1
|
Marshall AE, Liang Y, Couse M, McConkey H, Sadikovic B, Boycott KM, Dyment DA, Kernohan KD. Integrated omics analyses clarifies ATRX copy number variant of uncertain significance. J Hum Genet 2024; 69:101-105. [PMID: 37904029 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-023-01203-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Partial duplications of genes can be challenging to detect and interpret and, therefore, likely represent an underreported cause of human disease. X-linked dominant variants in ATRX are associated with Alpha-thalassemia/impaired intellectual development syndrome, X-linked (ATR-X syndrome), a clinically heterogeneous disease generally presenting with intellectual disability, hypotonia, characteristic facies, genital anomalies, and alpha-thalassemia. We describe an affected male with a de novo hemizygous intragenic duplication of ~43.6 kb in ATRX, detected by research genome sequencing following non-diagnostic clinical testing. RNA sequencing and DNA methylation episignature analyses were central in variant interpretation, and this duplication was subsequently interpreted as disease-causing. This represents the smallest reported tandem duplication within ATRX associated with disease. This case demonstrates the diagnostic utility of integrating multiple omics technologies, which can ultimately lead to a definitive diagnosis for rare disease patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aren E Marshall
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 5B2, Canada
| | - Yijing Liang
- Centre for Computational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Madeline Couse
- Centre for Computational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Haley McConkey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Bekim Sadikovic
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada
| | - Kym M Boycott
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 5B2, Canada
- Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - David A Dyment
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 5B2, Canada.
- Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
| | - Kristin D Kernohan
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 5B2, Canada.
- Newborn Screening Ontario, Ontario, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bagheri-Fam S, Alankarage D, Frost ER, Harley VR. Dataset of differentially expressed genes in mouse P12 testes in response to the loss of ATRX in Sertoli cells. Data Brief 2022; 42:108230. [PMID: 35592768 PMCID: PMC9111927 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2022.108230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This dataset represents genes that are dysregulated in the postnatal day 12 (P12) mouse testis when ATRX is specifically inactivated in Sertoli cells (ScAtrxKO mice). The differentially expressed genes included in the dataset may play important roles in the testicular phenotypes observed in the ScAtrxKO mice, which were first reported in our previous work [1]. In fetal ScAtrxKO mice, Sertoli cells undergo apoptosis due to cell cycle defects, resulting in smaller testes with reduced tubule volume [1]. Adult ScAtrxKO mice show a wide range of spermatogenesis defects probably due to a failure of the dysfunctional ATRX protein to interact with the androgen receptor (AR) [1]. ATRX, a chromatin remodeling protein, is widely expressed in the human testis including Sertoli cells [2,3]. In XY individuals, the loss of ATRX leads to ATR-X (alpha thalassemia, mental retardation, X-linked) syndrome associated with a wide range of genital abnormalities such as hypospadias, ambiguous genitalia, and small testes with reduced tubule volume [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. Our dataset contributes towards understanding the mechanism underlying ATRX regulation of testis development and spermatogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Dimuthu Alankarage
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Emily R. Frost
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Vincent R. Harley
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chai S, Tian R, Bi J, Xu S, Yang G, Ren W. Rapid evolution and molecular convergence in cryptorchidism-related genes associated with inherently undescended testes in mammals. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:22. [PMID: 33568072 PMCID: PMC7877101 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01753-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian testis is an important male exocrine gland and spermatozoa-producing organ that usually lies in extra-abdominal scrotums to provide a cooler environment for spermatogenesis and sperm storage. Testicles sometimes fail to descend, leading to cryptorchidism. However, certain groups of mammals possess inherently ascrotal testes (i.e. testes that do not descend completely or at all) that have the same physiological functions as completely descended scrotal testes. Although several anatomical and hormonal factors involved in testicular descent have been studied, there is still a paucity of comprehensive research on the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of testicular descent in mammals and how mammals with ascrotal testes maintain their reproductive health. RESULTS We performed integrative phenotypic and comparative genomic analyses of 380 cryptorchidism-related genes and found that the mammalian ascrotal testes trait is derived from an ancestral scrotal state. Rapidly evolving genes in ascrotal mammals were enriched in the Hedgehog pathway-which regulates Leydig cell differentiation and testosterone secretion-and muscle development. Moreover, some cryptorchidism-related genes in ascrotal mammals had undergone positive selection and contained specific mutations and indels. Genes harboring convergent/parallel amino acid substitutions between ascrotal mammals were enriched in GTPase functions. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the scrotal testis is an ancestral state in mammals, and the ascrotal phenotype was derived multiple times in independent lineages. In addition, the adaptive evolution of genes involved in testicular descent and the development of the gubernaculum contributed to the evolution of ascrotal testes. Accurate DNA replication, the proper segregation of genetic material, and appropriate autophagy are the potential mechanisms for maintaining physiological normality during spermatogenesis in ascrotal mammals. Furthermore, the molecular convergence of GTPases is probably a mechanism in the ascrotal testes of different mammals. This study provides novel insights into the evolution of the testis and scrotum in mammals and contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of cryptorchidism in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simin Chai
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ran Tian
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juanjuan Bi
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shixia Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guang Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Wenhua Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhang X, Zhou J, Li L, Huang W, Ahmad HI, Li H, Jiang H, Chen J. Full-length transcriptome sequencing and comparative transcriptomic analysis to uncover genes involved in early gametogenesis in the gonads of Amur sturgeon ( Acipenser schrenckii). Front Zool 2020; 17:11. [PMID: 32308726 PMCID: PMC7147073 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-00355-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sturgeons (Acipenseriformes) are polyploid chondrostean fish that constitute an important model species for studying development and evolution in vertebrates. To better understand the mechanisms of reproduction regulation in sturgeon, this study combined PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) with Illumina short-read RNA-seq methods to discover full-length genes involved in early gametogenesis of the Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrenckii. RESULTS A total of 50.04 G subread bases were generated from two SMRT cells, and herein 164,618 nonredundant full-length transcripts (unigenes) were produced with an average length of 2782 bp from gonad tissues (three testes and four ovaries) from seven 3-year-old A. schrenckii individuals. The number of ovary-specific expressed unigenes was greater than those of testis (19,716 vs. 3028), and completely different KEGG pathways were significantly enriched between the ovary-biased and testis-biased DEUs. Importantly, 60 early gametogenesis-related genes (involving 755 unigenes) were successfully identified, and exactly 50% (30/60) genes of those showed significantly differential expression in testes and ovaries. Among these, the Amh and Gsdf with testis-biased expression, and the Foxl2 and Cyp19a with ovary-biased expression strongly suggested the important regulatory roles in spermatogenesis and oogenesis of A. schrenckii, respectively. We also found the four novel Sox9 transcript variants, which increase the numbers of regulatory genes and imply function complexity in early gametogenesis. Finally, a total of 236,672 AS events (involving 36,522 unigenes) were detected, and 10,556 putative long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and 4339 predicted transcript factors (TFs) were also respectively identified, which were all significantly associated with the early gametogenesis of A. schrenckii. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results provide new genetic resources of full-length transcription data and information as a genomic-level reference for sturgeon. Crucially, we explored the comprehensive genetic characteristics that differ between the testes and ovaries of A. schrenckii in the early gametogenesis stage, which could provide candidate genes and theoretical basis for further the mechanisms of reproduction regulation of sturgeon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiujuan Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Jiabin Zhou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Linmiao Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Wenzhong Huang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Hafiz Ishfaq Ahmad
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Huiming Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Haiying Jiang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| | - Jinping Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, 510260 Guangdong China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gust KA, Lotufo GR, Thiyagarajah A, Barker ND, Ji Q, Marshall K, Wilbanks MS, Chappell P. Molecular Evaluation of Impacted Reproductive Physiology in Fathead Minnow Testes Provides Mechanistic Insights into Insensitive Munitions Toxicology. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 213:105204. [PMID: 31185427 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Previous toxicological investigations of the insensitive munition (IM), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO), demonstrated histopathological and physiological impacts in mammalian testes. The implications of these findings for fish was unknown, therefore we investigated the effects of chronic (21 day) exposures to NTO and an NTO-containing IM formulation called IMX-101 (composed of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), and NTO) in adult male fathead minnows to assess if impacts on testes were conserved. The NTO exposure caused no significant mortality through the maximum exposure concentration (720 mg/L, measured), however NTO elicited testicular impacts causing significant asynchrony in spermatogenesis and necrosis in secondary spermatocytes at the two highest exposure concentrations (383 mg/L and 720 mg/L) and testicular degeneration at the highest exposure. Microarray-based transcriptomics analysis identified significant enrichment of steroid metabolism pathways and mTORC-signal control of spermatogonia differentiation in NTO exposures each having logical connections to observed asynchronous spermatogenesis. Additionally, NTO impaired transcriptional expression for genes supporting sperm structural and flagellar development including sperm-associated antigen 6 (Spag6). These functional transcriptomic responses are hypothesized contributors to impacted reproductive physiology in NTO exposures that ultimately lead to reductions in spermatozoa. In contrast to NTO, the IMX-101 formulation elicited significant mortality at the two highest exposure concentrations of 25.2 and 50.9 mg/L (DNAN nominal + NTO measured + NQ measured). Unlike NTO and NQ, the DNAN component of the IMX-101 formulation underwent significant transformation in the 21d exposure. From previous investigations, neither NTO nor NQ caused mortality in fish at >1000 mg/L suggesting that mortality in the present study arose from DNAN / DNAN-attributable transformation products. The 12.6 mg/L IMX-101 exposure caused significant sublethal impacts on testes including sperm necrosis, interstitial fibrosis, and Sertoli-like cell hyperplasia. Transcriptional profiles for IMX-101 indicated significant enrichment on multiple signaling pathways supporting spermatogenesis, mitosis / meiosis, and flagellar structure, all logically connected to observed sperm necrosis. Additionally, pronounced transcriptional increases within the PPARα-RXRα pathway, a known DNAN target, has been hypothesized to correspond to Sertoli cell hyperplasia, presumably as a compensatory response to fulfill the nurse-function of Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis. Overall, the transcriptional results indicated unique molecular responses for NTO and IMX-101. Regarding chemical hazard, NTO impacted testes and impaired spermatogenesis, but at high exposure concentrations (≥ 192 mg/L), whereas the IMX-101 formulation, elicited mortality and impacts on reproductive physiology likely caused by DNAN and its transformation products present at concentrations well below the NTO-component concentration within the IMX-101 mixture formulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Gust
- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA.
| | - Guilherme R Lotufo
- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA.
| | | | | | - Qing Ji
- Bennett Aerospace, Cary, NC, 27511, USA.
| | | | - Mitchell S Wilbanks
- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
De La Fuente R, Baumann C, Viveiros MM. Role of ATRX in chromatin structure and function: implications for chromosome instability and human disease. Reproduction 2011; 142:221-34. [PMID: 21653732 PMCID: PMC3253860 DOI: 10.1530/rep-10-0380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Functional differentiation of chromatin structure is essential for the control of gene expression, nuclear architecture, and chromosome stability. Compelling evidence indicates that alterations in chromatin remodeling proteins play an important role in the pathogenesis of human disease. Among these, α-thalassemia mental retardation X-linked protein (ATRX) has recently emerged as a critical factor involved in heterochromatin formation at mammalian centromeres and telomeres as well as facultative heterochromatin on the murine inactive X chromosome. Mutations in human ATRX result in an X-linked neurodevelopmental condition with various degrees of gonadal dysgenesis (ATRX syndrome). Patients with ATRX syndrome may exhibit skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) patterns, and ATRX-deficient mice exhibit abnormal imprinted XCI in the trophoblast cell line. Non-random or skewed XCI can potentially affect both the onset and severity of X-linked disease. Notably, failure to establish epigenetic modifications associated with the inactive X chromosome (Xi) results in several conditions that exhibit genomic and chromosome instability such as fragile X syndrome as well as cancer development. Insight into the molecular mechanisms of ATRX function and its interacting partners in different tissues will no doubt contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis of ATRX syndrome as well as the epigenetic origins of aneuploidy. In turn, this knowledge will be essential for the identification of novel drug targets and diagnostic tools for cancer progression as well as the therapeutic management of global epigenetic changes commonly associated with malignant neoplastic transformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rabindranath De La Fuente
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tang P, Frankenberg S, Argentaro A, Graves JM, Familari M. Comparative analysis of the ATRX promoter and 5' regulatory region reveals conserved regulatory elements which are linked to roles in neurodevelopment, alpha-globin regulation and testicular function. BMC Res Notes 2011; 4:200. [PMID: 21676266 PMCID: PMC3144453 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-4-200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background ATRX is a tightly-regulated multifunctional protein with crucial roles in mammalian development. Mutations in the ATRX gene cause ATR-X syndrome, an X-linked recessive developmental disorder resulting in severe mental retardation and mild alpha-thalassemia with facial, skeletal and genital abnormalities. Although ubiquitously expressed the clinical features of the syndrome indicate that ATRX is not likely to be a global regulator of gene expression but involved in regulating specific target genes. The regulation of ATRX expression is not well understood and this is reflected by the current lack of identified upstream regulators. The availability of genomic data from a range of species and the very highly conserved 5' regulatory regions of the ATRX gene has allowed us to investigate putative transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) in evolutionarily conserved regions of the mammalian ATRX promoter. Results We identified 12 highly conserved TFBSs of key gene regulators involved in biologically relevant processes such as neural and testis development and alpha-globin regulation. Conclusions Our results reveal potentially important regulatory elements in the ATRX gene which may lead to the identification of upstream regulators of ATRX and aid in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie ATR-X syndrome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paisu Tang
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Huyhn K, Renfree MB, Graves JA, Pask AJ. ATRX has a critical and conserved role in mammalian sexual differentiation. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2011; 11:39. [PMID: 21672208 PMCID: PMC3133603 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-11-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 06/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background X-linked alpha thalassemia, mental retardation syndrome in humans is a rare recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ATRX gene. The disease is characterised by severe mental retardation, mild alpha-thalassemia, microcephaly, short stature, facial, skeletal, genital and gonadal abnormalities. Results We examined the expression of ATRX and ATRY during early development and gonadogenesis in two distantly related mammals: the tammar wallaby (a marsupial) and the mouse (a eutherian). This is the first examination of ATRX and ATRY in the developing mammalian gonad and fetus. ATRX and ATRY were strongly expressed in the developing male and female gonad respectively, of both species. In testes, ATRY expression was detected in the Sertoli cells, germ cells and some interstitial cells. In the developing ovaries, ATRX was initially restricted to the germ cells, but was present in the granulosa cells of mature ovaries from the primary follicle stage onwards and in the corpus luteum. ATRX mRNA expression was also examined outside the gonad in both mouse and tammar wallaby whole embryos. ATRX was detected in the developing limbs, craniofacial elements, neural tissues, tail and phallus. These sites correspond with developmental deficiencies displayed by ATR-X patients. Conclusions There is a complex expression pattern throughout development in both mammals, consistent with many of the observed ATR-X syndrome phenotypes in humans. The distribution of ATRX mRNA and protein in the gonads was highly conserved between the tammar and the mouse. The expression profile within the germ cells and somatic cells strikingly overlaps with that of DMRT1, suggesting a possible link between these two genes in gonadal development. Taken together, these data suggest that ATRX has a critical and conserved role in normal development of the testis and ovary in both the somatic and germ cells, and that its broad roles in early mammalian development and gonadal function have remained unchanged for over 148 million years of mammalian evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Huyhn
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Kangaroo Genomics, Australia
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yun KW, Chae SA, Lee JJ, Yun SW, Yoo BH, Lim IS, Choi ES, Lee MK. The first case of X-linked Alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation (ATR-X) syndrome in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2011; 26:146-9. [PMID: 21218045 PMCID: PMC3012841 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.1.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2010] [Accepted: 04/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutation of the ATRX gene leads to X-linked alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation (ATR-X) syndrome and several other X-linked mental retardation syndromes. We report the first case of ATR-X syndrome documented here in Korea. A 32-month-old boy came in with irritability and fever. He showed dysmorphic features, mental retardation and epilepsy, so ATR-X syndrome was considered. Hemoglobin H inclusions in red blood cells supported the diagnosis and genetic studies confirmed it. Mutation analysis for our patient showed a point mutation of thymine to cytosine on the 9th exon in the ATRX gene, indicating that Trp(C), the 220th amino acid, was replaced by Ser(R). Furthermore, we investigated the same mutation in family members, and his mother and two sisters were found to be carriers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ki Wook Yun
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soo Ahn Chae
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sin Weon Yun
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byoung Hoon Yoo
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - In Seok Lim
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eung Sang Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi-Kyung Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|