A Novel Missense Mutation in ADAMTS10 in Norwegian Elkhound Primary Glaucoma

Primary glaucoma is one of the most common causes of irreversible blindness both in humans and in dogs. Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy affecting the retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve, and elevated intraocular pressure is commonly associated with the disease. Glaucoma is broadly classified into primary open angle (POAG), primary closed angle (PCAG) and primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Human glaucomas are genetically heterogeneous and multiple loci have been identified. Glaucoma affects several dog breeds but only three loci and one gene have been implicated so far. We have investigated the genetics of primary glaucoma in the Norwegian Elkhound (NE). We established a small pedigree around the affected NEs collected from Finland, US and UK and performed a genome-wide association study with 9 cases and 8 controls to map the glaucoma gene to 750 kb region on canine chromosome 20 (p_raw = 4.93×10⁻⁶, p_genome = 0.025). The associated region contains a previously identified glaucoma gene, ADAMTS10, which was subjected to mutation screening in the coding regions. A fully segregating missense mutation (p.A387T) in exon 9 was found in 14 cases and 572 unaffected NEs (p_Fisher = 3.5×10⁻²⁷) with a high carrier frequency (25.3%). The mutation interrupts a highly conserved residue in the metalloprotease domain of ADAMTS10, likely affecting its functional capacity. Our study identifies the genetic cause of primary glaucoma in NEs and enables the development of a genetic test for breeding purposes. This study establishes also a new spontaneous canine model for glaucoma research to study the ADAMTS10 biology in optical neuropathy.     

A Novel AXIN2 Missense Mutation Is Associated with Non-Syndromic Oligodontia

Oligodontia is defined as the congenital absence of six or more permanent teeth, excluding the third molars. Oligodontia may contribute to masticatory dysfunction, speech alteration, aesthetic problems and malocclusion. Numerous gene mutations have been association with oligodontia. In the present study, we identified a de novo AXIN2 missense mutation (c.314T>G) in a Chinese individual with non-syndromic oligodontia. This mutation results in the substitution of Val at residue 105 for Gly (p.Val105Gly); residue 105 is located in the highly conserved regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain of the AXIN2 protein. This is the first report indicating that a mutation in the RGS domain of AXIN2 is responsible for non-syndromic oligodontia. Our study supports the relationship between AXIN2 mutation and non-syndromic oligodontia and extends the mutation spectrum of the AXIN2 gene.     

A Novel Autosomal Recessive GJA1 Missense Mutation Linked to Craniometaphyseal Dysplasia

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD) is a rare sclerosing skeletal disorder with progressive hyperostosis of craniofacial bones. CMD can be inherited in an autosomal dominant (AD) trait or occur after de novo mutations in the pyrophosphate transporter ANKH. Although the autosomal recessive (AR) form of CMD had been mapped to 6q21-22 the mutation has been elusive. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing for one subject with AR CMD and identified a novel missense mutation (c.716G>A, p.Arg239Gln) in the C-terminus of the gap junction protein alpha-1 (GJA1) coding for connexin 43 (Cx43). We confirmed this mutation in 6 individuals from 3 additional families. The homozygous mutation cosegregated only with affected family members. Connexin 43 is a major component of gap junctions in osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts and chondrocytes. Gap junctions are responsible for the diffusion of low molecular weight molecules between cells. Mutations in Cx43 cause several dominant and recessive disorders involving developmental abnormalities of bone such as dominant and recessive oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD; MIM #164200, 257850) and isolated syndactyly type III (MIM #186100), the characteristic digital anomaly in ODDD. However, characteristic ocular and dental features of ODDD as well as syndactyly are absent in patients with the recessive Arg239Gln Cx43 mutation. Bone remodeling mechanisms disrupted by this novel Cx43 mutation remain to be elucidated.     

bfb,a Novel ENU-Induced blebs Mutant Resulting from a Missense Mutation in Fras1

Fras1 is an extracellular matrix associated protein with essential roles in adhesion of epithelia and mesenchyme during early embryonic development. The adhesive function of Fras1 is achieved through interaction with a group of related proteins, Frem 1–3, and a cytoplasmic adaptor protein Grip1. Mutation of each of these proteins results in characteristic epithelial blistering and have therefore become known as “blebs” proteins. Human Fraser syndrome presents with a similar phenotype and the blebs mice have been instrumental in identification of the genetic basis of Fraser syndrome. We have identified a new ENU-induced blebs allele resulting from a novel missense mutation in Fras1. The resulting mouse strain, blood filled blisters (bfb), presents with a classic blebs phenotype but does not exhibit embryonic lethality typical of other blebs mutants and in addition, we report novel palate and sternal defects. Analysis of the bfb phenotype confirms the presence of epithelial-mesenchymal adhesion defects but also supports the emerging role of blebs proteins in regulating signalling during organogenesis. The bfb strain provides new opportunities to investigate the role of Fras1 in development.     

A Novel Missense SNRNP200 Mutation Associated with Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa in a Chinese Family

The SNRNP200 gene encodes hBrr2, a helicase essential for pre-mRNA splicing. Six mutations in SNRNP200 have recently been discovered to be associated with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). In this work, we analyzed a Chinese family with adRP and identified a novel missense mutation in SNRNP200. To identify the genetic defect in this family, exome of the proband was captured and sequencing analysis was performed to exclude known genetic defects and find possible pathogenic mutations. Subsequently, candidate mutations were validated in affected family members using Sanger sequencing. A novel missense mutation, c.2653C>G transition (p.Q885E), in exon 20 of SNRNP200 was identified. The mutation co-segregated with the disease phenotype over four generations and was absent in 100 normal unaffected individuals. This mutation occurs at highly conserved position in hBrr2 and is predicted to have a functional impact, suggesting that hBrr2-dependent small nuclear riboproteins (snRNPs) unwinding and spliceosome activation is important in the pathogenesis of some variants of RP.     

A COLQ Missense Mutation in Labrador Retrievers Having Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) are heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders characterized by skeletal muscle weakness caused by disruption of signal transmission across the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). CMSs are rarely encountered in veterinary medicine, and causative mutations have only been identified in Old Danish Pointing Dogs and Brahman cattle to date. Herein, we characterize a novel CMS in 2 Labrador Retriever littermates with an early onset of marked generalized muscle weakness. Because the sire and dam share 2 recent common ancestors, CMS is likely the result of recessive alleles inherited identical by descent (IBD). Genome-wide SNP profiles generated from the Illumina HD array for 9 nuclear family members were used to determine genomic inheritance patterns in chromosomal regions encompassing 18 functional candidate genes. SNP haplotypes spanning 3 genes were consistent with autosomal recessive transmission, and microsatellite data showed that only the segment encompassing COLQ was inherited IBD. COLQ encodes the collagenous tail of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for termination of signal transduction in the NMJ. Sequences from COLQ revealed a variant in exon 14 (c.1010T>C) that results in the substitution of a conserved amino acid (I337T) within the C-terminal domain. Both affected puppies were homozygous for this variant, and 16 relatives were heterozygous, while 288 unrelated Labrador Retrievers and 112 dogs of other breeds were wild-type. A recent study in which 2 human CMS patients were found to be homozygous for an identical COLQ mutation (c.1010T>C; I337T) provides further evidence that this mutation is pathogenic. This report describes the first COLQ mutation in canine CMS and demonstrates the utility of SNP profiles from nuclear family members for the identification of private mutations.     

A Missense Mutation in CASK Causes FG Syndrome in an Italian Family

First described in 1974, FG syndrome (FGS) is an X-linked multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation (MCA/MR) disorder, characterized by high clinical variability and genetic heterogeneity. Five loci (FGS1-5) have so far been linked to this phenotype on the X chromosome, but only one gene, MED12, has been identified to date. Mutations in this gene account for a restricted number of FGS patients with a more distinctive phenotype, referred to as the Opitz-Kaveggia phenotype. We report here that a p.R28L (c.83G→T) missense mutation in CASK causes FGS phenotype in an Italian family previously mapped to Xp11.4-p11.3 (FGS4). The identified missense mutation cosegregates with the phenotype in this family and is absent in 1000 control X chromosomes of the same ethnic origin. An extensive analysis of CASK protein functions as well as structural and dynamic studies performed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation did not reveal significant alterations induced by the p.R28L substitution. However, we observed a partial skipping of the exon 2 of CASK, presumably a consequence of improper recognition of exonic splicing enhancers (ESEs) induced by the c.83G→T transversion. CASK is a multidomain scaffold protein highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) with specific localization to the synapses, where it forms large signaling complexes regulating neurotransmission. We suggest that the observed phenotype is most likely a consequence of an altered CASK expression profile during embryogenesis, brain development, and differentiation.     

CanDrA: Cancer-Specific Driver Missense Mutation Annotation with Optimized Features

Driver mutations are somatic mutations that provide growth advantage to tumor cells, while passenger mutations are those not functionally related to oncogenesis. Distinguishing drivers from passengers is challenging because drivers occur much less frequently than passengers, they tend to have low prevalence, their functions are multifactorial and not intuitively obvious. Missense mutations are excellent candidates as drivers, as they occur more frequently and are potentially easier to identify than other types of mutations. Although several methods have been developed for predicting the functional impact of missense mutations, only a few have been specifically designed for identifying driver mutations. As more mutations are being discovered, more accurate predictive models can be developed using machine learning approaches that systematically characterize the commonality and peculiarity of missense mutations under the background of specific cancer types. Here, we present a cancer driver annotation (CanDrA) tool that predicts missense driver mutations based on a set of 95 structural and evolutionary features computed by over 10 functional prediction algorithms such as CHASM, SIFT, and MutationAssessor. Through feature optimization and supervised training, CanDrA outperforms existing tools in analyzing the glioblastoma multiforme and ovarian carcinoma data sets in The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia project.     

Avoiding Dangerous Missense: Thermophiles Display Especially Low Mutation Rates

Rates of spontaneous mutation have been estimated under optimal growth conditions for a variety of DNA-based microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotes. When expressed as genomic mutation rates, most of the values were in the vicinity of 0.003–0.004 with a range of less than two-fold. Because the genome sizes varied by roughly 10⁴-fold, the mutation rates per average base pair varied inversely by a similar factor. Even though the commonality of the observed genomic rates remains unexplained, it implies that mutation rates in unstressed microbes reach values that can be finely tuned by evolution. An insight originating in the 1920s and maturing in the 1960s proposed that the genomic mutation rate would reflect a balance between the deleterious effect of the average mutation and the cost of further reducing the mutation rate. If this view is correct, then increasing the deleterious impact of the average mutation should be countered by reducing the genomic mutation rate. It is a common observation that many neutral or nearly neutral mutations become strongly deleterious at higher temperatures, in which case they are called temperature-sensitive mutations. Recently, the kinds and rates of spontaneous mutations were described for two microbial thermophiles, a bacterium and an archaeon. Using an updated method to extrapolate from mutation-reporter genes to whole genomes reveals that the rate of base substitutions is substantially lower in these two thermophiles than in mesophiles. This result provides the first experimental support for the concept of an evolved balance between the total genomic impact of mutations and the cost of further reducing the basal mutation rate.     

A Novel Missense Mutation,I890T,in the Pore Region of Cardiac Sodium Channel Causes Brugada Syndrome

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a life-threatening, inherited arrhythmogenic syndrome associated with autosomal dominant mutations in SCN5A, the gene encoding the cardiac Na⁺ channel alpha subunit (Na_v1.5). The aim of this work was to characterize the functional alterations caused by a novel SCN5A mutation, I890T, and thus establish whether this mutation is associated with BrS. The mutation was identified by direct sequencing of SCN5A from the proband’s DNA. Wild-type (WT) or I890T Na_v1.5 channels were heterologously expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. Sodium currents were studied using standard whole cell patch-clamp protocols and immunodetection experiments were performed using an antibody against human Na_v1.5 channel. A marked decrease in current density was observed in cells expressing the I890T channel (from −52.0±6.5 pA/pF, n = 15 to −35.9±3.4 pA/pF, n = 22, at −20 mV, WT and I890T, respectively). Moreover, a positive shift of the activation curve was identified (V _1/2 = −32.0±0.3 mV, n = 18, and −27.3±0.3 mV, n = 22, WT and I890T, respectively). No changes between WT and I890T currents were observed in steady-state inactivation, time course of inactivation, slow inactivation or recovery from inactivation parameters. Cell surface protein biotinylation analyses confirmed that Na_v1.5 channel membrane expression levels were similar in WT and I890T cells. In summary, our data reveal that the I890T mutation, located within the pore of Na_v1.5, causes an evident loss-of-function of the channel. Thus, the BrS phenotype observed in the proband is most likely due to this mutation.     

A Missense Mutation in the SERPINH1 Gene in Dachshunds with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary disease occurring in humans and dogs. It is characterized by extremely fragile bones and teeth. Most human and some canine OI cases are caused by mutations in the COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes encoding the subunits of collagen I. Recently, mutations in the CRTAP and LEPRE1 genes were found to cause some rare forms of human OI. Many OI cases exist where the causative mutation has not yet been found. We investigated Dachshunds with an autosomal recessive form of OI. Genotyping only five affected dogs on the 50 k canine SNP chip allowed us to localize the causative mutation to a 5.82 Mb interval on chromosome 21 by homozygosity mapping. Haplotype analysis of five additional carriers narrowed the interval further down to 4.74 Mb. The SERPINH1 gene is located within this interval and encodes an essential chaperone involved in the correct folding of the collagen triple helix. Therefore, we considered SERPINH1 a positional and functional candidate gene and performed mutation analysis in affected and control Dachshunds. A missense mutation (c.977C>T, p.L326P) located in an evolutionary conserved domain was perfectly associated with the OI phenotype. We thus have identified a candidate causative mutation for OI in Dachshunds and identified a fifth OI gene.     

Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Jaw Tumor Syndrome: A Novel Mutation of the HRPT2 Gene

ObjectiveTo discuss a case of hyperparathyroidismjaw tumor syndrome (HPT-JT) and its clinical course, as well as describe a new mutation within HRPT2, the gene associated with HPT-JT.MethodsWe describe the clinical course, laboratory data, and diagnostic imaging of a patient with HPT-JT, including the mutation analysis of the HRPT2 gene. A review of the related literature is also presented.ResultsA 22-year-old man presented with progressive bone pain and weakness, and investigation revealed a serum calcium level of 17.6 mg/dL, a phosphorus concentration of 1.8 mg/dL, and an intact parathyroid hormone value of 2,808 pg/mL. X-ray examinations showed a fracture of the left hip and compression fractures of the lumbar spine. Computed tomography disclosed a mass in his mandible, clinically suggesting HPT-JT. Genetic analysis of the HRPT2 gene demonstrated a frameshift mutation resulting in a premature stop codon. The patient underwent parathyroidectomy, and 1 year later his fractures had healed and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry showed substantial improvement in bone mineral density.ConclusionPrevious reports have cited mutations of the gene HRPT2 leading to HPT-JT and its associated phenotypes. We report one such mutation, not reported previously, in a patient with HPT-JT. This case adds to the growing evidence that different mutations in the HRPT2 gene can lead to HPT-JT, although it remains unclear whether specific mutations are more strongly associated with a particular phenotype. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14: 743-747)