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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Mutation of a new gene causes a unique form of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome in a genetic isolate of central Puerto Rico.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by oculocutaneous albinism and a storage pool deficiency due to an absence of platelet dense bodies. Lysosomal ceroid lipofuscinosis, pulmonary fibrosis and granulomatous colitis are occasional manifestations of the disease. HPS occurs with a frequency of one in 1800 in north-west Puerto Rico due to a founder effect. Several non-Puerto Rican patients also have mutations in HPS1, which produces a protein of unknown function. Another gene, ADTB3A, causes HPS in the pearl mouse and in two brothers with HPS-2 (refs. 11,12). ADTB3A encodes a coat protein involved in vesicle formation, implicating HPS as a disorder of membrane trafficking. We sought to identify other HPS-causing genes. Using homozygosity mapping on pooled DNA of 6 families from central Puerto Rico, we localized a new HPS susceptibility gene to a 1.6-cM interval on chromosome 3q24. The gene, HPS3, has 17 exons, and a putative 113.7-kD product expected to reveal how new vesicles form in specialized cells. The homozygous, disease-causing mutation is a large deletion and represents the second example of a founder mutation causing HPS on the small island of Puerto Rico. We also present an allele-specific assay for diagnosing individuals heterozygous or homozygous for this mutation.

Alleles↗

Familial aggregation, the PDE4D gene, and ischemic stroke in a genetically isolated population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to study the familial aggregation of ischemic stroke and the association between the PDE4D gene and ischemic stroke. METHODS: The study was performed in an isolated population in The Netherlands, where the authors identified 91 patients with ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke was subclassified in large- and small-vessel infarction. The authors calculated kinship and inbreeding coefficients and genotyped all patients for three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PDE4D gene. RESULTS: The proportion of related pairs was higher in patients with ischemic stroke (68.8%) compared with controls (30.7%; p < 0.001). For large-vessel infarction, the proportion of related pairs was higher (71%) compared with small-vessel infarction (62.8%; p < 0.001). Familial aggregation was strongest for patients with early onset (age at onset < 45 years). All stroke groups were significantly more inbred compared with controls. In inbred individuals, the C allele of SNP45 increased the risk of small-vessel infarction 4.8 times (95% CI 1.1 to 22.3) compared with controls (p = 0.04). The T allele of SNP39 increased the risk of small-vessel infarction 6.3 times (95% CI 1.4 to 28.7) compared with controls (p = 0.02). No associations were found for large-vessel stroke. CONCLUSIONS: There was familial aggregation of ischemic stroke and a difference in degree of familial clustering between stroke subtypes. The authors also found that the PDE4D gene is significantly associated with small-vessel infarction in inbred individuals.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Evidence for novel loci for late-onset Parkinson's disease in a genetic isolate from the Netherlands.

We studied patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) from an isolated population in the Netherlands aiming to map gene(s) involved in PD susceptibility. A total of 109 parkinsonism patients were independently ascertained, of whom 62 presented late-onset, idiopathic PD. Genealogical research showed that 45 index cases with idiopathic PD were linked to a common ancestor, indicating familiar clustering among the patients. This strong familial clustering was highly significant (P = 0.005) when compared to random controls from the same population. We performed a genome wide scan using 382 polymorphic markers in 44 distantly related PD patients plus 112 unaffected first-degree relatives and spouses. Our genome wide association analysis (DISLAMB) revealed evidence of association at a nominal P-value < 0.01 for markers D2S2333, D4S405, D9S158, D13S153. Other regions on chromosomes 3p, 4q, 14q, 17p and 17q were found at a significance level of P < 0.05. In a follow-up study, we investigated all the positive regions using a denser marker set and a larger sample (total of 630 individuals including all late-onset PD patients). The strongest evidence for association remained for the 9q and 14q region. A significant association was found for marker D9S1838 (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.5, P = 0.014) and D14S65 (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.7-6.1, P < 0.001). Moreover, a common haplotype with excess of sharing among late-onset PD cases was observed on both regions. Our results suggest the existence of two loci influencing PD susceptibility on chromosome 9q and 14q.

Age of Onset↗

Adenosine kinase as a new selective marker in somatic cell genetics: isolation of adenosine kinase--deficient mouse cell lines and human--mouse hybrid cell lines containing adenosine kinase.

A new selective system for isolating somatic cell hybrids, using adenosine kinase as the selective marker, has been developed. The selective medium for forward selection (to select for cells containing adenosine kinase) contains alanosine, adenosine and uridine. To survive in the presence of alanosine, cells must have adenosine kinase in order to utilize exogenous adenosine as the sole source of AMP. Uridine is added to the selective medium to prevent the toxic effects of adenosine on cultured mammalian cells. The selective medium for reverse selection (to select for cells lacking adenosine kinase) contains 2-fluoroadenosine, an analogue of adenosine, which is converted to a toxic nucleotide by the action of adenosine kinase. Mouse mutant cell lines deficient in adenosine kinase have been derived. Human--mouse hybrid cells containing the kinase have been prepared from one of these mutant lines. Karyotype data of these hygrid lines and their adenosine kinase-minus sublines are consistent with assignment by others of the human gene for adenosine kinase on chromosome 10.

Adenosine↗

Isolation, genetic variation and expression of TIR-NBS-LRR resistance gene analogs from western white pine ( Pinus monticola Dougl. ex. D. Don.).

Western white pine ( Pinus monticola Dougl. ex. D. Don., WWP) shows genetic variation in disease resistance to white pine blister rust ( Cronartium ribicola). Most plant disease resistance (R) genes encode proteins that belong to a superfamily with nucleotide-binding site domains (NBS) and C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRR). In this work a PCR strategy was used to clone R gene analogs (RGAs) from WWP using oligonucleotide primers based on the conserved sequence motifs in the NBS domain of angiosperm NBS-LRR genes. Sixty-seven NBS sequences were cloned from disease-resistant trees. BLAST searches in GenBank revealed that they shared significant identity to well-characterized R genes from angiosperms, including L and M genes from flax, the tobacco N gene and the soybean gene LM6. Sequence alignments revealed that the RGAs from WWP contained the conserved motifs identified in angiosperm NBS domains, especially those motifs specific for TIR-NBS-LRR proteins. Phylogenic analysis of plant R genes and RGAs indicated that all cloned WWP RGAs can be grouped into one major branch together with well-known R proteins carrying a TIR domain, suggesting they belong to the subfamily of TIR-NBS-LRR genes. In one phylogenic tree, WWP RGAs were further subdivided into fourteen clusters with an amino acid sequence identity threshold of 75%. cDNA cloning and RT-PCR analysis with gene-specific primers demonstrated that members of 10 of the 14 RGA classes were expressed in foliage tissues, suggesting that a large and diverse NBS-LRR gene family may be functional in conifers. These results provide evidence for the hypothesis that conifer RGAs share a common origin with R genes from angiosperms, and some of them may play important roles in defense mechanisms that confer disease resistance in western white pine. Ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitutions (Ka/Ks) in the WWP NBS domains were greater than 1 or close to 1, indicating that diversifying selection and/or neutral selection operate on the NBS domains of the WWP RGA family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The use of promoter fusions in Drosophila genetics: isolation of mutations affecting the heat shock response.

We have constructed a gene fusion using the promoter of Drosophila hsp70 and the structural gene for Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) and used this construct to transform Adh-deficient flies. In these transformants, Adh is expressed only after heat shock. Like hsp70 itself, this heat-shock-inducible Adh (Adhhs) is induced in a wide variety of tissues. It fails to be induced in primary spermatocytes. Although the tissue distribution of Adh activity is very different from wild type, this does not appear to be deleterious. Indeed, the induction of Adhhs allows flies to survive exposure to ethanol. We have used this latter characteristic to select dominant, trans-acting mutations that alter the response of flies to heat shock.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Tic symptom profiles in subjects with Tourette Syndrome from two genetically isolated populations.

BACKGROUND: Tourette Syndrome (TS) has a complex etiology and wide variability in phenotypic expression. Identifying underlying symptom patterns may be useful for etiological and outcome studies of TS. METHODS: Lifetime tic and related symptom data were collected between 1996 and 2001 in 121 TS subjects from the Central Valley of Costa Rica and 133 TS subjects from the Ashkenazi Jewish (AS) population in the US. Subjects were grouped by tic symptoms using an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. Cluster membership was tested for association with available ancillary information (age of onset, tic severity, comorbid disorders, medication treatment and family history). RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified two distinct groups in each sample, those with predominantly simple tics (cluster 1), and those with multiple complex tics (cluster 2). Membership in cluster 2 was correlated with increased tic severity, global impairment, medication treatment, and presence of comorbid obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both samples, and with family history of tics, lower verbal IQ, earlier age of onset, and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the AS sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for consistent and reproducible symptom profiles in two independent TS study samples. These findings have implications for etiological studies of TS.

Adolescent↗

Molecular markers reveal genetic isolation and phylogeography of the S and F intersterility groups of the wood-decay fungus Heterobasidion annosum.

The root-rot fungus Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. species complex consists of three intersterility groups (S, F, and P), separated by their host affinity. The phylogenetic relationship of the species complex was studied, with the focus on the S and F groups, by comparing DNA sequences of four nuclear gene fragments: calmodulin, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, heat stress protein 80-1, and elongation factor 1-alpha, and one anonymous locus, from 29 fungal isolates originating from Europe, Asia, and North America. The phylogeny of each separate gene locus as well as the combined dataset consisted of three main clades: European F group isolates, Euroasian S group isolates, and North American S group isolates, suggesting them to be separated into phylogenetic species. The results also support the hypothesis of an early separation between the S and F groups, indicating that their distribution have followed their host tree species for a considerable time period.

Agaricales↗

Genetic isolation of a chromosome 1 region affecting blood pressure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Recent linkage studies in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) suggest that a blood pressure regulatory gene or genes may be located on rat chromosome 1q. To investigate this possibility, we replaced a region of chromosome 1 in the SHR (defined by the markers D1Mit3 and Igf2) with the corresponding chromosome segment from the normotensive Brown-Norway (BN) strain. In male SHR congenic rats carrying the transferred BN chromosome segment, 24-hour average systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower than in male progenitor SHR. Polymerase chain reaction genotyping using 60 polymorphic microsatellite markers dispersed throughout the genome confirmed the congenic status of the new strain designated SHR.BN-D1Mit3/Igf2. These findings provide direct evidence that a blood pressure regulatory gene exists on the differential segment of chromosome 1 that is sufficient to decrease blood pressure in the SHR. The SHR.BN-D1Mit3/Igf2 congenic strain represents an important new model for fine mapping and characterization of genes on chromosome 1 involved in the pathogenesis of spontaneous hypertension.

Animals↗

A genetic isolate of congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia with atypical clinical findings.

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (lipoid CAH) is the most severe form of CAH, eventually destroying all adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis. Lipoid CAH is caused by mutations in the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), which facilitates the entry of cholesterol into mitochondria to initiate steroidogenesis. Patients with lipoid CAH typically present with a salt-losing crisis in the first 2 months of life, although presentation as late as 10 months with partial retention of StAR activity has been reported. We describe eight patients from six Saudi Arabian families who were first diagnosed at 1-14 months of age (median, 4-7 months; mean, 7 months). Five patients were 46,XY, and three were 46,XX. At presentation, all had hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, elevated ACTH, and low cortisol. Pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were all low in those patients in whom it was measured. DNA sequencing showed that one patient was homozygous for the StAR mutation M144R, and the other seven, from five apparently unrelated families, were homozygous for the StAR mutation R182H. Each mutation was recreated in a human StAR cDNA expression vector and found to be wholly inactive in a standard assay of COS-1 cells cotransfected with the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme system. Thus, the loss of all assayable activity in vitro correlated poorly with the later onset of clinical symptoms in these patients. Lipoid CAH may present much later in life than previously thought.

Adolescent↗