, Claudia M B and Nagamani, Sandesh C S and Erez, Ayelet and Patel, Ankita and Bacino, Carlos A and Shaw, Chad A and Stankiewicz, Pawe{\l} and Cheung, Sau Wai and Bi, Weimin and Lupski, James R} } @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 {640, title = {Characterization of a New DGKE Intronic Mutation in Genetically Unsolved Cases of Familial Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.}, journal = {Clin J Am Soc Nephrol}, volume = {10}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jun 05}, pages = {1011-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Genetic and acquired abnormalities causing dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway contribute to atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a rare disorder characterized by thrombocytopenia, nonimmune microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and acute kidney failure. However, in a substantial proportion of patients the disease-associated alterations are still unknown.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, \& MEASUREMENTS: Whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing were performed in two unrelated families with infantile recessive aHUS. Sequencing of cDNA from affected individuals was used to test for the presence of aberrant mRNA species. Expression of mutant diacylglycerol kinase epsilon (DGKE) protein was evaluated with western blotting.

RESULTS: Whole-exome sequencing analysis with conventional variant filtering parameters did not reveal any obvious candidate mutation in the first family. The report of aHUS-associated mutations in DGKE, encoding DGKE, led to re-examination of the noncoding DGKE variants obtained from next-generation sequencing, allowing identification of a novel intronic DGKE mutation (c.888+40A>G) that segregated with disease. Sequencing of cDNA from affected individuals revealed aberrant forms of DGKE mRNA predicted to cause profound abnormalities in the protein catalytic site. By whole-genome sequencing, the same mutation was found in compound heterozygosity with a second nonsense DGKE mutation in all affected siblings of another unrelated family. Homozygous and compound heterozygous patients presented similar clinical features, including aHUS presentation in the first year of life, multiple relapsing episodes, and proteinuria, which are prototypical of DGKE-associated aHUS.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of a mutation located beyond the exon-intron boundaries in aHUS. Intronic mutations such as these are underreported because conventional filtering parameters used to process next-generation sequencing data routinely exclude these regions from downstream analyses in both research and clinical settings. The results suggest that analysis of noncoding regions of aHUS-associated genes coupled with mRNA sequencing might provide a tool to explain genetically unsolved aHUS cases.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Base Sequence, Blotting, Western, Child, Diacylglycerol Kinase, DNA Mutational Analysis, Female, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Introns, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Phenotype, Predictive Value of Tests, Risk Factors}, issn = {1555-905X}, doi = {10.2215/CJN.08520814}, author = {Mele, Caterina and Lemaire, Mathieu and Iatropoulos, Paraskevas and Piras, Rossella and Bresin, Elena and Bettoni, Serena and Bick, David and Helbling, Daniel and Veith, Regan and Valoti, Elisabetta and Donadelli, Roberta and Murer, Luisa and Neunh{\"a}userer, Maria and Breno, Matteo and Fremeaux-Bacchi, Veronique and Lifton, Richard and Remuzzi, Giuseppe and Noris, Marina} } @article {108, title = {De Novo GMNN Mutations Cause Autosomal-Dominant Primordial Dwarfism Associated with Meier-Gorlin Syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {97}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Dec 03}, pages = {904-13}, abstract = {

Meier-Gorlin syndrome (MGS) is a genetically heterogeneous primordial dwarfism syndrome known to be caused by biallelic loss-of-function mutations in one of five genes encoding pre-replication complex proteins: ORC1, ORC4, ORC6, CDT1, and CDC6. Mutations in these genes cause disruption of the origin of DNA replication initiation. To date, only an autosomal-recessive inheritance pattern has been described in individuals with this disorder, with a molecular etiology established in about three-fourths of cases. Here, we report three subjects with MGS and de novo heterozygous mutations in the 5{\textquoteright} end of GMNN, encoding the DNA replication inhibitor geminin. We identified two truncating mutations in exon 2 (the 1(st) coding exon), c.16A>T (p.Lys6(*)) and c.35_38delTCAA (p.Ile12Lysfs(*)4), and one missense mutation, c.50A>G (p.Lys17Arg), affecting the second-to-last nucleotide of exon 2 and possibly RNA splicing. Geminin is present during the S, G2, and M phases of the cell cycle and is degraded during the metaphase-anaphase transition by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC), which recognizes the destruction box sequence near the 5{\textquoteright} end of the geminin protein. All three GMNN mutations identified alter sites 5{\textquoteright} to residue Met28 of the protein, which is located within the destruction box. We present data supporting a gain-of-function mechanism, in which the GMNN mutations result in proteins lacking the destruction box and hence increased protein stability and prolonged inhibition of replication leading to autosomal-dominant MGS.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Cell Cycle, Child, Preschool, Congenital Microtia, Dwarfism, Exons, Female, Geminin, Gene Expression, Genes, Dominant, Growth Disorders, Heterozygote, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Inheritance Patterns, Male, Micrognathism, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Patella, Pedigree, Protein Stability, Proteolysis, RNA Splicing, Sequence Alignment}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.11.006}, author = {Burrage, Lindsay C and Charng, Wu-Lin and Eldomery, Mohammad K and Willer, Jason R and Davis, Erica E and Lugtenberg, Dorien and Zhu, Wenmiao and Leduc, Magalie S and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Azamian, Mahshid and Zapata, Gladys and Hernandez, Patricia P and Schoots, Jeroen and de Munnik, Sonja A and Roepman, Ronald and Pearring, Jillian N and Jhangiani, Shalini and Katsanis, Nicholas and Vissers, Lisenka E L M and Brunner, Han G and Beaudet, Arthur L and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Muzny, Donna M and Gibbs, Richard A and Eng, Christine M and Xia, Fan and Lalani, Seema R and Lupski, James R and Bongers, Ernie M H F and Yang, Yaping} } @article {133, title = {DNA REPAIR. Mus81 and converging forks limit the mutagenicity of replication fork breakage.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {349}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Aug 14}, pages = {742-7}, abstract = {

Most spontaneous DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) result from replication-fork breakage. Break-induced replication (BIR), a genome rearrangement-prone repair mechanism that requires the Pol32/POLD3 subunit of eukaryotic DNA Polδ, was proposed to repair broken forks, but how genome destabilization is avoided was unknown. We show that broken fork repair initially uses error-prone Pol32-dependent synthesis, but that mutagenic synthesis is limited to within a few kilobases from the break by Mus81 endonuclease and a converging fork. Mus81 suppresses template switches between both homologous sequences and diverged human Alu repetitive elements, highlighting its importance for stability of highly repetitive genomes. We propose that lack of a timely converging fork or Mus81 may propel genome instability observed in cancer.

}, keywords = {Alu Elements, Base Sequence, DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded, DNA Repair, DNA Replication, DNA-Binding Proteins, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, Endonucleases, Genomic Instability, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Neoplasms, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.aaa8391}, author = {Mayle, Ryan and Campbell, Ian M and Beck, Christine R and Yu, Yang and Wilson, Marenda and Shaw, Chad A and Bjergbaek, Lotte and Lupski, James R and Ira, Grzegorz} } @article {183, title = {DVL1 frameshift mutations clustering in the penultimate exon cause autosomal-dominant Robinow syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {96}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr 02}, pages = {612-22}, abstract = {

Robinow syndrome is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by mesomelic limb shortening, genital hypoplasia, and distinctive facial features and for which both autosomal-recessive and autosomal-dominant inheritance patterns have been described. Causative variants in the non-canonical signaling gene WNT5A underlie a subset of autosomal-dominant Robinow syndrome (DRS) cases, but most individuals with DRS remain without a molecular diagnosis. We performed whole-exome sequencing in four unrelated DRS-affected individuals without coding mutations in WNT5A and found heterozygous DVL1 exon 14 mutations in three of them. Targeted Sanger sequencing in additional subjects with DRS uncovered DVL1 exon 14 mutations in five individuals, including a pair of monozygotic twins. In total, six distinct frameshift mutations were found in eight subjects, and all were heterozygous truncating variants within the penultimate exon of DVL1. In five families in which samples from unaffected parents were available, the variants were demonstrated to represent de novo mutations. All variant alleles are predicted to result in a premature termination codon within the last exon, escape nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), and most likely generate a C-terminally truncated protein with a distinct -1 reading-frame terminus. Study of the transcripts extracted from affected subjects{\textquoteright} leukocytes confirmed expression of both wild-type and variant alleles, supporting the hypothesis that mutant mRNA escapes NMD. Genomic variants identified in our study suggest that truncation of the C-terminal domain of DVL1, a protein hypothesized to have a downstream role in the Wnt-5a non-canonical pathway, is a common cause of DRS.

}, keywords = {Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Craniofacial Abnormalities, Dishevelled Proteins, DNA Primers, Dwarfism, Exome, Exons, Frameshift Mutation, Gene Components, Humans, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Molecular Sequence Data, Phosphoproteins, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Urogenital Abnormalities}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.02.015}, author = {White, Janson and Mazzeu, Juliana F and Hoischen, Alexander and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Gambin, Tomasz and Alcino, Michele Calijorne and Penney, Samantha and Saraiva, Jorge M and Hove, Hanne and Skovby, Flemming and Kayserili, H{\"u}lya and Estrella, Elicia and Vulto-van Silfhout, Anneke T and Steehouwer, Marloes and Muzny, Donna M and Sutton, V Reid and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R and Brunner, Han G and van Bon, Bregje W M and Carvalho, Claudia M B} } @article {145, title = {Generation of sequence-based data for pedigree-segregating Mendelian or Complex traits.}, journal = {Bioinformatics}, volume = {31}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Nov 15}, pages = {3706-8}, abstract = {

MOTIVATION: There is great interest in analyzing next generation sequence data that has been generated for pedigrees. However, unlike for population-based data there are only a limited number of rare variant methods to analyze pedigree data. One limitation is the ability to evaluate type I and II errors for family-based methods, due to lack of software that can simulate realistic sequence data for pedigrees.

SUMMARY: We developed RarePedSim (Rare-variant Pedigree-based Simulator), a program to simulate region/gene-level genotype and phenotype data for complex and Mendelian traits for any given pedigree structure. Using a genetic model, sequence variant data can be generated either conditionally or unconditionally on pedigree members{\textquoteright} qualitative or quantitative phenotypes. Additionally, qualitative or quantitative traits can be generated conditional on variant data. Sequence data can either be simulated using realistic population demographic models or obtained from sequence-based studies. Variant sites can be annotated with positions, allele frequencies and functionality. For rare variants, RarePedSim is the only program that can efficiently generate both genotypes and phenotypes, regardless of pedigree structure. Data generated by RarePedSim are in standard Linkage file (.ped) and Variant Call (.vcf) formats, ready to be used for a variety of purposes, including evaluation of type I error and power, for association methods including mixed models and linkage analysis methods.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: bioinformatics.org/simped/rare

CONTACT: sleal@bcm.edu.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Chromosome Segregation, Humans, Pedigree, Quantitative Trait, Heritable, Sequence Analysis, Software}, issn = {1367-4811}, doi = {10.1093/bioinformatics/btv412}, author = {Li, Biao and Wang, Gao T and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {130, title = {Mutations in SPATA5 Are Associated with Microcephaly, Intellectual Disability, Seizures, and Hearing Loss.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {97}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Sep 03}, pages = {457-64}, abstract = {

Using whole-exome sequencing, we have identified in ten families 14 individuals with microcephaly, developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, spasticity, seizures, sensorineural hearing loss, cortical visual impairment, and rare autosomal-recessive predicted pathogenic variants in spermatogenesis-associated protein 5 (SPATA5). SPATA5 encodes a ubiquitously expressed member of the ATPase associated with diverse activities (AAA) protein family and is involved in mitochondrial morphogenesis during early spermatogenesis. It might also play a role in post-translational modification during cell differentiation in neuronal development. Mutations in SPATA5 might affect brain development and function, resulting in microcephaly, developmental delay, and intellectual disability.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Amino Acid Sequence, ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities, Base Sequence, Exome, Female, Gene Frequency, Genes, Recessive, Hearing Loss, Homeodomain Proteins, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Male, Microcephaly, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Seizures, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.07.014}, author = {Tanaka, Akemi J and Cho, Megan T and Millan, Francisca and Juusola, Jane and Retterer, Kyle and Joshi, Charuta and Niyazov, Dmitriy and Garnica, Adolfo and Gratz, Edward and Deardorff, Matthew and Wilkins, Alisha and Ortiz-Gonzalez, Xilma and Mathews, Katherine and Panzer, Karin and Brilstra, Eva and van Gassen, Koen L I and Volker-Touw, Catharina M L and van Binsbergen, Ellen and Sobreira, Nara and Hamosh, Ada and McKnight, Dianalee and Monaghan, Kristin G and Chung, Wendy K} } @article {138, title = {Mutations in TBX18 Cause Dominant Urinary Tract Malformations via Transcriptional Dysregulation of Ureter Development.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {97}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Aug 06}, pages = {291-301}, abstract = {

Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the first three decades of life. Identification of single-gene mutations that cause CAKUT permits the first insights into related disease mechanisms. However, for most cases the underlying defect remains elusive. We identified a kindred with an autosomal-dominant form of CAKUT with predominant ureteropelvic junction obstruction. By whole exome sequencing, we identified a heterozygous truncating mutation (c.1010delG) of T-Box transcription factor 18 (TBX18) in seven affected members of the large kindred. A screen of additional families with CAKUT identified three families harboring two heterozygous TBX18 mutations (c.1570C>T and c.487A>G). TBX18 is essential for developmental specification of the ureteric mesenchyme and ureteric smooth muscle cells. We found that all three TBX18 altered proteins still dimerized with the wild-type protein but had prolonged protein half life and exhibited reduced transcriptional repression activity compared to wild-type TBX18. The p.Lys163Glu substitution altered an amino acid residue critical for TBX18-DNA interaction, resulting in impaired TBX18-DNA binding. These data indicate that dominant-negative TBX18 mutations cause human CAKUT by interference with TBX18 transcriptional repression, thus implicating ureter smooth muscle cell development in the pathogenesis of human CAKUT.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, Exome, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Genes, Dominant, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Immunoprecipitation, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Molecular Sequence Data, Muscle, Smooth, Mutation, Pedigree, Sequence Analysis, DNA, T-Box Domain Proteins, Ureter, Urinary Tract}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.07.001}, author = {Vivante, Asaf and Kleppa, Marc-Jens and Schulz, Julian and Kohl, Stefan and Sharma, Amita and Chen, Jing and Shril, Shirlee and Hwang, Daw-Yang and Weiss, Anna-Carina and Kaminski, Michael M and Shukrun, Rachel and Kemper, Markus J and Lehnhardt, Anja and Beetz, Rolf and Sanna-Cherchi, Simone and Verbitsky, Miguel and Gharavi, Ali G and Stuart, Helen M and Feather, Sally A and Goodship, Judith A and Goodship, Timothy H J and Woolf, Adrian S and Westra, Sjirk J and Doody, Daniel P and Bauer, Stuart B and Lee, Richard S and Adam, Rosalyn M and Lu, Weining and Reutter, Heiko M and Kehinde, Elijah O and Mancini, Erika J and Lifton, Richard P and Tasic, Velibor and Lienkamp, Soeren S and J{\"u}ppner, Harald and Kispert, Andreas and Hildebrandt, Friedhelm} } @article {152, title = {Rare A2ML1 variants confer susceptibility to otitis media.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {47}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Aug}, pages = {917-20}, abstract = {

A duplication variant within the middle ear-specific gene A2ML1 cosegregates with otitis media in an indigenous Filipino pedigree (LOD score = 7.5 at reduced penetrance) and lies within a founder haplotype that is also shared by 3 otitis-prone European-American and Hispanic-American children but is absent in non-otitis-prone children and >62,000 next-generation sequences. We identified seven additional A2ML1 variants in six otitis-prone children. Collectively, our studies support a role for A2ML1 in the pathophysiology of otitis media.

}, keywords = {alpha-Macroglobulins, Animals, Base Sequence, Child, Cochlea, Exome, Family Health, Female, Gene Duplication, Gene Frequency, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Haplotypes, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Models, Molecular, Otitis Media, Pedigree, Principal Component Analysis, Protein Conformation, Sequence Analysis, DNA}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.3347}, author = {Santos-Cortez, Regie Lyn P and Chiong, Charlotte M and Reyes-Quintos, Ma Rina T and Tantoco, Ma Leah C and Wang, Xin and Acharya, Anushree and Abbe, Izoduwa and Giese, Arnaud P and Smith, Joshua D and Allen, E Kaitlynn and Li, Biao and Cutiongco-de la Paz, Eva Maria and Garcia, Marieflor Cristy and Llanes, Erasmo Gonzalo D V and Labra, Patrick John and Gloria-Cruz, Teresa Luisa I and Chan, Abner L and Wang, Gao T and Daly, Kathleen A and Shendure, Jay and Bamshad, Michael J and Nickerson, Deborah A and Patel, Janak A and Riazuddin, Saima and Sale, Michele M and Chonmaitree, Tasnee and Ahmed, Zubair M and Abes, Generoso T and Leal, Suzanne M} } @article {137, title = {Rare variants in the notch signaling pathway describe a novel type of autosomal recessive Klippel-Feil syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {167A}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Nov}, pages = {2795-9}, abstract = {

Klippel-Feil syndrome is a rare disorder represented by a subgroup of segmentation defects of the vertebrae and characterized by fusion of the cervical vertebrae, low posterior hairline, and short neck with limited motion. Both autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance patterns were reported in families with Klippel-Feil. Mutated genes for both dominant (GDF6 and GDF3) and recessive (MEOX1) forms of Klippel-Feil syndrome have been shown to be involved in somite development via transcription regulation and signaling pathways. Heterotaxy arises from defects in proteins that function in the development of left-right asymmetry of the developing embryo. We describe a consanguineous family with a male proband who presents with classical Klippel-Feil syndrome together with heterotaxy (situs inversus totalis). The present patient also had Sprengel{\textquoteright}s deformity, deformity of the sternum, and a solitary kidney. Using exome sequencing, we identified a homozygous frameshift mutation (c.299delT; p.L100fs) in RIPPLY2, a gene shown to play a crucial role in somitogenesis and participate in the Notch signaling pathway via negatively regulating Tbx6. Our data confirm RIPPLY2 as a novel gene for autosomal recessive Klippel-Feil syndrome, and in addition-from a mechanistic standpoint-suggest the possibility that mutations in RIPPLY2 could also lead to heterotaxy. {\textcopyright} 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Base Sequence, Female, Humans, Klippel-Feil Syndrome, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Pedigree, Radiography, Receptors, Notch, Signal Transduction, Spine}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.37263}, author = {Karaca, Ender and Yuregir, Ozge O and Bozdogan, Sevcan T and Aslan, Huseyin and Pehlivan, Davut and Jhangiani, Shalini N and Akdemir, Zeynep C and Gambin, Tomasz and Bayram, Yavuz and Atik, Mehmed M and Erdin, Serkan and Muzny, Donna and Gibbs, Richard A and Lupski, James R} } @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 {231, title = {The Alu-rich genomic architecture of SPAST predisposes to diverse and functionally distinct disease-associated CNV alleles.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Aug 07}, pages = {143-61}, abstract = {

Intragenic copy-number variants (CNVs) contribute to the allelic spectrum of both Mendelian and complex disorders. Although pathogenic deletions and duplications in SPAST (mutations in which cause autosomal-dominant spastic paraplegia 4 [SPG4]) have been described, their origins and molecular consequences remain obscure. We mapped breakpoint junctions of 54 SPAST CNVs at nucleotide resolution. Diverse combinations of exons are deleted or duplicated, highlighting the importance of particular exons for spastin function. Of the 54 CNVs, 38 (70\%) appear to be mediated by an Alu-based mechanism, suggesting that the Alu-rich genomic architecture of SPAST renders this locus susceptible to various genome rearrangements. Analysis of breakpoint Alus further informs a model of Alu-mediated CNV formation characterized by small CNV size and potential involvement of mechanisms other than homologous recombination. Twelve deletions (22\%) overlap part of SPAST and a portion of a nearby, directly oriented gene, predicting novel chimeric genes in these subjects{\textquoteright} genomes. cDNA from a subject with a SPAST final exon deletion contained multiple SPAST:SLC30A6 fusion transcripts, indicating that SPAST CNVs can have transcriptional effects beyond the gene itself. SLC30A6 has been implicated in Alzheimer disease, so these fusion gene data could explain a report of spastic paraplegia and dementia cosegregating in a family with deletion of the final exon of SPAST. Our findings provide evidence that the Alu genomic architecture of SPAST predisposes to diverse CNV alleles with distinct transcriptional--and possibly phenotypic--consequences. Moreover, we provide further mechanistic insights into Alu-mediated copy-number change that are extendable to other loci.

}, keywords = {Adenosine Triphosphatases, Alu Elements, Base Sequence, Cation Transport Proteins, Cell Line, Transformed, DNA Copy Number Variations, Genotype, Humans, Protein Isoforms, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion, Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary, Spastin}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.06.014}, author = {Boone, Philip M and Yuan, Bo and Campbell, Ian M and Scull, Jennifer C and Withers, Marjorie A and Baggett, Brett C and Beck, Christine R and Shaw, Christine J and Stankiewicz, Pawel and Moretti, Paolo and Goodwin, Wendy E and Hein, Nichole and Fink, John K and Seong, Moon-Woo and Seo, Soo Hyun and Park, Sung Sup and Karbassi, Izabela D and Batish, Sat Dev and Ord{\'o}{\~n}ez-Ugalde, Andr{\'e}s and Quint{\'a}ns, Beatriz and Sobrido, Mar{\'\i}a-Jes{\'u}s and Stemmler, Susanne and Lupski, James R} } @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 {209, title = {Dosage changes of a segment at 17p13.1 lead to intellectual disability and microcephaly as a result of complex genetic interaction of multiple genes.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov 06}, pages = {565-78}, abstract = {

The 17p13.1 microdeletion syndrome is a recently described genomic disorder with a core clinical phenotype of intellectual disability, poor to absent speech, dysmorphic features, and a constellation of more variable clinical features, most prominently microcephaly. We identified five subjects with copy-number variants (CNVs) on 17p13.1 for whom we performed detailed clinical and molecular studies. Breakpoint mapping and retrospective analysis of published cases refined the smallest region of overlap (SRO) for microcephaly to a genomic interval containing nine genes. Dissection of this phenotype in zebrafish embryos revealed a complex genetic architecture: dosage perturbation of four genes (ASGR1, ACADVL, DVL2, and GABARAP) impeded neurodevelopment and decreased dosage of the same loci caused a reduced mitotic index in~vitro. Moreover, epistatic analyses in~vivo showed that dosage perturbations of discrete gene pairings induce microcephaly. Taken together, these studies support a model in which concomitant dosage perturbation of multiple genes within the CNV drive the microcephaly and possibly other neurodevelopmental phenotypes associated with rearrangements in the 17p13.1 SRO.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase, Long-Chain, Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Animals, Asialoglycoprotein Receptor, Base Sequence, Cell Line, Chromosome Breakpoints, Chromosome Deletion, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17, Dishevelled Proteins, Flow Cytometry, Gene Dosage, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Intellectual Disability, Microcephaly, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Phosphoproteins, Retrospective Studies, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Smith-Magenis Syndrome, Syndrome, Zebrafish}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.10.006}, author = {Carvalho, Claudia M B and Vasanth, Shivakumar and Shinawi, Marwan and Russell, Chad and Ramocki, Melissa B and Brown, Chester W and Graakjaer, Jesper and Skytte, Anne-Bine and Vianna-Morgante, Angela M and Krepischi, Ana C V and Patel, Gayle S and Immken, LaDonna and Aleck, Kyrieckos and Lim, Cynthia and Cheung, Sau Wai and Rosenberg, Carla and Katsanis, Nicholas and Lupski, James R} } @article {227, title = {Exome sequencing identifies a recurrent de novo ZSWIM6 mutation associated with acromelic frontonasal dysostosis.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Aug 07}, pages = {235-40}, abstract = {

Acromelic frontonasal dysostosis (AFND) is a rare disorder characterized by distinct craniofacial, brain, and limb malformations, including frontonasal dysplasia, interhemispheric lipoma, agenesis of the corpus callosum, tibial hemimelia, preaxial polydactyly of the feet, and intellectual disability. Exome sequencing of one trio and two unrelated probands revealed the same heterozygous variant (c.3487C>T [p. Arg1163Trp]) in a highly conserved protein domain of ZSWIM6; this variant has not been seen in the 1000 Genomes data, dbSNP, or the Exome Sequencing Project. Sanger validation of the three trios confirmed that the variant was de novo and was also present in a fourth isolated proband. In situ hybridization of early zebrafish embryos at 24 hr postfertilization (hpf) demonstrated telencephalic expression of zswim6 and onset of midbrain, hindbrain, and retinal expression at 48 hpf. Immunohistochemistry of later-stage mouse embryos demonstrated tissue-specific expression in the derivatives of all three germ layers. qRT-PCR expression analysis of osteoblast and fibroblast cell lines available from two probands was suggestive of Hedgehog pathway activation, indicating that the ZSWIM6 mutation associated with AFND may lead to the craniofacial, brain and limb malformations through the disruption of Hedgehog signaling.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Base Sequence, Craniofacial Abnormalities, DNA Mutational Analysis, DNA-Binding Proteins, Exome, Face, Hedgehog Proteins, Humans, Intellectual Disability, Limb Deformities, Congenital, Mandibulofacial Dysostosis, Mice, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Zebrafish, Zinc Fingers}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.07.008}, author = {Smith, Joshua D and Hing, Anne V and Clarke, Christine M and Johnson, Nathan M and Perez, Francisco A and Park, Sarah S and Horst, Jeremy A and Mecham, Brig and Maves, Lisa and Nickerson, Deborah A and Cunningham, Michael L} } @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 {236, title = {Individual exome analysis in diagnosis and management of paediatric liver failure of indeterminate aetiology.}, journal = {J Hepatol}, volume = {61}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {1056-63}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND \& AIMS: In children with liver failure, as many as half remain of indeterminate aetiology. This hinders timely consideration of optimal treatment options. We posit that a significant subset of these children harbour known inherited metabolic liver diseases with atypical presentation or novel inborn errors of metabolism. We investigated the utility of whole-exome sequencing in three children with advanced liver disease of indeterminate aetiology.

METHODS: Patient 1 was a 10 year-old female diagnosed with Wilson disease but no detectable ATP7B mutations, and decompensated liver cirrhosis who underwent liver transplant and subsequently developed onset of neurodegenerative disease. Patient 2 was a full-term 2 day-old male with fatal acute liver failure of indeterminate aetiology. Patient 3 was an 8 year-old female with progressive syndromic cholestasis of unknown aetiology since age 3 months.

RESULTS: Unbiased whole-exome sequencing of germline DNA revealed homozygous mutations in MPV17 and SERAC1 as the disease causing genes in patient 1 and 2, respectively. This is the first demonstration of SERAC1 loss-of-function associated fatal acute liver failure. Patient 1 expands the phenotypic spectrum of the MPV17-related hepatocerebral mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. Patient 3 was found to have syndromic cholestasis due to bi-allelic NOTCH2 mutations.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings validate the application of whole-exome sequencing in the diagnosis and management of children with advanced liver disease of indeterminate aetiology, with the potential to enhance optimal selection of treatment options and adequate counselling of families. Moreover, whole-exome sequencing revealed a hitherto unrecognized phenotypic spectrum of inherited metabolic liver diseases.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases, Child, Cholestasis, DNA Mutational Analysis, End Stage Liver Disease, Exome, Fatal Outcome, Female, Genes, Recessive, Hepatolenticular Degeneration, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Liver Failure, Liver Failure, Acute, Male, Membrane Proteins, Mitochondrial Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Pedigree, Receptor, Notch2, RNA Splice Sites, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid}, issn = {1600-0641}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhep.2014.06.038}, author = {Vilarinho, S{\'\i}lvia and Choi, Murim and Jain, Dhanpat and Malhotra, Ajay and Kulkarni, Sanjay and Pashankar, Dinesh and Phatak, Uma and Patel, Mohini and Bale, Allen and Mane, Shrikant and Lifton, Richard P and Mistry, Pramod K} } @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 {211, title = {Mutations in PURA cause profound neonatal hypotonia, seizures, and encephalopathy in 5q31.3 microdeletion syndrome.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov 06}, pages = {579-83}, abstract = {

5q31.3 microdeletion syndrome is characterized by neonatal hypotonia, encephalopathy with or without epilepsy, and severe developmental delay, and the minimal critical deletion interval harbors three genes. We describe 11 individuals with clinical features of 5q31.3 microdeletion syndrome and de novo mutations in PURA, encoding transcriptional activator protein Pur-α, within the critical region. These data implicate causative PURA mutations responsible for the severe neurological phenotypes observed in this syndrome.

}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Base Sequence, Caenorhabditis elegans, Chromosome Deletion, Chromosome Mapping, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5, DNA-Binding Proteins, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Muscle Hypotonia, Mutation, Seizures, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Syndrome, Transcription Factors}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.09.014}, author = {Lalani, Seema R and Zhang, Jing and Schaaf, Christian P and Brown, Chester W and Magoulas, Pilar and Tsai, Anne Chun-Hui and El-Gharbawy, Areeg and Wierenga, Klaas J and Bartholomew, Dennis and Fong, Chin-To and Barbaro-Dieber, Tina and Kukolich, Mary K and Burrage, Lindsay C and Austin, Elise and Keller, Kory and Pastore, Matthew and Fernandez, Fabio and Lotze, Timothy and Wilfong, Angus and Purcarin, Gabriela and Zhu, Wenmiao and Craigen, William J and McGuire, Marianne and Jain, Mahim and Cooney, Erin and Azamian, Mahshid and Bainbridge, Matthew N and Muzny, Donna M and Boerwinkle, Eric and Person, Richard E and Niu, Zhiyv and Eng, Christine M and Lupski, James R and Gibbs, Richard A and Beaudet, Arthur L and Yang, Yaping and Wang, Meng C and Xia, Fan} } @article {260, title = {Mutations in TJP2 cause progressive cholestatic liver disease.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {46}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Apr}, pages = {326-8}, abstract = {

Elucidating genetic causes of cholestasis has proved to be important in understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of the liver. Here we show that protein-truncating mutations in the tight junction protein 2 gene (TJP2) cause failure of protein localization and disruption of tight-junction structure, leading to severe cholestatic liver disease. These findings contrast with those in the embryonic-lethal knockout mouse, highlighting differences in redundancy in junctional complexes between organs and species.

}, keywords = {Animals, Base Sequence, Cholestasis, Intrahepatic, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Humans, Immunoblotting, Immunohistochemistry, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Models, Biological, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutation, Pedigree, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequence Alignment, Species Specificity, Tight Junctions, Zonula Occludens-2 Protein}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.2918}, author = {Sambrotta, Melissa and Strautnieks, Sandra and Papouli, Efterpi and Rushton, Peter and Clark, Barnaby E and Parry, David A and Logan, Clare V and Newbury, Lucy J and Kamath, Binita M and Ling, Simon and Grammatikopoulos, Tassos and Wagner, Bart E and Magee, John C and Sokol, Ronald J and Mieli-Vergani, Giorgina and Smith, Joshua D and Johnson, Colin A and McClean, Patricia and Simpson, Michael A and Knisely, A S and Bull, Laura N and Thompson, Richard J} } @article {239, title = {Opsismodysplasia resulting from an insertion mutation in the SH2 domain, which destabilizes INPPL1.}, journal = {Am J Med Genet A}, volume = {164A}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Sep}, pages = {2407-11}, keywords = {Adolescent, Amino Acid Sequence, Base Sequence, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Molecular Sequence Data, Mutagenesis, Insertional, Mutation, Osteochondrodysplasias, Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-Trisphosphate 5-Phosphatases, Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases, Protein Stability, Radiography, RNA Splice Sites, src Homology Domains}, issn = {1552-4833}, doi = {10.1002/ajmg.a.36640}, author = {Li, Bing and Krakow, Deborah and Nickerson, Deborah A and Bamshad, Michael J and Chang, Yong and Lachman, Ralph S and Yilmaz, Alev and Kayserili, H{\"u}lya and Cohn, Daniel H} } @article {210, title = {PRIMUS: rapid reconstruction of pedigrees from genome-wide estimates of identity by descent.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {95}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov 06}, pages = {553-64}, abstract = {

Understanding and correctly utilizing relatedness among samples is essential for genetic analysis; however, managing sample records and pedigrees can often be error prone and incomplete. Data sets ascertained by random sampling often harbor cryptic relatedness that can be leveraged in genetic analyses for maximizing power. We have developed a method that uses genome-wide estimates of~pairwise identity by descent to identify families and quickly reconstruct and score all possible pedigrees that fit the genetic data by using up to third-degree relatives, and we have included it in the software package PRIMUS (Pedigree Reconstruction and Identification of the~Maximally Unrelated Set). Here, we validate its performance on simulated, clinical, and HapMap pedigrees. Among these samples, we demonstrate that PRIMUS can verify reported pedigree structures and identify cryptic relationships. Finally, we show that PRIMUS reconstructed pedigrees, all of which were previously unknown, for 203 families from a cohort collected in Starr County, TX (1,890 samples).

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, Computer Simulation, Exome, Gene Frequency, Genetics, Population, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Pedigree, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Software, Texas}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.10.005}, author = {Staples, Jeffrey and Qiao, Dandi and Cho, Michael H and Silverman, Edwin K and Nickerson, Deborah A and Below, Jennifer E} } @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 {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 {323, title = {Incidental copy-number variants identified by routine genome testing in a clinical population.}, journal = {Genet Med}, volume = {15}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jan}, pages = {45-54}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Mutational load of susceptibility variants has not been studied on a genomic scale in a clinical population, nor has the potential to identify these mutations as incidental findings during clinical testing been systematically ascertained.

METHODS: Array comparative genomic hybridization, a method for genome-wide detection of DNA copy-number variants, was performed clinically on DNA from 9,005 individuals. Copy-number variants encompassing or disrupting single genes were identified and analyzed for their potential to confer predisposition to dominant, adult-onset disease. Multigene copy-number variants affecting dominant, adult-onset cancer syndrome genes were also assessed.

RESULTS: In our cohort, 83 single-gene copy-number variants affected 40 unique genes associated with dominant, adult-onset disorders and unrelated to the patients{\textquoteright} referring diagnoses (i.e., incidental) were found. Fourteen of these copy-number variants are likely disease-predisposing, 25 are likely benign, and 44 are of unknown clinical consequence. When incidental copy-number variants spanning up to 20 genes were considered, 27 copy-number variants affected 17 unique genes associated with dominant, adult-onset cancer predisposition.

CONCLUSION: Copy-number variants potentially conferring susceptibility to adult-onset disease can be identified as incidental findings during routine genome-wide testing. Some of these mutations may be medically actionable, enabling disease surveillance or prevention; however, most incidentally observed single-gene copy-number variants are currently of unclear significance to the patient.

}, keywords = {Age of Onset, Base Sequence, Chromosome Mapping, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, DNA Copy Number Variations, Female, Gene Order, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Inheritance Patterns, Male, Reproducibility of Results}, issn = {1530-0366}, doi = {10.1038/gim.2012.95}, author = {Boone, Philip M and Soens, Zachry T and Campbell, Ian M and Stankiewicz, Pawel and Cheung, Sau Wai and Patel, Ankita and Beaudet, Arthur L and Plon, Sharon E and Shaw, Chad A and McGuire, Amy L and Lupski, James R} } @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 {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 {288, title = {Replicative mechanisms for CNV formation are error prone.}, journal = {Nat Genet}, volume = {45}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Nov}, pages = {1319-26}, abstract = {

We investigated 67 breakpoint junctions of gene copy number gains in 31 unrelated subjects. We observed a strikingly high frequency of small deletions and insertions (29\%) apparently originating from polymerase slippage events, in addition to frameshifts and point mutations in homonucleotide runs (13\%), at or flanking the breakpoint junctions of complex copy number variants. These single-nucleotide variants were generated concomitantly with the de novo complex genomic rearrangement (CGR) event. Our findings implicate low-fidelity, error-prone DNA polymerase activity in synthesis associated with DNA repair mechanisms as the cause of local increase in point mutation burden associated with human CGR.

}, keywords = {Base Sequence, DNA Breaks, DNA Copy Number Variations, DNA Repair, DNA Replication, Frameshift Mutation, Gene Rearrangement, Genetic Variation, Genotype, Humans, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion}, issn = {1546-1718}, doi = {10.1038/ng.2768}, author = {Carvalho, Claudia M B and Pehlivan, Davut and Ramocki, Melissa B and Fang, Ping and Alleva, Benjamin and Franco, Luis M and Belmont, John W and Hastings, P J and Lupski, James R} } @article {297, title = {TM4SF20 ancestral deletion and susceptibility to a pediatric disorder of early language delay and cerebral white matter hyperintensities.}, journal = {Am J Hum Genet}, volume = {93}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Aug 08}, pages = {197-210}, abstract = {

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) of the brain are important markers of aging and small-vessel disease. WMHs are rare in healthy children and, when observed, often occur with comorbid neuroinflammatory or vasculitic processes. Here, we describe a complex 4 kb deletion in 2q36.3 that segregates with early childhood communication disorders and WMH in 15 unrelated families predominantly from Southeast Asia. The premature brain aging phenotype with punctate and multifocal WMHs was observed in ~70\% of young carrier parents who underwent brain MRI. The complex deletion removes the penultimate exon 3 of TM4SF20, a gene encoding a transmembrane protein of unknown function. Minigene analysis showed that the resultant net loss of an exon introduces a premature stop codon, which, in turn, leads to the generation of a stable protein that fails to target to the plasma membrane and accumulates in the cytoplasm. Finally, we report this deletion to be enriched in individuals of Vietnamese Kinh descent, with an allele frequency of about 1\%, embedded in an ancestral haplotype. Our data point to a constellation of early language delay and WMH phenotypes, driven by a likely toxic mechanism of TM4SF20 truncation, and highlight the importance of understanding and managing population-specific low-frequency pathogenic alleles.

}, keywords = {Age of Onset, Aging, Premature, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Base Sequence, Brain, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2, Exons, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Language Development Disorders, Leukoencephalopathies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Pedigree, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Deletion, Tetraspanins}, issn = {1537-6605}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.05.027}, author = {Wiszniewski, Wojciech and Hunter, Jill V and Hanchard, Neil A and Willer, Jason R and Shaw, Chad and Tian, Qi and Illner, Anna and Wang, Xueqing and Cheung, Sau W and Patel, Ankita and Campbell, Ian M and Gelowani, Violet and Hixson, Patricia and Ester, Audrey R and Azamian, Mahshid S and Potocki, Lorraine and Zapata, Gladys and Hernandez, Patricia P and Ramocki, Melissa B and Santos-Cortez, Regie L P and Wang, Gao and York, Michele K and Justice, Monica J and Chu, Zili D and Bader, Patricia I and Omo-Griffith, Lisa and Madduri, Nirupama S and Scharer, Gunter and Crawford, Heather P and Yanatatsaneejit, Pattamawadee and Eifert, Anna and Kerr, Jeffery and Bacino, Carlos A and Franklin, Adiaha I A and Goin-Kochel, Robin P and Simpson, Gayle and Immken, LaDonna and Haque, Muhammad E and Stosic, Marija and Williams, Misti D and Morgan, Thomas M and Pruthi, Sumit and Omary, Reed and Boyadjiev, Simeon A and Win, Kay K and Thida, Aye and Hurles, Matthew and Hibberd, Martin Lloyd and Khor, Chiea Chuen and Van Vinh Chau, Nguyen and Gallagher, Thomas E and Mutirangura, Apiwat and Stankiewicz, Pawel and Beaudet, Arthur L and Maletic-Savatic, Mirjana and Rosenfeld, Jill A and Shaffer, Lisa G and Davis, Erica E and Belmont, John W and Dunstan, Sarah and Simmons, Cameron P and Bonnen, Penelope E and Leal, Suzanne M and Katsanis, Nicholas and Lupski, James R and Lalani, Seema R} } @article {312, title = {Whole-exome sequencing identified a patient with TMCO1 defect syndrome and expands the phenotic spectrum.}, journal = {Clin Genet}, volume = {84}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Oct}, pages = {394-5}, keywords = {Abnormalities, Multiple, Base Sequence, Child, Consanguinity, Exome, Humans, Male, Membrane Proteins, Pedigree, Phenotype, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Syndrome}, issn = {1399-0004}, doi = {10.1111/cge.12088}, author = {Caglayan, A O and Per, H and Akgumus, G and Gumus, H and Baranoski, J and Canpolat, M and Calik, M and Yikilmaz, A and Bilguvar, K and Kumandas, S and Gunel, M} }