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Contribution of germline mutations in BRCA2, P16(INK4A), P14(ARF) and P15 to uveal melanoma.

PURPOSE: Reports suggest that a subset of uveal melanoma is familial. The association of uveal melanoma with breast and ovarian cancer and the increased risk in BRCA2-linked families implicates germline BRCA2 mutations as the cause of a subset of uveal melanomas. Similarly, the association between cutaneous and uveal melanomas in some families, coupled with the high frequency of somatic deletions of the INK4A-ARF locus in uveal melanomas, strongly suggests that mutations in P16(INK4A) and P15 account for a proportion of uveal melanomas. METHODS: To examine this proposition, a systematically ascertained series of 385 patients with uveal melanoma were screened for germline mutations in BRCA2, P16(INK4A), P14(ARF), and P15. RESULTS: One patient was found to harbor a Gly35Ala substitution in exon 1alpha of P16(INK4A), which has previously been reported to be pathogenic. No mutations were detected in P14(ARF) or P15. None of the patients harbored germline nucleotide changes that lead to truncation or that create or disrupt consensus splice sites of BRCA2 or missense variants with clear pathogenic potential. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that less than 2% of cases of uveal melanoma can be ascribed to germline mutations in BRCA2, P16(INK4A), P14(ARF), or P15. It is likely that mutations in other genes contribute to an inherited predisposition to uveal melanoma.

Adult↗

Identification of a novel intronic variant in COL4A2 gene associated with fetal severe cerebral encephalomalacia and subdural hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Genetic variants in COL4A2 are less common than those of COL4A1 and their fetal clinical phenotype has not been well described to date. We present a fetus from China with an intronic variant in COL4A2 associated with a prenatal diagnosis of severe cerebral encephalomalacia and subdural hemorrhage. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was applied to screen potential genetic causes. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to predict the pathogenicity of the variant. In in vitro experiment, the minigene assays were performed to assess the variant's effect. RESULTS: In this proband, we observed ventriculomegaly, subdural hemorrhage, and extensive encephalomalacia that initially suggested cerebral hypoxic-ischemic and/or hemorrhagic lesions. WES identified a de novo heterozygous variant c.549 + 5G > A in COL4A2 gene. This novel variant leads to the skipping of exon 8, which induces the loss of 24 native amino acids, resulting in a shortened COL4A2 protein (p.Pro161_Gly184del). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that c.549 + 5G > A in COL4A2 gene is a disease-causing variant by aberrant splicing. This finding enriches the variant spectrum of COL4A2 gene, which not only improves the understanding of the fetal neurological disorders associated with hypoxic-ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions from a clinical perspective but also provides guidance on genetic diagnosis and counseling.

Female↗

Analysis of the human KCNH2(HERG) gene: identification and characterization of a novel mutation Y667X associated with long QT syndrome and a non-pathological 9 bp insertion.

Long QT (LQT) syndrome is a potentially life-threatening disorder, characterized by a distinct cardiac arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes. Mutations within a number of genes linked to the familial form, including that coding for a cardiac potassium channel called KCNH2 (HERG), have been described based on the characterized genomic organization. A standardized method was developed to screen the entire gene for gene variants. We report a single base pair substitution, introducing a premature STOP codon at codon 667 of the gene in a healthy individual with an extended QTc interval (460 msec). In vitro expression of the codon Y667X variant in Xenopus oocyte suggests that the autosomal dominant variant does not function in a dominant/negative manner and cannot co-assemble to form a channel, resulting in a reduction of the KCNH2 current, and an extension of the QT interval. This indicates that pathogenic LQT gene variants exist in the apparently normal population, the prognosis and clinical consequences of which remain to be determined. The assays described should facilitate future studies into this area.

Animals↗

Rethinking the pathogenicity of intragenic DMD duplications detected by carrier screening: High prevalence of nontandem duplications revealed by long-read sequencing.

PURPOSE: The pathogenicity of intragenic duplications depends on their structural configuration. Tandem duplications often disrupt reading frames and cause gene loss of function, whereas interspersed (nontandem) duplications are largely benign. When the configuration cannot be determined, current guidelines presume a tandem structure, leading to some laboratories automatically classifying such variants as likely pathogenic or pathogenic. This study evaluates the validity of this presumption for DMD, in patients with and without clinical indications of dystrophinopathy. METHODS: We performed high-coverage long-read genome sequencing on 15 patients with intragenic DMD duplications. A total of 4 patients had clinically indicated dystrophinopathy testing, whereas in the remaining 11 patients, the duplications were detected without clear indications of dystrophinopathy (eg, through carrier screening). RESULTS: All 4 patients with clinical indications had tandem duplications. In contrast, 64% (7/11) of the cases without such indications had interspersed duplications, with 4 subsequently reclassified as likely benign, 2 (likely) pathogenic, and 1 uncertain. These duplications were often complex, involving coduplications or codeletions with other regions. CONCLUSION: Our findings challenge the presumption that intragenic DMD duplications are predominantly in tandem. This highlights the need for a cautious variant interpretation approach, particularly in carrier screening and other settings in which variants are identified without indications of dystrophinopathy.

Humans↗

Study of herpes simplex virus type 1 populations obtained from recurrences and primary infections.

The analysis of 23 clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) showed that 15 of 15 isolates that had undergone a few passages in tissue culture (fresh isolates) and two of eight isolates that had never been passaged (new isolates) were composed of a mixed population with respect to plaque morphology in Vero cells. Cloning and characterization of 10 large plaque viruses (L variants) and nine small plaque viruses (S variants), obtained from seven different isolates, showed the following. BamHI DNA restriction patterns of the L and the S variants from a single isolate differed only with respect to the electrophoretic mobility of the fragments that contain reiteration of specific sequences; they did not differ regarding the presence or the absence of restriction endonuclease cleavage sites. The L and S variants differed with respect to the electrophoretic profiles of infected cell glycoproteins, thermosensitivity of growth and plaquing efficiency at 39 degrees C, and, at least in the case of the two couples of variants that we tested, pathogenicity for the mouse. The hypothesis that the L variants might arise from the S variant during in vivo replication is discussed.

Adult↗

Genomic and computational analysis of variants in telomere regulatory genes in subjects with bone marrow failure.

Telomere Biology Disorders (TBDs) are a genetically heterogeneous and often under-recognized cause of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes (BMFS), driven by defective telomere maintenance and progressive telomere attrition. We performed an integrated genomic, telomeric and computational analysis in 118 subjects presenting clinical features of BMFS to delineate the contribution of Telomere Regulatory Genes (TRGs) variants to disease pathogenesis. Whole exome sequencing (WES) identified pathogenic (18.18%), likely pathogenic (27.27%) and rare variants of uncertain significance (54.54%) in 27 subjects (22.9%) across five TRGs: RTEL1, TERT, TINF2, NOP10, and WRAP53. Telomere Length (TL) assessment revealed significant telomere shortening in TRG variant-positive subjects compared with age-matched controls, with the most profound attrition observed in individuals harboring de novo TINF2 gene variants. RTEL1 emerged as the most frequently affected gene, with recurrent clustering of variants within its C-terminal regulatory region. A familial NOP10 variant, Asp12His, segregated with cutaneous pigmentation and hematological abnormalities consistent with the established role of NOP10 in dyskeratosis congenita, further broadening the known mutational spectrum of the gene. Structure-guided in-silico analyses predicted that both novel and recurrent variants disrupt protein stability, telomerase assembly or trafficking and shelterin complex integrity. Reduced TERT expression and a significant inverse correlation between telomere length and clinical severity further underscored the functional impact of TRG defects. Collectively, this study provides the first comprehensive characterization of TRG variants in the Indian BMFS cohort and highlights the utility of integrating genomic sequencing, telomere length measurement and computational modeling to improve diagnostic precision, variant interpretation and clinical stratification in TBDs.

Journal Article↗

[Pathogenic neisseriae--model of bacterial virulence and genetic flexibility].

The early stages of an infection with pathogenic Neisseriae are determined by receptor-mediated events that finally lead to the attachment and invasion of human mucous tissues. The factors participating in this process, the pili, OPA proteins, and perhaps lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are subject to complex genetic changes that enable the pathogens to produce multiple variant forms of these factors. Antigenic variation of the pathogenic Neisseriae permits both, the escape from the human immune response and the interaction with different cells and tissues of the human host. One of the intrinsic mechanisms of antigenic variation, i.e. genetic transformation, allows exchange and recombination of virulence genes between independent Neisseria strains in multiply infected individuals. Factors, such as IgA protease, alpha-factor, and the meningococcal capsule are attributed with further striking properties, and thus render the pathogenic Neisseriae as an excellent model for the investigation of bacterial virulence.

Antigenic Variation↗

Genome-wide analysis of group a streptococci reveals a mutation that modulates global phenotype and disease specificity.

Many human pathogens produce phenotypic variants as a means to circumvent the host immune system and enhance survival and, as a potential consequence, exhibit increased virulence. For example, it has been known for almost 90 y that clinical isolates of the human bacterial pathogen group A streptococci (GAS) have extensive phenotypic heterogeneity linked to variation in virulence. However, the complete underlying molecular mechanism(s) have not been defined. Expression microarray analysis of nine clinical isolates identified two fundamentally different transcriptomes, designated pharyngeal transcriptome profile (PTP) and invasive transcriptome profile (ITP). PTP and ITP GAS differed in approximately 10% of the transcriptome, including at least 23 proven or putative virulence factor genes. ITP organisms were recovered from skin lesions of mice infected subcutaneously with PTP GAS and were significantly more able to survive phagocytosis and killing by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Complete genome resequencing of a mouse-derived ITP GAS revealed that the organism differed from its precursor by only a 7-bp frameshift mutation in the gene (covS) encoding the sensor kinase component of a two-component signal transduction system implicated in virulence. Genetic complementation, and sequence analysis of covR/S in 42 GAS isolates confirmed the central role of covR/S in transcriptome, exoproteome, and virulence modulation. Genome-wide analysis provides a heretofore unattained understanding of phenotypic variation and disease specificity in microbial pathogens, resulting in new avenues for vaccine and therapeutics research.

Journal Article↗

A new variant of Rous sarcoma virus-33 nondefective, pathogenic for rats.

Rous sarcoma virus-33 (RSV-33) belongs to RSVs that have the least number of passages beyond its isolation from chicken tumor No. 1 among all current strains of RSV. Biological characterization indicated that it was pathogenic for rats. The results of the proviral restriction enzyme analysis showed that the established rat tumorigenic cell lines were the most likely infected by the same virus having a full-length genome.

Animals↗

X-linked creatine transporter (SLC6A8) mutations in about 1% of males with mental retardation of unknown etiology.

Mutations in the creatine transporter gene, SLC6A8 (MIM 30036), located in Xq28, have been found in families with X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) as well as in males with idiopathic mental retardation (MR). In order to estimate the frequency of such mutations in the MR population, a screening of 478 males with MR of unknown cause was undertaken. All 13 exons of SLC6A8 were sequenced using genomic DNA. Six novel potentially pathogenic mutations were identified that were not encountered in at least 588 male control chromosomes: two deletions (p.Asn336del, p.Ile347del) and a splice site alteration (c.1016+2C>T) are considered pathogenic based on the nature of the variant. A mutation (p.Arg391Trp) should be considered pathogenic owing to its localization in a highly conserved region. Two other missense variants (p.Lys4Arg, p.Gly26Arg) are not conserved but were not observed in over 300 male control chromosomes. Their pathogenicity is uncertain. A missense variant (p.Val182Met), was classified as a polymorphism based on a normal creatine/creatinine (Cr:Crn) ratio and cerebral creatine signal in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) in the patient. Furthermore, we found 14 novel intronic and neutral variants that were not encountered in at least 280 male control chromosomes and should be considered as unclassified variants. Our findings of a minimum of four pathogenic mutations and two potentially pathogenic mutations indicate that about 1% of males with MR of unknown etiology might have a SLC6A8 mutation. Thus, DNA sequence analysis and/or a Cr:Crn urine screen is warranted in any male with MR of unknown cause.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Intracellular bacteria as targets and carriers for vaccination.

In this review we discuss intracellular bacteria as targets and carriers for vaccines. For clarity and ease of comprehension, we focus on three microbes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, with an emphasis on tuberculosis, one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease. Novel vaccination strategies against these pathogens are currently being considered. One approach favors the use of live attenuated vaccines and vaccine carrier strains thereof, either for heterologous antigen presentation or DNA vaccine delivery. This strategy includes both the improvement of attenuated vaccine strains as well as the 'de novo' generation of attenuated variants of virulent pathogens. An alternative strategy relies on the application of subunit immunizations, either as nucleic acid vaccines or protein antigens of the pathogen. Finally, we present a short summary of the vaccination strategies against tuberculosis.

Animals↗

A novel start-loss mutation of the SLC29A3 gene in a consanguineous family with H syndrome: clinical characteristics, in silico analysis and literature review.

BACKGROUND: The SLC29A3 gene, which encodes a nucleoside transporter protein, is primarily located in intracellular membranes. The mutations in this gene can give rise to various clinical manifestations, including H syndrome, dysosteosclerosis, Faisalabad histiocytosis, and pigmented hypertrichosis with insulin-dependent diabetes. The aim of this study is to present two Iranian patients with H syndrome and to describe a novel start-loss mutation in SLC29A3 gene. METHODS: In this study, we employed whole-exome sequencing (WES) as a method to identify genetic variations that contribute to the development of H syndrome in a 16-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother. These siblings were part of an Iranian family with consanguineous parents. To confirmed the pathogenicity of the identified variant, we utilized in-silico tools and cross-referenced various databases to confirm its novelty. Additionally, we conducted a co-segregation study and verified the presence of the variant in the parents of the affected patients through Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: In our study, we identified a novel start-loss mutation (c.2T > A, p.Met1Lys) in the SLC29A3 gene, which was found in both of two patients. Co-segregation analysis using Sanger sequencing confirmed that this variant was inherited from the parents. To evaluate the potential pathogenicity and novelty of this mutation, we consulted various databases. Additionally, we employed bioinformatics tools to predict the three-dimensional structure of the mutant SLC29A3 protein. These analyses were conducted with the aim of providing valuable insights into the functional implications of the identified mutation on the structure and function of the SLC29A3 protein. CONCLUSION: Our study contributes to the expanding body of evidence supporting the association between mutations in the SLC29A3 gene and H syndrome. The molecular analysis of diseases related to SLC29A3 is crucial in understanding the range of variability and raising awareness of H syndrome, with the ultimate goal of facilitating early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The discovery of this novel biallelic variant in the probands further underscores the significance of utilizing genetic testing approaches, such as WES, as dependable diagnostic tools for individuals with this particular condition.

Humans↗

Male proband with intractable seizures and a de novo start-codon-disrupting variant in GLUL.

Bi-allelic variants in GLUL, encoding glutamine synthetase and responsible for the conversion of glutamate to glutamine, are associated with a severe recessive disease due to glutamine deficiency. A dominant disease mechanism was recently reported in nine females, all with a de novo single-nucleotide variant within the start codon or the 5' UTR of GLUL that truncates 17 amino acids of the protein product, including its critical N-terminal degron sequence. This truncation results in a disorder of abnormal glutamine synthetase stability and manifests as a phenotype of severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Here, we report the first male with a pathogenic de novo variant in the same critical region of GLUL, with a phenotype of refractory focal and generalized seizures, as well as developmental delays. We provide a detailed description of the disease course and treatment response.

Humans↗

De novo missense variants in ZBTB47 are associated with developmental delays, hypotonia, seizures, gait abnormalities, and variable movement abnormalities.

The collection of known genetic etiologies of neurodevelopmental disorders continues to increase, including several syndromes associated with defects in zinc finger protein transcription factors (ZNFs) that vary in clinical severity from mild learning disabilities and developmental delay to refractory seizures and severe autism spectrum disorder. Here we describe a new neurodevelopmental disorder associated with variants in ZBTB47 (also known as ZNF651), which encodes zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 47. Exome sequencing (ES) was performed for five unrelated patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. All five patients are heterozygous for a de novo missense variant in ZBTB47, with p.(Glu680Gly) (c.2039A>G) detected in one patient and p.(Glu477Lys) (c.1429G>A) identified in the other four patients. Both variants impact conserved amino acid residues. Bioinformatic analysis of each variant is consistent with pathogenicity. We present five unrelated patients with de novo missense variants in ZBTB47 and a phenotype characterized by developmental delay with intellectual disability, seizures, hypotonia, gait abnormalities, and variable movement abnormalities. We propose that these variants in ZBTB47 are the basis of a new neurodevelopmental disorder.

Child↗

Ehrlichia ruminantium variants which do not cause heartwater found in South Africa.

In 1994 a batch of apparently healthy goats was selected for intended export to the USA from a heartwater-free and vector tick-free region of South Africa. The animals were tested serologically for heartwater, using either or both an IFA and an ELISA test, and 52% were found to be serologically positive. A PCR assay based on Ehrlichia ruminantium 16S gene sequences gave positive results for 54% of the animals, suggesting that apparently non-pathogenic E. ruminantium variants existed in this heartwater-free area. To identify and characterise the agents responsible for the positive serological and PCR results, ticks and animal blood samples were collected from two of the three farms involved in the original survey during two successive seasons of expected peak tick activity. Ticks were kept alive for a minimum of 3 weeks to allow digestion of any blood meal before being processed. Over the two seasons, 28% of the livestock and 15% of the ticks sampled were found to be carrying E. ruminantium. E. ruminantium 16S and pCS20 sequences were detected in all of the four tick species collected from the livestock (Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus evertsi mimeticus, Hyalomma truncatum, Hyalomma marginatum rufipes), suggesting that some of the species may act as vectors. Animals generally carried multiple E. ruminantium 16S genotypes, whereas ticks rarely carried more than one. Infection levels in both animals and ticks were too low to generate a marked response when a blood stabilate was sub-passaged in a clean sheep, preventing the subsequent establishment of any of the organisms in culture.

Animals↗

A simian human immunodeficiency virus with a nonfunctional Vpu (deltavpuSHIV(KU-1bMC33)) isolated from a macaque with neuroAIDS has selected for mutations in env and nef that contributed to its pathogenic phenotype.

Previous studies have shown that passage of nonpathogenic SHIV-4 through a series of macaques results in the selection of variants of the virus that are capable of causing rapid subtotal loss of CD4(+) T cells and AIDS within 6-8 months following inoculation into pig-tailed macaques. Using a pathogenic variant of SHIV-4 known as SHIV(KU-1bMC33), we reported that a mutant of this virus with the majority of the vpu deleted was still capable of causing profound CD4(+) T cell loss and neuroAIDS in pig-tailed macaques (McCormick-Davis et al., 2000, Virology 272, 112-116). In this study, we have analyzed the tissue-specific changes in the env and nef in one macaque that developed neuroAIDS (macaque 50 O) and in three macaques that developed only a moderate or no significant loss of CD4(+) T cells and no neurological disease (macaques 50 Y, 20220, 20228) following inoculation with DeltavpuSHIV(KU-1bMC33). Sequence analysis of the gp120 region of env isolated from lymphoid tissues (lymph node and spleen) of macaques 50 Y, 20220, and 20228 revealed no consensus amino acid substitutions. In contrast, analysis of the gp120 sequences isolated from lymphoid and CNS tissues (parietal cortex, basal ganglia, and pons) of macaque 50 O revealed numerous amino acid substitutions. The significance of the amino acid substitutions in gp120 was supported by neutralization assays which showed that the virus isolated from the lymph node of macaque 50 O was neutralization resistant compared to the parental SHIV(KU-1bMC33). Analysis of changes in the nef gene from macaque 50 O revealed in-frame deletions in Nef that ranged from 4 to 13 amino acids in length, whereas the nef genes isolated from the other three macaques revealed no deletions or consensus amino acid substitutions. Inoculation of the virus isolated from the lymph node of the macaque which developed neuroAIDS, SHIV(50OLNV), into four pig-tailed macaques resulted in a severe loss of the circulating CD4(+) T cells within 2 weeks postinoculation, which was maintained for up to 20 weeks postinoculation, confirming that this virus had indeed become more pathogenic in pig-tailed macaques. Taken together, these observations suggest that DeltavpuSHIV(KU-1bMC33) has a low pathogenic phenotype in macaques but that individual pig-tailed macaques can select for additional mutations within the Env and Nef which can compensate for the lack of an intact Vpu and ultimately increase its pathogenicity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

An Aspergillus luchuensis isolated from a patient with hemoptysis insights from a comprehensive genome-based analysis: Case report.

RATIONALE: Asp luchuensis, a member of the A niger group, is widely used in food fermentation and rarely causes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in humans. Clinical cases of IPA induced by this strain are extremely scarce, and its genomic characteristics, virulence profiles, and pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood, resulting in insufficient clinical recognition of its invasive infection potential. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 57-year-old immunocompetent non-neutropenic male patient with a long-term smoking and drinking history presented with unexplained severe cough and massive hemoptysis (approximately100 mL) without other typical infectious symptoms. DIAGNOSES: Combined with chest computed tomography (CT) inflammatory lesions, positive galactomannan test, fungal PCR and metagenomic next-generation sequencing results, the patient was definitively diagnosed with probable A luchuensis-induced IPA. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses confirmed the pathogen as a variant A luchuensis strain with 3 key hypervirulence genes, highly active mitochondrial energy metabolism, and no specific antifungal resistance genes. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received standardized intravenous antifungal combination therapy with voriconazole and amphotericin B after confirmed diagnosis. OUTCOMES: The patient's cough and hemoptysis were significantly relieved after 10 days of treatment, with stable vital signs and no adverse drug reactions or disease progression. LESSONS: A luchuensis possesses strong invasive pathogenicity and can trigger IPA even in non-neutropenic immunocompetent individuals. Negative conventional microbial tests cannot exclude its infection, and mNGS is a reliable diagnostic tool. This strain is susceptible to routine antifungal drugs, and clinicians should raise awareness of atypical Asp species-induced invasive pulmonary infections.

Humans↗

Evolutionary genetics of a new pathogenic Escherichia species: Escherichia albertii and related Shigella boydii strains.

A bacterium originally described as Hafnia alvei induces diarrhea in rabbits and causes epithelial damage similar to the attachment and effacement associated with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Subsequent studies identified similar H. alvei-like strains that are positive for an intimin gene (eae) probe and, based on DNA relatedness, are classified as a distinct Escherichia species, Escherichia albertii. We determined sequences for multiple housekeeping genes in five E. albertii strains and compared these sequences to those of strains representing the major groups of pathogenic E. coli and Shigella. A comparison of 2,484 codon positions in 14 genes revealed that E. albertii strains differ, on average, at approximately 7.4% of the nucleotide sites from pathogenic E. coli strains and at 15.7% from Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium. Interestingly, E. albertii strains were found to be closely related to strains of Shigella boydii serotype 13 (Shigella B13), a distant relative of E. coli representing a divergent lineage in the genus Escherichia. Analysis of homologues of intimin (eae) revealed that the central conserved domains are similar in E. albertii and Shigella B13 and distinct from those of eae variants found in pathogenic E. coli. Sequence analysis of the cytolethal distending toxin gene cluster (cdt) also disclosed three allelic groups corresponding to E. albertii, Shigella B13, and a nontypeable isolate serologically related to S. boydii serotype 7. Based on the synonymous substitution rate, the E. albertii-Shigella B13 lineage is estimated to have split from an E. coli-like ancestor approximately 28 million years ago and formed a distinct evolutionary branch of enteric pathogens that has radiated into groups with distinct virulence properties.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗