Project description:Squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 3 (SART3) is an RNA binding protein that regulates a diverse array of biological processes, including recycling small nuclear ribonucleic acids (snRNAs) back to the spliceosome. Here we describe nine individuals from six independent families with a multisystem disorder, characterised by intellectual disability, developmental delay, brain anomalies and 46, XY-specific gonadal dysgenesis, who harbour recessive variants in the SART3 gene. Knockdown of the fly orthologue of SART3, Rnp4f, demonstrates a conserved role in neuronal and testicular development. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) carrying patient SART3 variants have disrupted neuronal and gonadal differentiation in vitro. These iPSCs have significant disruption to multiple signalling pathways and complexes, including spliceosome components and mRNA splicing. We propose that biallelic variants in the SART3 gene underlie a novel spliceosomopathy characterised by neuronal defects and testicular dysgenesis.
Project description:Mutations of TCF4, which encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) via multiple genetic mechanisms. TCF4 is a complex locus expressing multiple transcripts by alternative splicing and use of multiple promoters. We report a three-generation family segregating mild intellectual disability with an apparently balanced chromosomal translocation t(14;18)(q23.3;q21.2) that we characterized as a complex unbalanced karyotype 46,XY,der(14)del(14)(q23.3q23.3)t(14;18)(q23.3;q21.2)del(18)(q21.2q21.2) del(18)(q21.2q21.2)inv(18)(q21.2q21.2),der(18)t(14 ;18)(q23.3;q21.2) disrupting TCF4. Using whole genome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, qRT-PCR and nCounter analysis, we characterized the breakpoint junctions from derivative chromosomes and gene expression at the TCF4 locus. Our analyses revealed that family members segregating mild intellectual disability with the complex chromosome aberration had normal expression of genes along chromosomes 14 or 18 and no marked changes in expression of genes other than TCF4. Affected individuals had 12-33 fold higher mRNA levels of TCF4 than did unaffected controls or individuals with PTHS. Increased levels of TCF4 transcript variants originating distal to the translocation breakpoint, not the fusion transcript generated by the derivative chromosome, contributed to this increased. Although validation in additional patients is required, our findings suggest that the dysmorphic features and severe intellectual disability characteristic of PTHS is partially rescued by overexpression of short TCF4 transcripts encoding a nuclear localization signal, a transcription activation domain, and the basic helix-loop-helix domain. Examination of TCF4 Isoform expression comparison between mutant and control skin fibroblast tissues
Project description:Intellectual disability is a common condition that carries lifelong severe medical and developmental consequences. The causes of intellectual disability (ID) remain unknown for the majority of patients due to the extensive clinical and genetic heterogeneity of this disorder. De novo mutations may play an important role in ID as most individuals with ID present as isolated cases without family history and/or clear syndromic indication. In addition, the involvement of such mutations have recently been demonstrated in a small number of individuals with ID. Here we evaluate the diagnostic potential and role of de novo mutations in a cohort of 100 patients with ID of unknown cause using family-based exome sequencing. Single end short-read (50 bp) SOLiD 4 sequencing data for 300 individuals, constituting 100 patient-parent trios. For more details please read; http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1206524. Dataset is created by RUNMC (Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Center), partner of Geuvadis consortium (http://www.geuvadis.org).
Project description:Here we describe an interstitial pure duplication of 19p13.3 that was initially considered as a de novo alteration, in a patient with intellectual disability studied by array-CGH. The finding of the same chromosomal alteration in a first-degree cousin of this patient led us to investigate the presence of insertional translocations. An intrachromosomal insertional translocation was found in at least three generations. Three intellectually disabled patients with the same duplication and multiples abortions among translocation carrier family members were found. A review of other published cases has allowed us to find three other cases with a similar pure duplication and some clinical findings present in all patients as intrauterine growth retardation, microcephaly, motor and speech delay, moderate to severe intellectual disability and dysmorphic features. These findings allow us to suggest the existence of a new microduplication syndrome in chromosomal region 19p13.3. Whole genome array-CGH was performed on Agilent oligo-chip 44K (human genome CGH microarray G4410B from Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA) as recommended. The patientsM-bM-^@M-^Y DNA samples were tested against a pool of 10 sex-matched normal DNA samples, all of them (patients and normal controls) from our geographical area. Scanned images were quantified using Agilent Feature Extraction Software (v9.0). The results were analyzed using Agilent Genomic Workbench software. Annotations have been obtained from UCSC (http://genome.ucsc.edu) based on human genome build GRCh37/hg19.
Project description:Haploinsufficiency of the Euchromatin histone methyltransferase 1 (EHMT1) gene leads to Kleefstra Syndrome, a rare disease characterised by moderate to severe developmental delay/intellectual disability, childhood hypotonia and distinct facial features, comprising microcephaly. This study examines the genetic variant EHMT1_Ter (p.[Tyr1148=];[Tyr1148Leufs*9]) in HEK293 cells.
Project description:The X-linked alpha thalassaemia intellectual disability syndrome (ATRX) protein is a member of the SWI/SNF family of chromatin remodelling factors which acts as an ATP dependent molecular motor. Germline mutations in ATRX give rise to a severe form of syndromal intellectual disability (ATR-X syndrome). To date, only a small number of genes have been identified that are affected by pathogenic ATRX mutations in human. We performed microarray experiments on LCLs from normal individuals and patients with diverse pathogenic ATRX mutations, to identify more genes regulated by ATRX.
Project description:Developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID)affects 2% of our population. However, mostpatients are often leftwithout aspecific diagnosis,with thecorresponding consequences for the patientsand their families. The application of microarray technology in the study of patients with DD/ID allows whole-genome analysis with a high resolutionand performance. Here we present the results of a case included in a series of 246 patients with DD/ID, as part of the screening of the genetic causes responsible for their phenotype. SNP-array was performed on Genome-Wide Human SNP_6 (Affymetrix) as recommended by the manufacter. Analysis was performed with Affymetrix reference profile 'GenomeWideSNP_6.hapmap270.na31.r1.a5.ref'.
Project description:Proteins involved in transcriptional regulation harbor a demonstrated enrichment of mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders. The Sin3 (Swi-independent 3)/histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex plays a central role in histone deacetylation and transcriptional repression. Among the two vertebrate paralogs encoding the Sin3 complex, SIN3A variants cause syndromic intellectual disability, but the clinical consequences of SIN3B haploinsufficiency in humans are uncharacterized. Here, we describe a syndrome hallmarked by intellectual disability, developmental delay, and dysmorphic facial features with variably penetrant autism spectrum disorder, congenital malformations, corpus callosum defects, and impaired growth caused by disruptive SIN3B variants. Using chromosomal microarray or exome sequencing, and through international data sharing efforts, we identified nine individuals with heterozygous SIN3B deletion or single-nucleotide variants. Five individuals harbor heterozygous deletions encompassing SIN3B that reside within a ~230 kb minimal region of overlap on 19p13.11, two individuals have a rare nonsynonymous substitution, and two individuals have a single-nucleotide deletion that results in a frameshift and predicted premature termination codon. To test the relevance of SIN3B impairment to measurable aspects of the human phenotype, we disrupted the orthologous zebrafish locus by genome editing and transient suppression. The mutant and morphant larvae display altered craniofacial patterning, commissural axon defects, and reduced body length supportive of an essential role for Sin3 function in growth and patterning of anterior structures. To investigate further the molecular consequences of SIN3B variants, we quantified genome-wide enhancer and promoter activity states by using H3K27ac ChIP-seq. We show that, similar to SIN3A mutations, SIN3B disruption causes hyperacetylation of a subset of enhancers and promoters in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Together, these data demonstrate that SIN3B haploinsufficiency leads to a hitherto unknown intellectual disability/autism syndrome, uncover a crucial role of SIN3B in the central nervous system, and define the epigenetic landscape associated with Sin3 complex impairment.
Project description:Homozygous mutations in the gene encoding the scavenger mRNA-decapping enzyme, DcpS, have been shown to underlie developmental delay and intellectual disability. Intellectual disability is associated with both abnormal neocortical development and mRNA metabolism. However, the role of DcpS and its scavenger decapping activity in proper neuronal development is unknown. Here, we show that differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons, from patients with a DcpS mutation, are impaired and have compromised neurite outgrowth. Moreover, misexpression of DcpS in developing mouse neocortex revealed that DcpS is required for the multipolar morphology acquisition, neurite outgrowth and identity of developing neocortical glutamatergic neurons in the mouse brain. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the scavenger mRNA decapping activity contributes to multiple pivotal roles in neurodevelopment, and further corroborate that mRNA metabolism and neocortical pathologies are associated with intellectual disability.
Project description:Mutations of TCF4, which encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) via multiple genetic mechanisms. TCF4 is a complex locus expressing multiple transcripts by alternative splicing and use of multiple promoters. We report a three-generation family segregating mild intellectual disability with an apparently balanced chromosomal translocation t(14;18)(q23.3;q21.2) that we characterized as a complex unbalanced karyotype 46,XY,der(14)del(14)(q23.3q23.3)t(14;18)(q23.3;q21.2)del(18)(q21.2q21.2) del(18)(q21.2q21.2)inv(18)(q21.2q21.2),der(18)t(14 ;18)(q23.3;q21.2) disrupting TCF4. Using whole genome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, qRT-PCR and nCounter analysis, we characterized the breakpoint junctions from derivative chromosomes and gene expression at the TCF4 locus. Our analyses revealed that family members segregating mild intellectual disability with the complex chromosome aberration had normal expression of genes along chromosomes 14 or 18 and no marked changes in expression of genes other than TCF4. Affected individuals had 12-33 fold higher mRNA levels of TCF4 than did unaffected controls or individuals with PTHS. Increased levels of TCF4 transcript variants originating distal to the translocation breakpoint, not the fusion transcript generated by the derivative chromosome, contributed to this increased. Although validation in additional patients is required, our findings suggest that the dysmorphic features and severe intellectual disability characteristic of PTHS is partially rescued by overexpression of short TCF4 transcripts encoding a nuclear localization signal, a transcription activation domain, and the basic helix-loop-helix domain.