Genetic information is stored in DNA, which is a string of four nucleotides (i.e. adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine). DNA is not a linear molecule; it is wrapped around a nucleosome which is composed of histone proteins. Conventionally, the information stored in DNA is expressed through a process known as transcription when the transcriptional factor […]
Mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ mutations: an ever expanding molecular and clinical spectrum
Deficiency of DNA polymerase gamma can compromise mitochondrial DNA synthesis and has been implicated in a variety of complex autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant mitochondrial disorders, affecting both children and adults. We sequenced the exons and proximal intronic regions of the POLG gene from 2,697 independent patients and made definitive molecular diagnosis for 95 of […]
Studying the epigenome using next generation sequencing
Genetic information is stored in DNA, which is a string of four nucleotides (i.e. adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine). DNA is not a linear molecule; it is wrapped around a nucleosome which is composed of histone proteins. Conventionally, the information stored in DNA is expressed through a process known as transcription when the transcriptional factor […]
Combined Malonic and Methylmalonic Aciduria (CMAMMA): Exome Sequencing Reveals Mutations in the ACSF3 gene in Patients with a Non-classical Phenotype
Exome sequencing is a novel tool to find new candidate disease genes. In this report we studied two probands with the biochemical phenotype of combined elevated malonic acid (MA) and methylmalonic acid (MMA). Unlike most patients with this biochemical abnormality, our patients were asymptomatic, did not have identifiable mutations in MYLCD and had a different […]
Association of a genetic variant of BTN2A1 with metabolic syndrome in East Asian populations
This study examined the relation of rs6929846 of BTN2A1 to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in 5210 Japanese or Korean individuals from three independent subject panels. The genotype distributions and allele frequencies of rs6929846 were significantly associated with MetS in Japanese subject panels A and B, but not in Korean individuals. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that […]
Patient’s perspective on the revised Ghent nosology for Mafan syndrome
On our website, every article has a Submit a Response link and the resulting e-letters are published on-line without editorial evaluation, other than checking for offensive content or copyright infringement. The feature is meant for post-publication peer-review of a scholarly nature but, occasionally, is used by members of the public—usually individuals with a stake in […]
Biallelic MLH1 SNP cDNA expression or constitutional promoter methylation can hide genomic rearrangements causing Lynch-syndrome
10-15% of patients suspected of Lynch-syndrome are mutation-negative in routine diagnostics. We identified the first paracentric inversion between the flanking genes MLH1 and LRRFIP2 flipping the genomic configuration without exonic deletion in creating two novel fusion transcripts, which even camouflaged monoallelic MLH1-deficiency when analysing only one common SNP in MLH1. Only insisting detailed analysis of […]
Identification of quantitative trait loci for murine autoimmune pancreatitis
Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) represents a rare but clinically relevant cause of pancreatic inflammation with largely unknown pathogenesis. Here, we have established an advanced intercross line of AIP-susceptible and resistant mouse strains to study the genetic basis of the disease. Therefore, generation G4 of outbread intercross mice was characterized phenotypically by scoring histopathological changes of the […]
Efficiency of translation termination in humans is highly dependent upon nucleotides in the neighbourhood of a (premature) termination codon
Junctional epidermolysis bullosa, a congenital disease characterized by widespread skin blistering, chronic wounds, loss of fluid and proteins, and severe infections, is caused by mutations in the genes LAMA3, LAMB3 and LAMC2. Individuals with mutations creating a premature termination codon (PTC) on both alleles of the respective gene usually die in infancy. In a patient carrying such a pair of PTC […]
Linkage and association analysis of hyperthyrotropinaemia in an Alpine population reveal two novel loci on chromosomes 3q28-29 and 6q26-27
To identify genes contributing to hyperthyrotropinemia and clinical hypothyroidism, we performed linkage analysis on 1,258 individuals from three semi-isolated Alpine villages. Cases were defined based on TSH levels (TSH ≥ 4.6 mU/L and TSH > 3.0 mU/L) and medical treatment while having normal/low fT4 levels. Two peaks on chromosomes 3q28-29 and 6q26-27 were identified. SNP- […]