Monosomy 10 qter

Summary An 11-year-old girl with 10q26qter deletion is described and compared with another patient reported in the literature. The most characteristic features of monosomy 10qter seem to be: severe mental retardation; growth retardation; microcephaly; and facial dysmorphism with a long and triangular facies, a broad and prominent nasal bridge, a poorly developed tip of the nose, a short philtrum, and flattened angles of the mandible. Several of these features are opposed in type and countertype to features of trisomy 10qter.Chargé de Recherche C.N.R.S.     

Trisomy 9p due to paternal translocation, t(9;13) (q13;q12).

A 16-year-old girl with trisomy 9p is described. She had a short stature, severe mental retardation and the following abnormal clinical findings: peculiar face with hypertelorism, downward slanting palpebral fissures, convergent strabismus, a bulbous nose with broad and prominent bridge, short upper lip, narrow, high-arched palate; short neck with low hairline; severe kyphoscoliosis and a congenital clubfoot deformity; hypoplasia and dysplasia of several phalanges of the fingers and toes and some nails, a delay by about 6 years in bone age, and remarkable dermatoglyphic patterns. The father and 3 other family members carried a balanced translocation between chromosomes 9 and 13, t(9;13)(q13;q12).     

Trisomy 12p syndrome

Summary The first case of trisomy of probable 12p mosaicism originated de novo is presented. Comparison of the clinical findings of this patient with those of previously described cases of 12p trisomy derived from translocated chromosomes indicates that the symptoms of 12p trisomy are: (1) normal birth weight and physical development, (2) severe psychomotor retardation and generalized hypotonia, (3) peculiarly round face with prominent cheeks, hypertelorism, epicanthus, broad, flat nasal bridge, short nose with anteverted nostrils, large philtrum, broad, prominent lower lip, and (4) poly(syn)dactyly of feet.     

Trisomy 4q syndrome: presentation of a new case and review of the literature

We describe the 11th case of a de novo partial trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 4, with the extra segment spanning from 4q27 to 4q35. The aberration resulted from an unbalanced translocation of material from 4q to the short arm of chromosome 7, as evident from fluorescent in situ hybridization. Microsatellite analysis revealed the extra material to originate from the father. The karyotype was interpreted as 46,XX,der(7)t(4;7)(q27;p22). The patient is a 13-year-old girl with severe mental retardation, growth retardation, hearing impairment as well as minor foot, thumb and facial anomalies. Although the extent of the aberration varies between the reported patients, there are nevertheless features in common, suggestive of a trisomy 4q syndrome. The clinical findings most frequently reported are: mental retardation, seizures, microcephaly, hearing impairment and growth retardation, as well as epicanthic folds, high/broad/depressed nasal bridge, malformed ears, tooth and thumb anomalies. Almost the entire long arm of chromosome 4, except band q11, has been involved in trisomies/duplications, but 4q27 and 4q31 seem to be preferentially engaged in the trisomy 4q syndrome.     

Partial trisomy 8q in half-sisters with distinct dysmorphic patterns not similar to the trisomy 8 mosaicism syndrome

Summary Two cases of partial trisomy 8q are presented. Common clinical features included severe mental and physical retardation, a prominent and short forehead, widely set mongoloid eyes, broad, flat nose with short septum, short upper lip, misshapen ears, a funnel chest, hypertrichosis of the back, coxa valga, and short fingers with brachymesophalangy and clinodactyly of the little fingers. Moreover, Case 1 had a frontal meningocele and bilateral talipes equinovarus, and Case 2 had a ventricular septal defect. The chromosome aberration in the two girls arose from a maternal balanced translocation, t(8;18) (q2309;p113). Since the major clinical features of mosaic trisomy 8 are absent in the two girls and in other cases of partial trisomy, both for the distal segment of the lang arm and for the short arm of chromosome 8, it is concluded that trisomy of the proximal part of the long arm of chromosome 8 causes most of the clinical findings of trisomy 8 mosaicism syndrome.     

Chromosome 7 short-arm interstitial deletion (p14)

Summary A 13-year-old girl presented with microcephaly, short and broad neck, low posterior hairline, congenital heart disease, limitation of joint movement, and mild mental retardation. Chromosomal analysis showed interstitial deletion of band p14 of the short arm of chromosome 7. The patient's physical and cytogenetic findings are compared with those of five other patients with 7p-deletions.     

De novo paracentric inversion 14q13q24.1 in a patient with severe involuntary movements, epilepsy, oligodontia and dysmorphic features

We describe a 22-year-old woman with a de novo paracentric inversion of the long arm of chromosome 14 with breakpoints at q13 and q24 and associated with epilepsy, dysarthria and severe incapacitating involuntary movements present since birth. These movements were incessant when awake but absent when asleep. She had unusual facies with downward slant of palpebral fissures, epicanthi, broad philtral groove, flat malar region, large, cup shaped and low-set ears, and short neck. Her decidual and permanent dentition lacked all premolars and molars. Psychological assessment at ages 6 and 15 years showed mild mental retardation. In spite of the aggravation of the neurological symptoms no decline of mental capacity was observed. A brain MRI was normal at 19 years of age. Early on EEG showed changes compatible with partial epilepsy, and at later stages there was, contrary to expectation, only a mild background slowing. Urinary metabolic screening tests and a search for vacuolated lymphocytes were negative. Previously, four cases with a similar inversion have been described. Of these, three were familial with normal phenotype, and the fourth was de novo with severe mental retardation, microcephaly and involuntary movements. Our case is the second de novo inversion of the long arm of chromosome 14 with breakpoints at q13 and q24. The observations in the two patients suggest that this chromosomal rearrangement is associated with a congenital complex movement disorder.     

Distal 19q duplication

Summary Two brothers with a distal 19q duplication due to a maternal balanced reciprocal translocation were observed. Clinical features included intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, and mental retardation with seizures. Dysmorphic facies consisted of coarse hair with a high frontal hairline, short philtrum and nose, flat nasal root, and a broad mouth with downturned commissures. Both routine G-banded and high-resolution prometaphase chromosome studies were employed in evaluation of the family. The dysmorphic features and karyotypes of the affected brothers are compared with those of the two previously reported families with 19q duplication, and a common distal-19q phenotypes is suggested.     

Mewing cry in a child with the partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome No. 4

Summary A case is presented of partial deletion of the short arm of the chromosome No. 4, but with a mewing cry, typical of the 5p — deletion syndrome. The clinical examination revealed similar features to those described in other cases of 4p — deletion, namely low birth weight, hypertelorism, facial asymmetry, failure to thrive, mental retardation, beak-shaped nose, low set ears, broad nasal bridge, skeletal anomalies and hypotony. The mewing character of the voice was confirmed by analysis of the voice spectrum. The deleted chromosome was identified by the measurement technique.     

Partial duplication of the short arm of chromosome 2 (dup(2)(p13----p21) associated with mental retardation and an Aarskog-like phenotype

In this report we describe a 3-year-old boy with partial trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 2 due to a de novo tandem duplication 2(dup(2)(p13----p21)). In addition to severe growth retardation and moderate psychomotor delay he presented a dysmorphic syndrome compatible with the clinical diagnostic of Aarskog syndrome.     

Trisomy 9p with an isochromosome of 9p

An 18 1/2-year-old female is described with moderately severe mental retardation, the phenotype of the trisomy 9p syndromy, and an isochromosome for the short arm of a chromosome 9, contained in an unique karyotype, 46,XX,-9,t(7q9q),+ iso 9p.     

Ring chromosome 17 in a mentally retarded boy.

A six-year-old boy was found to have a ring chromosome 17. In addition to psychomotor retardation, speech delay and seizure disorders, his abnormal phenotypic features included epicanthal folds, broad depressed nasal bridge, protruding thick upper and lower lips, micrognathia, narrow high arched palate, short fifth fingers with a mild degree of clinicodactyly, multiple café-aui-lait spots, and abnormal dermatoglyphics.     

Partial trisomy of chromosome no. 1 in two adult brothers due to maternal translocation (1q-;6p+)

Summary Extra chromosome material on the short arm of chromosome no. 6 (46,XY,6p+) was found in two mentally retarded adult half-brothers with mildly dysmorphic features. The phenotypically normal mother had a balanced translocation between the long arm of chromosome no. 1 and the short arm of chromosome no. 6: 46,XX,t(1;6)(q32;p25). Thus the two affected brothers were trisomic for the long arm segment of chromosome no. 1, distal to q32. These patients, with mildly dysmorphic features and mental retardation, represent the first cases of partial trisomy 1q surviving to adulthood.The clinical and cytogenetic data obtained from eight individuals with partial trisomies for different long arm segments of chromosome no. 1 suggest that partial trisomy of the distal two-thirds of the long arm is characterized by severe malformations, growth retardation, and early death. Conversely, partial trisomy for the distal one-third of the long arm is associated with milder malformations and longer survival time as well as growth and mental retardation.     

Report of a trisomy 8p infant with carrier father.

This report describes an infant with fatal congenital heart disease, cleft palate, brain malformations, and trisomy 8p resultant from the paternal balanced reciprocal translocation, rcp(8;15) (p11;p11). Review of six previously reported trisomy 8p patients (resultant from parental balanced translocation in each instance) revealed severe mental retardation in five, short stature in all, and a variety of brain, skeletal, and cardiac defects. The features of the seven trisomy 8p patients reviewed here are not sufficiently similar to suggest a distinct dysmorphic syndrome. In addition the features differ from those in the trisomy 8 mosaicism syndrome, in which the mental retardation and malformations are generally less severe.     

Terminal 7p deletion and 1;7 translocation associated with craniosynostosis

Summary A female infant with presumptive deletion of the 7p2 region and an unusual translocation between a part of the short arm of chromosome 1 and a deleted chromosome 7 is described. The patient showed congenital craniosynostosis of the coronal and metopic sutures; marked turricephaly; hypotelorism; deeply cleft palate; shallow orbits with prominent bulging eyes; a depressed nasal bridge; anteverted nostrils; short hands with broad thin fingers and elongated thumbs; a mild talipes calcaneovalgus deformity of the feet; a systolic murmur due to a small VSD; and psychomotor retardation. The child died of bronchopneumonia at 10 weeks of age. The parents are chromosomally normal.     

Trisomy for the distal third of the long arm of chromosome 19 in brother and sister

Summary Trisomy for the distal third of the long arm of chromosome 19 was observed in a 12-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister. Both are affected by extremely severe statural and psychomotor retardation. The physical symptoms common to both are dwarfism, micro- and brachycephaly, antimongoloid slant of the eyes, hypertelorism, ptosis, short nose, short philtrum, poorly formed ears, short neck with excess skin, barrel-shaped thorax, diastasis of rectus muscles, kyphosis, sacral dimple, excess of digital arches, pedes valgi, laterally curved big toes, epilepsy and muscular hypotonia. The chromosomal anomaly was transmitted by the mother, who is the carrier of a translocation t(19;20)(19q133;20pter). In the pedigree, extending over four generations, among 30 pregnancies fathered or mothered by 5 carriers resulted in: 6 individuals with normal karyotype, 9 carriers, 2 confirmed and 2 presumptive unbalanced abnormal children, and 10 abortions.     

Costello syndrome in two siblings and minor manifestations in their mother. Further evidence for autosomal dominant inheritance?

We report on two siblings: the index patient, a 9 months old boy and his 2.5 years old sister, both presenting the main clinical signs and symptoms of Costello syndrome (CS): severe mental and motor retardation, feeding difficulties, failure to thrive in the first months of life, coarse facial appearance, skin hyperlaxity and skeletal deformities. Their mother presented with mild to moderate mental retardation, short stature, facial fullness and wart-like lesions on her face. The present observation confirms previous data on the apparent autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance in Costello syndrome with variable expression.     

The phenotype in de novo and familial pericentric inversion 6. A problem in karyotype-phenotype correlation

Summary A 15-month-old girl with a de novo pericentric inversion 6(p12q15) is described. No chromosomal imbalance could be detected, but multiple dysmorphic features such as low birth weight, short stature, mental retardation, macrocephaly, hypertelorism, broad and impressed nasal bridge, seizures, and delayed developmental milestones suggest the possibility of an unrecognized chromosomal imbalance, although a fortuitous association is also possible. The HLA region was not involved.This work was supported in part by research grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Expression and Crystallization of an N-Terminally Activated Form of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ca Toxin

When the active form of the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin Cry1Ca was expressed in E. coli severe growth retardation was observed. The absence of a short peptide from the N-terminus of the protoxin was responsible for this effect. The introduction of a mutation at an amino acid previously reported as being involved in the initial stages of pore formation within the natural insect target partially abolished the growth retardation effect. We suggest that removal of the N-terminal peptide is a necessary step in toxin activation, the presence of this peptide preventing proper interaction of the toxin with the target membrane. Expression of the truncated toxin in Bacillus thuringiensis also prevented the formation of Cry1Ca crystals. Received: 7 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 April 2001     

The 22q distal trisomy syndrome in a recombinant child

A 4-month-old male infant with 22q distal trisomy and karyotype 46,XY,rec(22), dup q,inv(22)(q13q12)mat is reported. This and six previous similar instances are compared, and a distinct syndrome is delineated as follows: growth and psychomotor retardation, microcephaly or hydrocephaly, brain malformation, defective skull ossification, hypertelorism, narrow palpebral fissures, short broad nose, cleft palate with or without lip involvement, short neck, cardiac defect, renal and genital hypoplasia, osteoarticular abnormalities (mostly clubfoot), and poor survival. In addition, this syndrome is distinct from other duplications of chromosome 22, namely the complete trisomy, the proximal trisomy, and the cat-eye phenotype.