Genetics Flashcards
What is the significance of long contiguous stretches of homozygosity (LCOH)?
Likely parental consanguinity (8% LCOH indicates first cousins)
What condition is associated with heterochromic iridis (different coloured eyes)?
Waardenburg syndrome:
- sensorineural hearing loss
- heterochromia iridis
- hair hypopigmentation (white)
- telecanthus (lateral displacement of inner canthi)
- first‐degree relative with Waardenburg syndrome
Hearing loss, thyroid problems, goitre, vestibular issues?
Pendred syndrome
Sturge Weber Syndrome features?
Facial capillary malformation (port-wine stain)
Leptomeningeal angioma (abnormal brain blood vessels)
Abnormal eye vessels - glaucoma
Patients present with seizures, hemiparesis, strokelike episodes, headaches and developmental delay
Not all PWS are associated with SWS
McCune-Albright Syndrome features?
Endocrine dysfunction (precocious puberty in females initially noted, pituitary, thyroid and adrenal abnormalities, ovarian cysts)
Patchy cutaneous pigmentation - coast of Maine
Fibrous dysplasia of the skeletal system
Retinitis pigmentosa with polydactyly, obesity, mental retardation
Bardet-Biedl syndrome
- polydactyly, obesity, renal abnormalities, and mental retardation
- micro-orchidism, polyuria and polydipsia
- autosomal recessive disorder
Gene associated with Hirschprungs
RET gene
CHARGE syndrome features and gene
CHARGE = Coloboma, Heart defects, choanal Atresia, Retarded growth, GU defects, Ear anomalies – caused by mutations of CHD7 on chromosome 8q12
Renal-coloboma syndrome feaures and gene
Renal-coloboma syndrome is associated with mutations in the PAX2 gene. It is an autosomal disorder associated with coloboma, renal abnormalities, SNHL, seizures and joint laxity.
Gene for Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome?
- 11p15.5, leads to overactivity of IGF-2, lack of maternal copy (paternally imprinted)
- Associated with IVF conception
- Loss of methylation (50%), paternal UPD (20%), gain of methylation (5%), CDKN1C mutations (5-10%)
- 85% sporadic, 15% inherited
Features of Beckwith-Wiedemann?
- Macrosomia, macroglossia, abdominal wall defect in 50% (omphalocele)
- Anterior ear lobe creases or posterior helix pits, facial naevus flammmeus, hypoglycaemia (due to hyperinsulinism), organomegaly, hemihypertrophy.
- Increased risk malignancy (5%): Wilm’s tumour, adrenocortical carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, neuroblastoma
- Abdo USS every 3m until age 8
What are the diagnostic criteria for NF1?
2 or more of:
- Six or more café-au-lait spots or hyperpigmented macules >5mm in diameter in pre-pubertal children and 15mm post-pubertal
- Axillary or inguinal freckles (>2 freckles)
- Two or more typical neurofibromas or one plexiform neurofibroma (benign tumour of peripheral nerves)
- Optic nerve glioma
- Two or more iris hamartomas (Lisch nodules)
- Sphenoid dysplasia or typical long-bone abnormalities such as pseudarthrosis
- First-degree relative with NF1
What genetic test would you use to look for SMA?
Multiplex ligand-dependent probe amplification (MLPA)
- SMA caused by homozygous deletions of exon 7 in the SMN1 gene
- Test is for deletion/duplication analysis of SMN1 (done via MLPA)
Describe Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome
- AR, inborn error of cholesterol synthesis
- Varied phenotype mild-severe
- Syndactyly 2+3rd toes most common finding, polydactyly, microcephaly, ptosis, epicanthic folds, capillary haemangioma nose, low set ears, cleft lip/palate, CHD, hypoplasia corpus callosum
- Growth failure, intellectual disability, behavioural problems, autistic features
- Mutations of 7-DHC reductase (DHCR7) result in decreased cholesterol and increased dehydrocholesterol levels
- Elevated 7DHC in blood
- Require dietary cholesterol supplementation
Infants with Prader-Willi exhibit which features?
- Hypotonia, poor suck and feeding, weak cry, genital hypoplasia (eg, cryptorchidism, scrotal hypoplasia, clitoral hypoplasia)
- Facial features include narrow bifrontal diameter, almond-shaped palpebral fissures, narrow nasal bridge, and down-turned mouth.
Mutation of the CHD7 gene
CHARGE syndrome. Mutation of CHD7 on Ch 8q12
- Coloboma
- Heart defects
- Choanal Atresia
- Retarded growth
- GU defects
- Ear anomalies
An infant with joint laxity, ocular abnormality and renal hypoplasia is found to have mutations in the PAX2 gene
- Renal-coloboma syndrome
- Mutations in the PAX2 gene
- AD
- Associated with coloboma, renal abnormalities, SNHL, seizures and joint laxity
Trichorrhexis invaginata of hair is also known as “bamboo hair” and is pathognomonic of?
- Netherton syndrome
- Severe disorder of cornification caused by (SPINK5) mutations
- Seizures and development delay due to genetic disorder leading to severe copper deficiency
- Eczema, recurrent infections, raised IgE
What is the gene for tuberous sclerosis?
TBSC1 or TBSC2 mutation
Describe Loeys-Dietz syndrome
Similar to Marfans but get hypertelorism, bifid uvula, aortic root aneurysm, cleft palate
Describe Noonan’s syndrome
- Short stature, webbed neck, ptosis
- Fetal hydrops, pulmonary stenosis, HOCM, superior axis
- Hypertelorism, posteriorly rotated ears, redundant nuchal skin, chest wall deformity, cryptorchidism
- Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia, risk bleeding disorders (check coags), Wilms, NHL
- Mild ID
- PTPN11 mutation most common (RASMAPK pathway) but many other genes, AD. Test via Noonan gene panel or clinical exome
Describe Cockayne Syndrome
- Photosensitivity, growth failure, premature aging
- AR, associated with leukodystrophy
Thymic and parathyroid abnormalities in 22q11 deletion are due to defective development of which embryological structure?
Pharyngeal pouches
Failure of development of 3rd and 4th branchial arches
What base is different on mRNA than DNA?
T is replaced with U (uracil) on mRNA
Also has ribose instead of deoxyribose
Exons vs introns
Exons code for protein
Introns don’t code for protein
Describe the process of transcription
- Replication of a segment of DNA that forms a gene into mRNA (protein blueprint)
- RNA polymerase binds to the promoter region and assembles mRNA
- Copy of the DNA is made, except for T bases are replaced with U bases, and introns are cut out
- The mRNA then goes to the ribosome in the cytoplasm to make a new protein
What are the processes called by which genes becomes proteins?
- Transcription = DNA -> mRNA
- Translation = mRNA -> protein
Describe the process of translation
- Ribosomes assemble proteins from amino acids
- transfer RNA brings amino acids to the ribosome and has an anticodon that complements mRNA
- As ribosome moves down the mRNA, it leaves a polypeptide tail which is the growing protein
- Ribosome takes fresh protein to endoplasmic reticulum
What are the start and stop codons?
AUG = start UGA = stop
What are the roles of codons?
Provide start or stop codons, or code for a particular amino acid
What happens in the S phase of the cell cycle?
DNA replication, 46 chromosomes are duplicated
Describe the DNA base pair bonds
A to T, 2 hydrogen bonds
C to G, 3 hydrogen bonds
What is the role of DNA helicase?
Unwinds the DNA into single strands, ready for replication
What is the role of DNA polymerase?
- In DNA replication
- Binds to area of single stranded DNA that has an RNA patch on it, then goes on to synthesise second strand of DNA by adding complementary nucleotides to the template strand of DNA
- Moves from 3’ to 5’
- Leading strand and lagging strand
What are some examples of trinucleotide repeat disorders?
- Fragile X (X-linked dominant)
- Huntington’s disease (AD)
- Myotonic dystrophy (AD)
- Friedreich’s ataxia (AR)
- Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
Describe what interphase is
- Longest part of the cell cycle where the cell prepares to divide
- G1 phase: growth 1 phase, longest phase, cell grows, organelles synthesise proteins
- G1 checkpoint for DNA damage and to ensure correct proteins synthesised. If errors then enter G0 (cell repair) or apoptosis
- S phase: synthesis phase where DNA replicates (still have 46 Ch).
- G2 phase: growth 2 phase, duplication of organelles
- G2 checkpoint: if no damage found, then cell enters mitosis
What is the role of G0 in the cell cycle?
- DNA repair or non-dividing phase, outside cell cycle
- e.g. hepatocytes rest in G0 until there is liver damage, at which point they enter G1 again
- e.g. neurons, spend entire life in G0
Describe the processes of mitosis
- When one cell divides into two daughter cells “please make another two cells”
- Prophase: chromatids condense into chromosomes, nucleolus disappears
- Metaphase: nuclear membrane disintegrate, chromosomes line up along middle of cell, spindle fibres from centrosomes attach to centromere of each chromosome
- Anaphase: centrosomes pull on spindle fibres to pull sister chromatids apart
- Telophase: nuclear membrane reforms around each set of chromatids
- Cytokinesis: cell membrane pinches in until 2 daughter cells separate
What is the difference between a chromatid and a chromosome?
- Chromosome is made up of 2 chromatids joined by a centromere i.e. double the DNA
- The 2 chromatids are exact copies of each other
Describe the process of meiosis 1
- Formation of 4 haploid gametes from 1 diploid cell
- Meiosis 1 + 2, each made up of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
- Prophase 1 makes up 90% of meiosis: membrane disintegrates, tetrads form between homologue chromosomes and crossover events occur (so maternal and paternal DNA mixed), chromosomes start to pull away but still connected at chiasmata/crossover region
- Metaphase 1: tetrads line up along metaphase plate
- Anaphase 1: tetrads pulled to opposite sides of cell
- Telophase 1: nuclear membrane reforms, cell pinches, 2 haploid daughter cells formed
Describe meiosis 2
- At the end of meiosis 1, cell enters interphase. However, no duplication of chromosomes at S phase
- Prophase 2, metaphase 2, anaphase 2, telophase 2 occur in the same way
- Resulting 2 cells contain 23 chromatids, rather than 23 chromosomes
What is the purpose of PCR?
To double the amount of DNA in each cycle, so there is more DNA available to analyse
What is the purpose of gel electrophoresis?
- Allows us to look for DNA mutations and DNA repeats
- Smaller pieces of DNA can move across gel faster, allowing separation of segments along the gel
- Uses markers to follow alleles through crossover events in meiosis (SNPs and STRPs)
What is the inheritance of vWD?
Autosomal dominant
What is the significance of long continuous stretches of homozygosity (LCOH)?
- As an SNP array compares the polymorphisms found in individual patients, it can detect contiguous LCOH (long stretches where the same SNP is found on both alleles)
- They are not in themselves disease-causing, but may be significant if an AR condition is suspected
- > 8% LCOH is suggestive of parents who are first cousins
Describe the genetics of Prader-Willi
- Maternally imprinted
- Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by loss/abnormal methylation of the paternal allele of chromosome 15q11.2q13.
- Paternal deletion 65-75%, maternal UPD 20-30%, imprinting defever 5%, gene mutation 0.1% and balanced translocation 0.1%.
What is the gene mutation associated with Noonan’s syndrome?
- There are currently over 14 genes that have been associated with Noonan syndrome and conditions on the Ras-Mpk pathway
- PTPN11 is the most commonly associated gene, but only accounts for approximately 50% of cases
What are the features of CHARGE syndrome?
- Coloboma, heart defects, choanal atresia, retarded growth and development, genital abnormalities, and ear anomalies
- 15-20% also have tracheoesophageal fistula
What are the features of VACTERL association?
- Vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal anomalies, and limb abnormalities
What is a missense mutation?
- Altered codon produces amino acid substitution (single base pair substitution might not change AA)
What is a nonsense mutation?
- Altered codon becomes a stop codon and produces a truncated protein (mRNA terminates at that point)
Describe the genetics of Prader-Willi and Angelman syndrome
- Prader-Willi = absent paternal expression = microdeletion of paternally derived gene or maternal uniparental disomy
- Angelman = absent maternal expression = microdeletion of maternally derived gene or paternal uniparental disomy
What is the genetic mutation found in William’s syndrome/
Microdeletion on 7q11.23
Describe Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome
- X-linked
- Overgrowth, organomegaly
- Coarse facial appearance, hypertelorism, large mouth and tongue
- Congenital heart disease
- Polydactyly
- Wilms tumour (7.5%)
What is Sotos syndrome?
- Overgrowth syndrome, associate cognitive abnormalities
- Known as cerebral gigantism
- 2-3% risk of WIlms tumour
What is Perlman syndrome?
- Overgrowth syndrome
- Fetal gigantism, visceromegaly, unusual facies
- Renal issues including WIlms
What does a southern blot look for?
Amplified DNA
RNA is northern plot, protein is Western plot
What is a strong indicator for AD inheritance?
Male to male transmission
What is the FMR1 gene related to?
Fragile-X
Mutations in the FBN1 gene cause?
Marfans
DMD vs BMD genetics
- DMD caused by deletion or mutation
- BMD caused by in-frame mutation which leads to a short protein with some preservation of function
If a disease is only inherited from females then it suggests?
- Mitochondrial disorder
- Autosomal dominant with paternal imprinting
How do you work out the carrier frequency of an autosomal recessive condition?
Divide the frequency by 4, then take the square root.
E.g. if frequency is 1 in 1,000,000. Then carrier frequency = 500
Does non-coding RNA influence gene expression?
Yes
Bilateral cataracts can be found in?
NF 2, often present earlier than schwannomas
Discuss the repeat sizes found in Fragile X
< 50 - normal
55-200 - carrier/pre-mutation
>200 - Fragile X (ID in males, females variably affected)
Pre-mutations:
- Premature ovarian failure, shy personality (females)
- Cerebellar tremor/ataxia syndrome (males>females)
Undescended testes and short stature can be seen in?
Noonan’s syndrome
How many genes do humans have?
22,000 genes, separated by non-coding DNA
How many genes are in the mitochondrial genome?
37 genes, no introns, 93% of mitochondrial genome is coding DNA (c.f. nuclear = ~2%)
Microcephaly, seizures, spontaneous laughter, ataxic gait
Angelman’s syndrome
Superior vs inferior lens dislocation
- Superior = Marfan’s
- Inferior = homocystinuria
What does an SNP microarray detect?
Microduplications and deletions
What is the risk of consanguineous first cousins have a child born with a major congenital problem?
6% (normal population = 3%) (note incest = 50%)
What are the keys of X-linked recessive karyotypes?
- Fathers can’t pass on to sons, all daughters are carriers
- Mothers pass on to 50% sons (affected), 50% daughters (carriers)
What are the keys of X-linked dominant karyotypes?
- Fathers can’t pass on to sons, all daughter are affected
- Mothers pass on to 50% sons and 50% daughters (affected)
Most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss?
Homozygous Connexin 26 mutation
What is chromatin?
Double-stranded DNA macromolecule wrapped around histone proteins
What is the exome?
Protein-coding genes, only make up 1-2% of genome. Rest is non-coding DNA
What does chromosome non-disjunction lead to?
Aneuploidy
When the lagging strand of DNA is being replicated, what molecule helps to seal the gaps?
Ligase
How many codon combinations are there?
64 combinations = 61 specify 20 amino acids + 3 specify stop signals
What is the outcome of deletions and insertions?
- Alter the reading frame, leading to a completely different set of amino acids
- Can result in a premature stop codon
What is haploinsufficiency?
- Reduction by about half in amount of protein
- Usually due to a whole gene deletion
- Can occur secondary to a frameshift mutation or nonsense mutation
What does polymorphism describe?
Where there are at least two, or more, relatively common alleles of a gene in the population (>1%) e.g. different alleles in ABO blood groups. These are not mutations, just variations
What are allelic conditions?
Different mutations in the same gene causing different conditions
What is genetic heterogeneity?
Mutations in different genes can cause the same condition e.g hearing loss, ID, epilepsy
What is a Robertsonian translocation?
Translocation between two acrocentric chromosomes (short-arm chromosomes) = 13, 14, 15, 21, 22
Discuss Klinefelter syndrome
- 47, XXY, nondisjunction during mitotic division
- Testing: karyotype, microarray, FISH
- Most common cause of primary male hypogonadism
- Low testosterone - hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
- Infertility, incomplete virilisation, small testes, gynaecomastia
- Euchnoid body habitus, tall stature, truncal obesity
- Mild learning difficulties, emotionally immature, shy
- Increased rates ASD, depression, anxiety
- Inc rates diabetes, hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, breast cancer, mediastinal germ cell tumour
What genetic test do you use to look for copy number variants?
- Molecular karyotype = microarray
- Look for microduplications or deletions
- Below the resolution of a conventional karyotype
- Increasing number of human diseases recognised to be due to copy number variants in non-coding DNA
Incomplete penetrance
Still have the genotype, but don’t express the phenotype. Black and white.
Variable expressivity
Still have the genotype and the phenotype, but have varied spectrum of disease e.g. NF1, may just have some cafe au lait, or may have all the features. Shades of grey.