Common polymorphic OTC variants can act as genetic modifiers of enzymatic activity.
Hum Mutat
; 42(8): 978-989, 2021 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34015158
ABSTRACT
Understanding the role of common polymorphisms in modulating the clinical phenotype when they co-occur with a disease-causing lesion is of critical importance in medical genetics. We explored the impact of apparently neutral common polymorphisms, using the gene encoding the urea cycle enzyme, ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), as a model system. Distinct combinations of genetic backgrounds embracing two missense polymorphisms were created in cis with the pathogenic p.Arg40His replacement. In vitro enzymatic assays revealed that the polymorphic variants were able to modulate OTC activity both in the presence or absence of the pathogenic lesion. First, we found that the combination of the minor alleles of polymorphisms p.Lys46Arg and p.Gln270Arg significantly enhanced enzymatic activity in the wild-type protein. Second, enzymatic assays revealed that the minor allele of the p.Gln270Arg polymorphism was capable of ameliorating OTC activity when combined in cis with the pathogenic p.Arg40His replacement. Structural analysis predicted that the minor allele of the p.Gln270Arg polymorphism would serve to stabilize the OTC wild-type protein, thereby corroborating the results of the experimental assays. Our findings demonstrate the potential importance of cis-interactions between common polymorphic variants and pathogenic missense mutations and illustrate how standing genetic variation can modulate protein function.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ornitina Carbamoiltransferase
/
Doença da Deficiência de Ornitina Carbomoiltransferase
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Hum Mutat
Assunto da revista:
GENETICA MEDICA
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Portugal