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The inheritance of acquired epigenetic variations.

There is evidence that the functional history of a gene in one generation can influence its expression in the next. In somatic cells, changes in gene activity are frequently associated with changes in the pattern of methylation of the cytosines in DNA; these methylation patterns are stably inherited. Recent work suggests that information about patterns of methylation and other epigenetic states can also be transmitted from parents to offspring. This evidence is the basis of a model for the inheritance of acquired epigenetic variations. According to the model, an environmental stimulus can induce heritable chromatin modifications which are very specific and predictable, and might result in an adaptive response to the stimulus. This type of response probably has most significance for adaptive evolution in organisms such as fungi and plants, which lack distinct segregation of the soma and germ line. However, in all organisms, the accumulation of specific and random chromatin modifications in the germ line may be important in speciation, because these modifications could lead to reproductive isolation between populations. Heritable chromatin variations may also alter the frequency and distribution of classical mutations and meiotic recombination. Therefore, inherited epigenetic changes in the structure of chromatin can influence neo-Darwinian evolution as well as cause a type of "Lamarckian" inheritance.

Base Sequence

Inherited hemolytic uremic syndrome in adults.

Familial hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children may be due to environmental factors or may be an inherited trait, usually with autosomal recessive inheritance. Familial HUS in adults is less well described, and can be associated with autosomal recessive or dominant inheritance. We report a family with autosomal dominant inheritance of HUS. The proband was an adult male. His adult sister developed HUS while taking oral contraceptives, and their mother developed HUS during the third trimester of pregnancy. The prognosis for these patients is poor. Pregnancy and oral contraceptive use may be risk factors for development of HUS in adult women with a family history of HUS or the related disorder thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

Adult

Maternal inheritance of centrosomes in mammals? Studies on parthenogenesis and polyspermy in mice.

The centrosome, the microtubule-organizing center of the cell, is introduced typically by the sperm at fertilization. In some mammals, however, this paternal pattern of inheritance appears to be violated. The hypothesis that the centrosome is maternally inherited was tested during parthenogenesis, polyspermy, and polygyny as well as after recovery from microtubule inhibition at first mitosis. During parthenogenesis the paternal contribution was absent, and in polyspermy the paternal contribution was multiplied. Haploid and diploid parthenogenotes as well as polyspermic and digynic fertilized eggs each segregated their centrosomes to organize a bipolar mitotic apparatus. Oocytes recovering from a nocodazole block formed two normal bipolar mitotic apparatus; the paternal chromosomes aligned at one spindle equator, while the maternal chromosomes were found at the other. These results show that the centrosome is maternally inherited from cytoplasmic sites in the mouse. The evolutionary switch from paternal to maternal inheritance in mammals might be related to the additional dangers that parthenogenesis represents: a threat to the life of the mother as well as to the life of the fetus.

Animals

Evidence for mitochondrial DNA polymorphism and uniparental inheritance in the cellular slime mold Polysphondylium pallidum: effect of intraspecies mating on mitochondrial DNA transmission.

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were used as markers to monitor mitochondrial inheritance in the cellular slime mold, Polysphondylium pallidum. When two opposite mating types (mat1 and mat2) of closely related strains were crossed, all the haploid progeny regardless of mating type inherited their mitochondrial DNA from the mat2 parent only. When opposite mating types from more distantly related strains were crossed, most of the progeny also inherited their mitochondrial DNA from the mat2 parent, but some inherited their mitochondrial DNA from the mat1 parent. In both cases however, the transmission of mitochondrial DNA was uniparental, since in every individual progeny only one type of mitochondrial DNA exists. Moreover, in crosses involving more distantly related strains all the progeny of a single macrocyst were shown to contain the same type of mitochondrial DNA. These findings are discussed in regard to mechanisms of transmission and the possible involvement of nuclear genes in the control of transmission of mitochondrial DNA in Polysphondylium.

Crosses, Genetic

Uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial genes in yeast: dependence on input bias of mitochondrial DNA and preliminary investigations of the mechanism.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, previous studies on the inheritance of mitochondrial genes controlling antibiotic resistance have shown that some crosses produce a substantial number of uniparental zygotes, which transmit to their diploid progeny mitochondrial alleles from only one parent. In this paper, we show that uniparental zygotes are formed especially when one parent (majority parent) contributes substantially more mitochondrial DNA molecules to the zygote than does the other (minority) parent. Cellular contents of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are increased in these experiments by treatment with cycloheximide, alpha-factor, or the uvsp5 nuclear mutation. In such a biased cross, some zygotes are uniparental for mitochondrial alleles from the majority parent, and the frequency of such zygotes increases with increasing bias. In two- and three-factor crosses the cap1, ery1, and oli1 loci behave coordinately, rather than independently; minority markers tend to be transmitted or lost as a unit, suggesting that the uniparental mechanism acts on entire mtDNA molecules rather than on individual loci. This rules out the possibility that uniparental inheritance can be explained by the conversion of minority markers to the majority alleles during recombination. Exceptions to the coordinate behavior of different loci can be explained by marker rescue via recombination. Uniparental inheritance is largely independent of the position of buds on the zygote. We conclude that it is due to the failure of minority markers to replicate in some zygotes, possibly involving the rapid enzymatic destruction of such markers. We have considered two general classes of mechanisms: (1) random selection of molecules for replication, as for example by competition for replicating sites on a membrane; and (2) differential marking of mtDNA molecules in the two parents, possibly by modification enzymes, followed by a mechanism that "counts" molecules and replicates only the majority type. These classes of models are distinguished genetically by the fact that the first predicts that the output frequency of a given allele among the progeny of a large number of zygotes will approximately equal the average input frequency of that allele, while the second class predicts that any input bias will be amplified in the output. The data suggest that bias amplification does occur. We hypothesize that maternal inheritance of mitochondrial or chloroplast genes in many organisms may depend upon a biased input of organelle DNA molecules, which usually favors the maternal parent, followed by failure of the minority (paternal) molecules to replicate in many or all zygotes.

Alleles

Determining the mode of inheritance of pesticide resistance with backcross experiments.

The most widely used method for evaluating the mode of inheritance of pesticide resistance is based on bioassays of individuals from a backcross between F1 (hybrid of resistant and susceptible strains) and parental resistant or susceptible strains. Monte Carlo simulations of the standard backcross method showed that the probability of incorrectly rejecting the null hypothesis of monogenic inheritance (Type I error) was generally more than double the conventional value of P = 0.05. Conversely, the null hypothesis of monogenic inheritance was likely to be accepted in a relatively large proportion of cases in which resistance is controlled by two or more loci. Expected differences in mortality of backcross offspring between monogenic and additive polygenic models approached zero as dose approached extremely low values, extremely high values, and the LD50 of the backcross generation. Thus, the effectiveness of the backcross method depended strongly on dose. The power of the standard backcross method to correctly reject the null hypothesis of monogenic inheritance increased as number of loci, slope of parental dose-mortality lines, magnitude of resistance, and sample size increased. Guidelines for improving the design and interpretation of backcross experiments are presented.

Animals

The inclusion of an assay for inherited congenital malformations in the assessment of mutagenicity.

A number of national guidelines and regulations on the mutagenicity of chemical substances mandate the assessment of inherited genetic effects. While inherited congenital malformations represent a major component of genetically-based adverse human health effects, tests for such effects are not used by regulatory agencies to evaluate inherited genetic effects. This paper is intended to highlight some of the salient characteristics of inherited congenital malformations which promote a rationale for their use in a regulatory context.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced

Autosomal recessive inheritance of goiter in Dutch goats.

The inheritance of congenital goiter due to a thyroglobulin synthesis defect in a strain of Dutch goats has been studied by Mendelian and biochemical methods. Mendelian analysis of 301 matings, resulting in 591 kids, showed an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. A restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the thyroglobulin gene also was used to confirm the recessive mode of inheritance of the defect. In a pedigree consisting of 27 goats, spanning four generations, the genotype determined by RFLP study was in accordance with the observed phenotype and the autosomal inheritance of the defect. Although phenotypically no differences were detected between normal and heterozygous animals, the use of RFLPs allowed the diagnosis of the three genotypes.

Animals

Cytoplasmic male sterility in sunflower: origin, inheritance, and frequency in natural populations.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in commercial sunflower hybrids is thought to be derived from a related wild species, Helianthus petiolaris, yet CMS lines are known to carry the chloroplast DNA genotype of H. annuus. To clarify the origin of sunflower CMS, we developed a polymerase chain reaction-based strategy for detecting CMS in sunflower and surveyed more than 1,200 plants representing 55 accessions of H. annuus and 26 accessions of H. petiolaris. We also tested 160 progeny from three crosses for strict maternal inheritance of organelle DNAs to determine if the apparent discrepancy in the species donor of the mitochondrial DNA and chloroplast DNA genotypes in CMS lines might result from low-frequency maternal or biparental inheritance of either organelle. No CMS cytotypes were observed in natural populations of either H. annuus or H. petiolaris, and strict maternal inheritance of organelle DNA was observed. These data provide little insight, therefore, into the origin and population genetics of CMS in natural populations of sunflower, except that the evidence for strict maternal inheritance of organelles in sunflower makes it unlikely that the mtDNA and cpDNA genotypes in CMS lines were derived from different species. Nonetheless, the primers developed for assaying organelle DNA variation in sunflower may be useful tools for plant breeding programs, cytotype identification, and systematic and evolutionary studies in the domesticated sunflower and its relatives.

Base Sequence

Inheritance of the equine Tf F3 allele.

The inheritance of the equine Tf F3 allele was examined in 39 parent-offspring combinations. For 26 of the cases the allele inherited by the offspring from the heterozygous parent could be determined. The proportion of individuals that inherited the F3 variant compared to the alternative allele was exactly 1:1. In five cases the parental phenotype was identical to that of the offspring. For the remaining eight cases the parent was homozygous for the F3 allele and all offspring had the F3 allele. The results were consistent with Mendelian inheritance.

Alleles

The family history and inherited thrombophilia.

The role of the family history as a tool for the diagnosis of inherited thrombophilia has not been established. Several authors have indicated that a positive family history is not a good predictor of inherited abnormalities such as antithrombin III deficiency, or deficiencies of protein C or protein S. We have tried to approach the family history in a quantitative way. To this end we used the cumulative incidence data of thrombosis in the general population and also in a population of protein C deficient families to estimate the expected number of symptomatic subjects in a family under both the hypothesis of inherited thrombophilia and the null-hypothesis. Although a number of assumptions underlying our calculations need to be verified and probably adjusted before any truly quantitative meaning can be assigned to this approach, we feel that the family history is a useful diagnostic test for inherited thrombophilia if it is used in a critical way.

Adolescent

Correlation between magnitude of CAG repeat length alterations and length of the paternal repeat in paternally inherited Huntington's disease.

An increasing number of diseases are being found to be due to elongation of specific trinucleotide repeat sequences. Inverse correlation between the age at onset and the length of the repeat has been found in most of these. The elongated CAG repeat causing Huntington's disease is highly unstable when inherited from an affected father. In this study we found an average parent-to-offspring difference of +0.08 repeat units in maternally inherited repeats, significantly less than the average difference of +2.92 repeat units with paternal transmission. Large repeat expansions, of more than 5 repeat units, were seen only in paternally inherited cases. With paternal transmission the magnitude of repeat length alterations was directly correlated to increasing paternal repeat length. Increasing variation in repeat length among siblings was correlated to increasing average repeat length in the sibship in both maternally and paternally inherited HD. Comparison of the magnitude of repeat length alterations to parental age at the time of birth of the offspring showed no correlation.

Fathers

Inheritance of histiocytosis in Bernese mountain dogs.

One hundred and twenty-seven cases of histiocytosis in Bernese mountain dogs (BMD) were evaluated to determine if the tumour is inherited. Family data ruled out autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant and sex-linked modes of inheritance. The trait was determined to be inherited with a polygenic mode of inheritance. The salient points permitting this conclusion are: pedigrees developed from independently selected propositi link up allowing the tracing of all cases through several generations; multiple cases occur in the same litter; multiple cases have been produced by given dams and sires; there is a higher frequency of the disease among offspring of affected parents when compared to offspring of normal parents that produced histiocytosis and all offspring in the general population of BMDs; the fact that histiocytosis is common in BMDs and rare in eight other breeds and accounts for 25.4 per cent of the 500 tumours studied in this breed. The heritability of this trait was calculated to be 0.298.

Animals

Inherited resistance to Corynebacterium kutscheri in mice.

An analysis of the factors responsible for inherited resistance to Corynebacterium kutscheri was undertaken. Various inbred mouse strains were examined; these included the Swiss Lynch and C57Bl/l mice, their F1 and F2 progeny, and the progeny of the F1 backcrossed to each parent strain. Two modes of inherited resistance are described. An examination suggested that resistance as measured by the mean lethal dose of C. kutscheri was under polygenic control and was inherited continuously. However, the efficiency with which C. kutscheri was eliminated by the mononuclear phagocyte cells of the liver over 3 days differed markedly among strains. A genetic analysis of this mononuclear phagocyte microbicidal efficiency (MPME) in Swiss Lynch and C57Bl/6 mice was undertaken. The trait, MPME, was present, but did not segregate, in the F1 progeny or in the progeny of the backcross to the resistant C57Bl/6 parent; this was clear evidence of dominance. Moreover, MPME segregated in a ratio of 1:1 in the progeny of the backcross to the sensitive Swiss Lynch parent and in a ratio of 3:1 in the F2 progeny. It was concluded that MPME was inherited discontinuously and was controlled by a single dominant autosomal gene (or closely linked group); the recessive allele was assigned the gene symbol ack. Linkage experiments showed there to be no association between the ack locus and any of the immune-response genes.

Animals

Lack of influence of non-inherited maternal HLA-DR alleles on susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To reproduce findings from previous reports that non-inherited maternal HLA class II antigens might contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility in the offspring. METHODS: Families were recruited from the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council's National Repository of RA families and HLA-DRB1 alleles were examined in these individuals and their first degree relatives using DNA typing methods. RESULTS: There was no evidence of an increase in either non-inherited maternal HLA-DR4 or the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope as a whole compared with the frequency expected using the non-inherited paternal antigens as controls. CONCLUSIONS: The numbers of probands who were shared epitope negative were small, but we are unable to confirm in these families the findings that non-inherited maternal HLA contributes an additional susceptibility factor to rheumatoid arthritis.

Alleles

Genetic inheritance of susceptibility to tinea imbricata.

Segregation analysis on 228 family pedigrees collected from a Papua New Guinean population provided data that strongly supported a previous report of an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance of a susceptibility to tinea imbricata. The frequency of the susceptibility gene within the population studied was found to be 0.49 +/- 0.04, calculated on the assumption of an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. However, in spite of the strong evidence in support of autosomal recessive inheritance, the possibility of autosomal dominant inheritance with reduced penetrance cannot be excluded.

Female

Age at onset in Huntington's disease: effect of line of inheritance and patient's sex.

The Leiden Roster for Huntington's disease (HD) contained data on 2617 cases up to July 1988. The age at onset (AO) was known in 1084 cases and in 1020 of these both their AO and the sex of the affected parent was known. The mean AO was higher for females than for males and higher for maternal than for paternal cases. However, in the group born before 1925 only females with maternal inheritance had a higher mean AO. Data on influence of sex and line of inheritance were present for the grandparents as well as for the great grandparents. Influence of the line of inheritance from the grandparents was particularly present for the grandmother-father (MP) lineage; regarding the great grandparents a significant difference was found between the MPM and PMP lineage. The results obtained for juvenile HD cases were comparable to those previously published. In late onset cases (over 50 years) no maternal preponderance in inheritance was found.

Adult

Mode of inheritance in familial cases of primary gonadotropic deficiency.

The mode of inheritance of primary gonadotropic deficiency was studied in 38 children and adolescents. 92% of this population was male with high frequencies of undescended testes (80%) and micropenis (31%). Anosmia was present in 61% of the patients aged more than 5 years and was a frequent genetic marker in the families. Inheritance was matrilineal in 18, X-linked dominant or autosomal dominant in 6. In 13 cases, the transmission was patrilineal and evoked autosomal dominant inheritance. An autosomal recessive transmission was likely in 7 patients. The data agree with the suggestion of multiple modes of inheritance of congenital gonadotropic deficiency, and clearly show the wide range of expressivity of the disorder.

Adolescent