1
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Hammond FR, Lewis A, Pollara G, Tomlinson GS, Noursadeghi M, Kiss-Toth E, Elks PM. Tribbles1 is host protective during in vivo mycobacterial infection. eLife 2024; 13:e95980. [PMID: 38896446 PMCID: PMC11186633 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis is a major global health problem and is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. There is a pressing need for new treatments that circumvent emerging antibiotic resistance. Mycobacterium tuberculosis parasitises macrophages, reprogramming them to establish a niche in which to proliferate, therefore macrophage manipulation is a potential host-directed therapy if druggable molecular targets could be identified. The pseudokinase Tribbles1 (Trib1) regulates multiple innate immune processes and inflammatory profiles making it a potential drug target in infections. Trib1 controls macrophage function, cytokine production, and macrophage polarisation. Despite wide-ranging effects on leukocyte biology, data exploring the roles of Tribbles in infection in vivo are limited. Here, we identify that human Tribbles1 is expressed in monocytes and is upregulated at the transcript level after stimulation with mycobacterial antigen. To investigate the mechanistic roles of Tribbles in the host response to mycobacteria in vivo, we used a zebrafish Mycobacterium marinum (Mm) infection tuberculosis model. Zebrafish Tribbles family members were characterised and shown to have substantial mRNA and protein sequence homology to their human orthologues. trib1 overexpression was host-protective against Mm infection, reducing burden by approximately 50%. Conversely, trib1 knockdown/knockout exhibited increased infection. Mechanistically, trib1 overexpression significantly increased the levels of proinflammatory factors il-1β and nitric oxide. The host-protective effect of trib1 was found to be dependent on the E3 ubiquitin kinase Cop1. These findings highlight the importance of Trib1 and Cop1 as immune regulators during infection in vivo and suggest that enhancing macrophage TRIB1 levels may provide a tractable therapeutic intervention to improve bacterial infection outcomes in tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ffion R Hammond
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Amy Lewis
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Gabriele Pollara
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gillian S Tomlinson
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mahdad Noursadeghi
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Endre Kiss-Toth
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Philip M Elks
- The Bateson Centre, School of Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
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2
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Örd T, Örd D, Adler P, Örd T. Genome-wide census of ATF4 binding sites and functional profiling of trait-associated genetic variants overlapping ATF4 binding motifs. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011014. [PMID: 37906604 PMCID: PMC10637723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) is an important regulator of gene expression in stress responses and developmental processes in many cell types. Here, we catalogued ATF4 binding sites in the human genome and identified overlaps with trait-associated genetic variants. We probed these genetic variants for allelic regulatory activity using a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) in HepG2 hepatoma cells exposed to tunicamycin to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and ATF4 upregulation. The results revealed that in the majority of cases, the MPRA allelic activity of these SNPs was in agreement with the nucleotide preference seen in the ATF4 binding motif from ChIP-Seq. Luciferase and electrophoretic mobility shift assays in additional cellular models further confirmed ATF4-dependent regulatory effects for the SNPs rs532446 (GADD45A intronic; linked to hematological parameters), rs7011846 (LPL upstream; myocardial infarction), rs2718215 (diastolic blood pressure), rs281758 (psychiatric disorders) and rs6491544 (educational attainment). CRISPR-Cas9 disruption and/or deletion of the regulatory elements harboring rs532446 and rs7011846 led to the downregulation of GADD45A and LPL, respectively. Thus, these SNPs could represent examples of GWAS genetic variants that affect gene expression by altering ATF4-mediated transcriptional activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiit Örd
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Daima Örd
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Priit Adler
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Örd
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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3
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Vaill M, Kawanishi K, Varki N, Gagneux P, Varki A. Comparative physiological anthropogeny: exploring molecular underpinnings of distinctly human phenotypes. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2171-2229. [PMID: 36603157 PMCID: PMC10151058 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00040.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogeny is a classic term encompassing transdisciplinary investigations of the origins of the human species. Comparative anthropogeny is a systematic comparison of humans and other living nonhuman hominids (so-called "great apes"), aiming to identify distinctly human features in health and disease, with the overall goal of explaining human origins. We begin with a historical perspective, briefly describing how the field progressed from the earliest evolutionary insights to the current emphasis on in-depth molecular and genomic investigations of "human-specific" biology and an increased appreciation for cultural impacts on human biology. While many such genetic differences between humans and other hominids have been revealed over the last two decades, this information remains insufficient to explain the most distinctive phenotypic traits distinguishing humans from other living hominids. Here we undertake a complementary approach of "comparative physiological anthropogeny," along the lines of the preclinical medical curriculum, i.e., beginning with anatomy and considering each physiological system and in each case considering genetic and molecular components that are relevant. What is ultimately needed is a systematic comparative approach at all levels from molecular to physiological to sociocultural, building networks of related information, drawing inferences, and generating testable hypotheses. The concluding section will touch on distinctive considerations in the study of human evolution, including the importance of gene-culture interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Vaill
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Kunio Kawanishi
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Nissi Varki
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Pascal Gagneux
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Ajit Varki
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
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4
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Apsley AT, Domico ER, Verbiest MA, Brogan CA, Buck ER, Burich AJ, Cardone KM, Stone WJ, Anisimova M, Vandenbergh DJ. A novel hypervariable variable number tandem repeat in the dopamine transporter gene ( SLC6A3). Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201677. [PMID: 36754567 PMCID: PMC9909461 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The dopamine transporter gene, SLC6A3, has received substantial attention in genetic association studies of various phenotypes. Although some variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) present in SLC6A3 have been tested in genetic association studies, results have not been consistent. VNTRs in SLC6A3 that have not been examined genetically were characterized. The Tandem Repeat Annotation Library was used to characterize the VNTRs of 64 unrelated long-read haplotype-phased SLC6A3 sequences. Sequence similarity of each repeat unit of the five VNTRs is reported, along with the correlations of SNP-SNP, SNP-VNTR, and VNTR-VNTR alleles across the gene. One of these VNTRs is a novel hyper-VNTR (hyVNTR) in intron 8 of SLC6A3, which contains a range of 3.4-133.4 repeat copies and has a consensus sequence length of 38 bp, with 82% G+C content. The 38-base repeat was predicted to form G-quadruplexes in silico and was confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. In addition, this hyVNTR contains multiple putative binding sites for PRDM9, which, in combination with low levels of linkage disequilibrium around the hyVNTR, suggests it might be a recombination hotspot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
- The Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biosciences Program, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Emma R Domico
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Max A Verbiest
- Institute of Computational Life Science, School of Life Sciences and Facility Management, Zürich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carly A Brogan
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Evan R Buck
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Andrew J Burich
- Department of Information Science and Technologies - Applied Data Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Cardone
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Wesley J Stone
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Maria Anisimova
- Institute of Computational Life Science, School of Life Sciences and Facility Management, Zürich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David J Vandenbergh
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
- The Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biosciences Program, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
- Institute of the Neurosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
- The Bioinformatics and Genomics Program, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
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5
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Lai J, Ouyang J, Lin W, Liu M, Yang Y, Wang R, Yang H, Meng Q, Dong J, Zhang J, Li L, He F. TRIB3 promoter 33 bp VNTR is associated with the risk of cerebrovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients. Front Genet 2022; 13:916281. [PMID: 36105108 PMCID: PMC9464918 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.916281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that TRIB3 is closely related to insulin resistance, metabolic disorders and vascular diseases. Recently, it was reported that a 33 bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) located in the TRIB3 promoter could considerably alter its transcriptional activity. Nonetheless, whether the shift of TRIB3 transcriptional activity has the effect of inducing diabetic vascular complications is still unclear. Therefore, in our study, we aimed to explore the relationship between the TRIB3 33bp VNTR and diabetic vascular complications. The TRIB3 33bp VNTR polymorphisms were determined by PCR and Sanger sequencing, a total of 798 eligible Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were included in our study and then evaluated with clinical data. After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, smoking history, drinking history and duration of diabetes, we found that the high number of 33 bp tandem repeats (repeats>8) was significantly associated with an increase in the risk of cerebrovascular diseases compared with the low number of 33 bp tandem repeats (repeats≤6) in patients with T2DM(OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.29–5.47, p = 0.008). The intermediate number of 33bp tandem repeats (6 < repeat≤8) was markedly associated with a decreased risk of diabetic retinopathy compared with the low number of tandem repeats (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.91, p = 0.012). Adjusting for gender, age and BMI, there was a significant difference in DBP levels among patients with the number of different 33 bp tandem repeats (Low vs. Intermediate vs. High, 81.6 ± 12.8 vs. 79.8 ± 12.4 vs. 78.7 ± 12.6 mmHg; p = 0.045). Subgroup analysis found that TRIB3 VNTR was significantly correlated with the difference in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in T2DM patients taking ACEI/ARB drugs (Low vs. Intermediate vs. High, 146.27 ± 18.23 vs. 140.01 ± 19.91 vs. 140.77 ± 18.64 mmHg; p = 0.018). Our results indicated that TRIB3 promoter 33bp VNTR is related to vascular diseases in T2DM patients, and may serve as a new biomarker for individualized prevention and therapy of T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Lai
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaying Ouyang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijie Lin
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Mouze Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Ruiqi Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Haikui Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Qian Meng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiamei Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jianping Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Fazhong He, ; Ling Li, ; Jianping Zhang,
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- *Correspondence: Fazhong He, ; Ling Li, ; Jianping Zhang,
| | - Fazhong He
- *Correspondence: Fazhong He, ; Ling Li, ; Jianping Zhang,
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6
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Course MM, Sulovari A, Gudsnuk K, Eichler EE, Valdmanis PN. Characterizing nucleotide variation and expansion dynamics in human-specific variable number tandem repeats. Genome Res 2021; 31:1313-1324. [PMID: 34244228 PMCID: PMC8327921 DOI: 10.1101/gr.275560.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There are more than 55,000 variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) in the human genome, notable for both their striking polymorphism and mutability. Despite their role in human evolution and genomic variation, they have yet to be studied collectively and in detail, partially owing to their large size, variability, and predominant location in noncoding regions. Here, we examine 467 VNTRs that are human-specific expansions, unique to one location in the genome, and not associated with retrotransposons. We leverage publicly available long-read genomes, including from the Human Genome Structural Variant Consortium, to ascertain the exact nucleotide composition of these VNTRs and compare their composition of alleles. We then confirm repeat unit composition in more than 3000 short-read samples from the 1000 Genomes Project. Our analysis reveals that these VNTRs contain highly structured repeat motif organization, modified by frequent deletion and duplication events. Although overall VNTR compositions tend to remain similar between 1000 Genomes Project superpopulations, we describe a notable exception with substantial differences in repeat composition (in PCBP3), as well as several VNTRs that are significantly different in length between superpopulations (in ART1, PROP1, DYNC2I1, and LOC102723906). We also observe that most of these VNTRs are expanded in archaic human genomes, yet remain stable in length between single generations. Collectively, our findings indicate that repeat motif variability, repeat composition, and repeat length are all informative modalities to consider when characterizing VNTRs and their contribution to genomic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith M Course
- Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Arvis Sulovari
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Kathryn Gudsnuk
- Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Evan E Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Paul N Valdmanis
- Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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7
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Garg P, Martin-Trujillo A, Rodriguez OL, Gies SJ, Hadelia E, Jadhav B, Jain M, Paten B, Sharp AJ. Pervasive cis effects of variation in copy number of large tandem repeats on local DNA methylation and gene expression. Am J Hum Genet 2021; 108:809-824. [PMID: 33794196 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) are composed of large tandemly repeated motifs, many of which are highly polymorphic in copy number. However, because of their large size and repetitive nature, they remain poorly studied. To investigate the regulatory potential of VNTRs, we used read-depth data from Illumina whole-genome sequencing to perform association analysis between copy number of ∼70,000 VNTRs (motif size ≥ 10 bp) with both gene expression (404 samples in 48 tissues) and DNA methylation (235 samples in peripheral blood), identifying thousands of VNTRs that are associated with local gene expression (eVNTRs) and DNA methylation levels (mVNTRs). Using an independent cohort, we validated 73%-80% of signals observed in the two discovery cohorts, while allelic analysis of VNTR length and CpG methylation in 30 Oxford Nanopore genomes gave additional support for mVNTR loci, thus providing robust evidence to support that these represent genuine associations. Further, conditional analysis indicated that many eVNTRs and mVNTRs act as QTLs independently of other local variation. We also observed strong enrichments of eVNTRs and mVNTRs for regulatory features such as enhancers and promoters. Using the Human Genome Diversity Panel, we define sets of VNTRs that show highly divergent copy numbers among human populations and show that these are enriched for regulatory effects and preferentially associate with genes that have been linked with human phenotypes through GWASs. Our study provides strong evidence supporting functional variation at thousands of VNTRs and defines candidate sets of VNTRs, copy number variation of which potentially plays a role in numerous human phenotypes.
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8
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Marshall JN, Lopez AI, Pfaff AL, Koks S, Quinn JP, Bubb VJ. Variable number tandem repeats - Their emerging role in sickness and health. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:1368-1376. [PMID: 33794697 PMCID: PMC8239992 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211003511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms regulating tissue specific and stimulus inducible
regulation is at the heart of understanding human biology and how this
translates to wellbeing, the ageing process, and disease progression.
Polymorphic DNA variation is superimposed as an extra layer of complexity in
such processes which underpin our individuality and are the focus of
personalized medicine. This review focuses on the role and action of repetitive
DNA, specifically variable number tandem repeats and
SINE-VNTR-Alu domains, highlighting their role in
modification of gene structure and gene expression in addition to their
polymorphic nature being a genetic modifier of disease risk and progression.
Although the literature focuses on their role in disease, it illustrates their
potential to be major contributors to normal physiological function. To date,
these elements have been under-reported in genomic analysis due to the
difficulties in their characterization with short read DNA sequencing methods.
However, recent advances in long read sequencing methods should resolve these
problems allowing for a greater understanding of their contribution to a host of
genomic and functional mechanisms underlying physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Ng Marshall
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Ana Illera Lopez
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Abigail L Pfaff
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Sulev Koks
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - John P Quinn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Vivien J Bubb
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
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9
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Annear DJ, Vandeweyer G, Elinck E, Sanchis-Juan A, French CE, Raymond L, Kooy RF. Abundancy of polymorphic CGG repeats in the human genome suggest a broad involvement in neurological disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2515. [PMID: 33510257 PMCID: PMC7844047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82050-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Expanded CGG-repeats have been linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including the fragile X syndrome and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). We hypothesized that as of yet uncharacterised CGG-repeat expansions within the genome contribute to human disease. To catalogue the CGG-repeats, 544 human whole genomes were analyzed. In total, 6101 unique CGG-repeats were detected of which more than 93% were highly variable in repeat length. Repeats with a median size of 12 repeat units or more were always polymorphic but shorter repeats were often polymorphic, suggesting a potential intergenerational instability of the CGG region even for repeats units with a median length of four or less. 410 of the CGG repeats were associated with known neurodevelopmental disease genes or with strong candidate genes. Based on their frequency and genomic location, CGG repeats may thus be a currently overlooked cause of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale J Annear
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Geert Vandeweyer
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ellen Elinck
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alba Sanchis-Juan
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.,Department of Haematology, NHS Blood and Transplant Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0PT, UK
| | - Courtney E French
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Lucy Raymond
- NIHR BioResource, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.,Department of Medical Genetics, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK
| | - R Frank Kooy
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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