Session 3: Molecular Genetics Flashcards
Name 2 X-Linked Recessive disorders
- Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy (DMD/BMD)
- Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA)
- Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS)
Name 2 X-Linked Dominant disorders
X-linked hypophosphatemia
X-linked Alport Syndrome
Rett Syndrome
Name three clinical features associated with CF
Chronic coughing and wheezing
Failure to thrive
Pancreatic insufficiency
Name the most common CF mutation
p.Phe508del - 75%
Describe the function of CFTR (7q31.2)
Cyclic AMP-activated chloride channel located in the plasma membrane of secretory eithelial cells
How many types of SMA are there?
6 - Prenatal, type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 4 and atypical SMA
Describe 3 characteristic features of SMA
Progressive proximal symmetrical limb and trunk muscle weakness,
Intercostal muscle weakness,
Fine tremor
Facial weakness
Carrier freq 1:40-60 depending population
What is the most common type of SMA? Describe clin features
Type 1 - profound hypotonia, symmetrical flaccid paralysis, progressive, death at early age
Give me some molecular facts about SMA
SMN1 and pseudogene SMN2
4% population have 2 copies of SMN1 on one chrm (range 0-5)
95-98% SMA homozygous for deletion of at least exon 7
2-5% are compound heterozygotes for del and pathogenic inactivating mutation
How do we interpret SMA carrier testing?
Bayes calculation
Briefly describe CRISPR-Cas9
Gene editing - Cas9 protein complex containing specific sequence of RNA - once complimentary sequence is identified the DNA is cut and released into the cell. Cellular DNA repair mechanisms repair the break - but this is prone to error. By introducing templates of ‘corrected’ DNA - these specific sequences can be incorporated to replace mutant alleles
What is the clinical significance of 36-39 CAG repeats in Huntington Disease?
Reduced penetrance - may or may not be affected
Above what number of CAG repeats would you see fully penetrant development of Huntington Disease?
40 CAG repeats
What is the significance of 27-35 CAG repeats in Huntington Disease?
Intermediate allele - will not cause disease but may expand to cause disease if paternally transmitted
Name 3 disorders associated with FMR1
- Fragile X,
- FXTAS,
- POI
How is Fragile X caused?
Expansion of unstable 5’ UTR CGG repeat to >200 repeats, causing gene silencing
Give 3 clinical features of Fragile X in males
moderate/severe intellectual and social impairment, characteristic facial features, joint laxity, macro-orchidism
Give the clinical presentation of Fragile X in females
Variable phenotype - apparently normal approx 50%) through to mild/moderate mental and social impairment
What is the significance of repeat size of 55-200 in FMR1?
Premutation - may expand in maternal line to cause FraX in future generations. Patients may develop FXTAS or POI
What is the proposed disease mechanism for FXTAS/POI
NOT the same as FraX - ?toxic gain of function?
What is the location of FMR1?
Xq27.3
What is the role of FMRP protein?
RNA binding protein, present in many tissues including brain, ovaries and testes - thought to act as a shuttle within cells by transporting mRNA from nucleus to areas of cell where proteins assembled. Also helps to control when the instructions in these mRNA molecules are used to build proteins.
Name 2 NGS platforms
Agilent Sure Select,
ThermoFisher Ion Torrent,
Illumina HiSeq/MiSeq SBS seq by synthesis
What are the mutation ranges for SBMA?
Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy
Normal - 34 CAG repeats or less
Questionable - 35 CAG repeats
Reduced penetrance - 36-37 CAG repeats
Affected fully penetrant - 38 CAG repeats or greater
Sequence any 35-37 repeats
Name 3 CAG expansion disorders
- Huntingtons
- Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA)
- SCAs - 7 of them
Name 2 CGG expansion disorders
Fragile X
FXTAS
Name 3 CTG expansion disorders
Myotonic Dystrophy 1
Huntington Like Disease 2
SCA 8
Name a GAA expansion disorder
Friedreich Ataxia
Name a CCTG expansion disorder
Myotonic Dystrophy 2
What additional features might you see in a juvenile HD patient with a large expansion?
Bradykinesia -slowness of movement
Dystonia
What factors can contribute to pathogenic mechanism of repeat expansion diseases
- Sequence of repeat
- Size of repeat
- Location of repeat within gene
- Whether repeat encodes RNA or protein
- Function of repeat-containing gene
- Extent of meiosis and somatic instability
What causes Myotonic Dystrophy 1?
CCTG repeat in intron 1 of the CNBP gene
What are some clinical features of DM1?
Progressive weakness and myotonia
Cataracts
Cardiac arrhythmias
Endocrinopathy
Cognitive impairment
Name 7 methods for detecting UPD
MS-PCR
MS-Melt Curve Analysis
MS-MLPA
MS-Pyrosequencing
Microsatellite analysis
SNP Arrays
WGS/WES - trios especially powerful
Name 3 methods of detecting UPD that rely on bisulphite conversion
MS-PCR
MS-Melt Curve Analysis
MS-Pyrosequencing
What are the pros and cons of using microsatellite analysis for UPD detection?
Pros: Will distinguish whole/partial UPD and Hetero/Isodisomy, relatively cheap, no prior conversion step, reliable method
Cons: Need parental samples and informative markers
Describe MS-MLPA
2 tubes, 1 for CNV, 1 for methylation specific enzyme digest. Methylated DNA won’t digest, and then will amplify during MLPA.
Semi quantitative,
no parental bloods needed,
can distinguish UPD from deletion from a small amount of DNA
can’t distinguish UPD and mutation in imprinting centre
How can you use WGS/WES for detection of UPD?
Trio analysis - bioinformatic pipelines will check for identity by looking for biparental inheritance
Can detect mosaics and can distinguish full range of del/UPD/IC defect
Expensive and time consuming, requires parental samples
What are the pros and cons of using bisulphite conversion for UPD testing?
Pros: Allows for analysis without parental samples,
bisulphite conversion kits readily available,
cheap and effective
Cons: Won’t distinguish segmental/whole UPD, or del from UPD (MS-PCR)
Describe Class 1 CFTR mutations
Nonsense, most frameshift mutns and large del’s create premature stop codons causing defective protein synthesis and no CFTR protein expressed. Severe phenotype, W128X, R553X, G542X.
Treatments - readthrough drugs - Ataluren phase 3 trials