Recurrent de novo missense variants across multiple histone H4 genes underlie a neurodevelopmental syndrome.

Chromatin is essentially an array of nucleosomes, each of which consists of the DNA double-stranded fiber wrapped around a histone octamer. This organization supports cellular processes such as DNA replication, DNA transcription, and DNA repair in all eukaryotes. Human histone H4 is encoded by fourteen canonical histone H4 genes, all differing at the nucleotide level but encoding an invariant protein. Here, we present a cohort of 29 subjects with de novo missense variants in six H4 genes (H4C3, H4C4, H4C5, H4C6, H4C9, and H4C11) identified by whole-exome sequencing and matchmaking. All individuals present with neurodevelopmental features of intellectual disability and motor and/or gross developmental delay, while non-neurological features are more variable. Ten amino acids are affected, six recurrently, and are all located within the H4 core or C-terminal tail. These variants cluster to specific regions of the core H4 globular domain, where protein-protein interactions occur with either other histone subunits or histone chaperones. Functional consequences of the identified variants were evaluated in zebrafish embryos, which displayed abnormal general development, defective head organs, and reduced body axis length, providing compelling evidence for the causality of the reported disorder(s). While multiple developmental syndromes have been linked to chromatin-associated factors, missense-bearing histone variants (e.g., H3 oncohistones) are only recently emerging as a major cause of pathogenicity. Our findings establish a broader involvement of H4 variants in developmental syndromes.

RPL13 Variants Cause Spondyloepimetaphyseal Dysplasia with Severe Short Stature.

Variants in genes encoding ribosomal proteins have thus far been associated with Diamond-Blackfan anemia, a rare inherited bone marrow failure, and isolated congenital asplenia. Here, we report one de novo missense variant and three de novo splice variants in RPL13, which encodes ribosomal protein RPL13 (also called eL13), in four unrelated individuals with a rare bone dysplasia causing severe short stature. The three splice variants (c.477+1G>T, c.477+1G>A, and c.477+2 T>C) result in partial intron retention, which leads to an 18-amino acid insertion. In contrast to observations from Diamond-Blackfan anemia, we detected no evidence of significant pre-rRNA processing disturbance in cells derived from two affected individuals. Consistently, we showed that the insertion-containing protein is stably expressed and incorporated into 60S subunits similar to the wild-type protein. Erythroid proliferation in culture and ribosome profile on sucrose gradient are modified, suggesting a change in translation dynamics. We also provide evidence that RPL13 is present at high levels in chondrocytes and osteoblasts in mouse growth plates. Taken together, we show that the identified RPL13 variants cause a human ribosomopathy defined by a rare skeletal dysplasia, and we highlight the role of this ribosomal protein in bone development.

De Novo Variants in MAPK8IP3 Cause Intellectual Disability with Variable Brain Anomalies.

Using exome sequencing, we have identified de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 in 13 unrelated individuals presenting with an overlapping phenotype of mild to severe intellectual disability. The de novo variants comprise six missense variants, three of which are recurrent, and three truncating variants. Brain anomalies such as perisylvian polymicrogyria, cerebral or cerebellar atrophy, and hypoplasia of the corpus callosum were consistent among individuals harboring recurrent de novo missense variants. MAPK8IP3 has been shown to be involved in the retrograde axonal-transport machinery, but many of its specific functions are yet to be elucidated. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to target six conserved amino acid positions in Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that two of the six investigated human alterations led to a significantly elevated density of axonal lysosomes, and five variants were associated with adverse locomotion. Reverse-engineering normalized the observed adverse effects back to wild-type levels. Combining genetic, phenotypic, and functional findings, as well as the significant enrichment of de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 within our total cohort of 27,232 individuals who underwent exome sequencing, we implicate de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 as a cause of a neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability and variable brain anomalies.

De novo missense variants in LMBRD2 are associated with developmental and motor delays, brain structure abnormalities and dysmorphic features.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential disease association between variants in LMBRD2 and complex multisystem neurological and developmental delay phenotypes. METHODS: Here we describe a series of de novo missense variants in LMBRD2 in 10 unrelated individuals with overlapping features. Exome sequencing or genome sequencing was performed on all individuals, and the cohort was assembled through GeneMatcher. RESULTS: LMBRD2 encodes an evolutionary ancient and widely expressed transmembrane protein with no known disease association, although two paralogues are involved in developmental and metabolic disorders. Exome or genome sequencing revealed rare de novo LMBRD2 missense variants in 10 individuals with developmental delay, intellectual disability, thin corpus callosum, microcephaly and seizures. We identified five unique variants and two recurrent variants, c.1448G>A (p.Arg483His) in three cases and c.367T>C (p.Trp123Arg) in two cases. All variants are absent from population allele frequency databases, and most are predicted to be deleterious by multiple in silico damage-prediction algorithms. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that rare de novo variants in LMBRD2 can lead to a previously unrecognised early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder. Further investigation of individuals harbouring LMBRD2 variants may lead to a better understanding of the function of this ubiquitously expressed gene.

Novel STAC3 Mutations in the First Non-Amerindian Patient with Native American Myopathy.

Native American myopathy (NAM) is an autosomal recessive congenital myopathy, up till now exclusively described in Lumbee Indians who harbor one single homozygous mutation (c.1046G>C, pW284S) in the STAC3 gene, encoding a protein important for proper excitation-contraction coupling in muscle. Here, we report the first non-Amerindian patient of Turkish ancestry, being compound heterozygous for the mutations c.862A>T (p.K288*) and c.432+4A>T (aberrant splicing with skipping of exon 4). Symptoms in NAM include congenital muscle weakness and contractures, progressive scoliosis, early ventilatory failure, a peculiar facial gestalt with mild ptosis and downturned corners of the mouth, short stature, and marked susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia. This case shows that NAM should also be considered in non-Indian patients with congenital myopathy, and suggests that STAC3 mutations should be taken into account as a potential cause of malignant hyperthermia.

Rare multiple congenital anomalies-hypotonia-seizures syndrome type 1 (MCAHS1) - the clinical and molecular summary.

Multiple congenital anomalies-hypotonia-seizures syndrome type 1 (MCAHS1) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease belonging to glycosylphosphatidylinositols biosynthesis defects (GPIBD), a group of recessive disorders characterized by intellectual disability, hypotonia, and seizures. Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) are glycolipids that anchor and remodel cell proteins. These processes are highly conserved and fundamental in the metabolism of all eukaryotes, including humans. Here, we have reported a male patient presenting with hypotonia, intellectual disability, and epilepsy, who underwent whole exome sequencing (WES). The analysis revealed the presence of two deleterious variants in PIGN that encodes GPI ethanolamine phosphate transferase-1 - one novel (c.1247_1251delAAGTG; p.Glu416Glyfs*22), and one that has been previously reported in the medical literature (c.1434+5G>A) resulting in MCAHS1. The detailed clinical assessment followed by the medical literature review also pointed out transient macrosomia and unreported in MCAHS1 advanced bone age and postnatal tall stature. These symptoms suggest that MCAHS1 shares a phenotypic overlap with disorders associated with overgrowth. To conclude, our case report and summary of the medical literature may be helpful for clinicians and geneticists who diagnose patients presenting with hypotonia accompanied by tall stature, advanced bone age, and transient macrosomia.

NUP188 Biallelic Loss of Function May Underlie a New Syndrome: Nucleoporin 188 Insufficiency Syndrome?

There is no clearly established association between the gene NUP188 and human pathology. Only a few reports of patients with different clinical presentation and different heterozygous or compound heterozygous missense or splice region variants have been identified in several sequencing projects; however, a causative association between the clinical features and the identified variants has not been established. For the first time, we report 2 unrelated patients with 2 different homozygous nonsense gene variants of NUP188, p.Tyr96* and p.Gln113*, respectively. Although having different supposedly truncating mutations, the patients presented with strikingly comparable phenotypes including pre- and postnatal microcephaly, trigonocephaly, congenital bilateral cataract, microphthalmia, cleft lip and palate or high-arched palate, camptodactyly, rocker-bottom feet, heart anomalies, specific brain changes (such as loss of periventricular white matter), thin corpus callosum, and delayed myelinization. Both patients showed very similar facial features such as laterally extended arched eyebrows, wide convex nose with a wide prominent nasal bridge, and prominent angulated antihelix. They were both born small for gestational age and died shortly after birth at the age of 67 and 140 days, respectively, as a result of central respiratory failure. Our findings strongly suggest a correlation between the homozygous nonsense gene variants of NUP188 and a severe phenotype of a new developmental syndrome with poor prognosis resulting from nucleoporin 188 homolog protein insufficiency.

Could Dissimilar Phenotypic Effects of ACTB Missense Mutations Reflect the Actin Conformational Change? Two Novel Mutations and Literature Review.

The beta-actin gene encodes 1 of 6 different actin proteins. De novo heterozygous missense mutations in ACTB have been identified in patients with Baraitser-Winter syndrome (BRWS) and also in patients with developmental disorders other than BRWS, such as deafness, dystonia, and neutrophil dysfunction. We describe 2 different novel de novo missense ACTB mutations, c.208C>G (p.Pro70Ala) and c.511C>T (p.Leu171Phe), found by trio exome sequencing analysis of 2 unrelated patients: an 8-year-old boy with a suspected BRWS and a 4-year-old girl with unclear developmental disorder. The mutated residue in the first case is situated in the actin H-loop, which is involved in actin polymerization. The mutated residue in the second case (p.Leu171Phe) is found at the actin barbed end in the W-loop, important for binding to profilin and other actin-binding molecules. While the boy presented with a typical BRWS facial appearance, the girl showed facial features not recognizable as a BRWS gestalt as well as ventricular arrhythmia, cleft palate, thrombocytopenia, and gray matter heterotopia. We reviewed previously published ACTB missense mutations and ascertained that a number of them do not cause typical BRWS. By comparing clinical and molecular data, we speculate that the phenotypic differences found in ACTB missense mutation carriers might supposedly be dependent on the conformational change of ACTB.

Neurologic phenotypes associated with COL4A1/2 mutations: Expanding the spectrum of disease.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the neurologic phenotypes associated with COL4A1/2 mutations and to seek genotype-phenotype correlation. METHODS: We analyzed clinical, EEG, and neuroimaging data of 44 new and 55 previously reported patients with COL4A1/COL4A2 mutations. RESULTS: Childhood-onset focal seizures, frequently complicated by status epilepticus and resistance to antiepileptic drugs, was the most common phenotype. EEG typically showed focal epileptiform discharges in the context of other abnormalities, including generalized sharp waves or slowing. In 46.4% of new patients with focal seizures, porencephalic cysts on brain MRI colocalized with the area of the focal epileptiform discharges. In patients with porencephalic cysts, brain MRI frequently also showed extensive white matter abnormalities, consistent with the finding of diffuse cerebral disturbance on EEG. Notably, we also identified a subgroup of patients with epilepsy as their main clinical feature, in which brain MRI showed nonspecific findings, in particular periventricular leukoencephalopathy and ventricular asymmetry. Analysis of 15 pedigrees suggested a worsening of the severity of clinical phenotype in succeeding generations, particularly when maternally inherited. Mutations associated with epilepsy were spread across COL4A1 and a clear genotype-phenotype correlation did not emerge. CONCLUSION: COL4A1/COL4A2 mutations typically cause a severe neurologic condition and a broader spectrum of milder phenotypes, in which epilepsy is the predominant feature. Early identification of patients carrying COL4A1/COL4A2 mutations may have important clinical consequences, while for research efforts, omission from large-scale epilepsy sequencing studies of individuals with abnormalities on brain MRI may generate misleading estimates of the genetic contribution to the epilepsies overall.