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Haplotype analysis improves molecular diagnostics of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is characterized by wide phenotypic variability, ranging from in utero detection with enlarged, echogenic kidneys to an adult presentation with congenital hepatic fibrosis. The ARPKD gene, PKHD1 , covers about 470 kb of DNA (67 exons), and mutation studies have found marked allelic heterogeneity with a high level of novel missense changes and neutral polymorphisms. To improve the prospects for molecular diagnostics and to study the origin of some relatively common mutations, the authors have developed a strategy for improved ARPKD haplotyping. METHODS: A protocol of multiplex PCR and fluorescence genotyping in a single capillary has been developed to assay 7 highly informative simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that are intragenic or closely flanking PKHD1. RESULTS: Examples in which haplotype analysis, used in combination with mutation screening, improved the utility of molecular diagnostics, especially in families in which just a single PKHD1 mutation has been identified, are illustrated. The new markers also allow screening for larger DNA deletions, detecting unknown consanguinity and exploring the disease mechanism. Analysis of 8 recurring mutations has shown likely common haplotypes for each, and the divergence from the ancestral haplotype, by recombination, can be used to trace the history of the mutation. The common mutation, T36M, was found to have a single European origin, about 1,225 years ago. CONCLUSION: Improved haplotype analysis of ARPKD complements mutation-based diagnostics and helps trace the history of common PKHD1 mutations.

3' Flanking Region↗

Dissecting the maize genome by using chromosome addition and radiation hybrid lines.

We have developed from crosses of oat (Avena sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) 50 fertile lines that are disomic additions of individual maize chromosomes 1-9 and chromosome 10 as a short-arm telosome. The whole chromosome 10 addition is available only in haploid oat background. Most of the maize chromosome disomic addition lines have regular transmission; however, chromosome 5 showed diminished paternal transmission, and chromosome 10 is transmitted to offspring only as a short-arm telosome. To further dissect the maize genome, we irradiated monosomic additions with gamma rays and recovered radiation hybrid (RH) lines providing low- to medium-resolution mapping for most of the maize chromosomes. For maize chromosome 1, mapping 45 simple-sequence repeat markers delineated 10 groups of RH plants reflecting different chromosome breaks. The present chromosome 1 RH panel dissects this chromosome into eight physical segments defined by the 10 groups of RH lines. Genomic in situ hybridization revealed the physical size of a distal region, which is represented by six of the eight physical segments, as being approximately 20% of the length of the short arm, representing approximately one-third of the genetic chromosome 1 map. The distal approximately 20% of the physical length of the long arm of maize chromosome 1 is represented by a single group of RH lines that spans >23% of the total genetic map. These oat-maize RH lines provide valuable tools for physical mapping of the complex highly duplicated maize genome and for unique studies of inter-specific gene interactions.

Avena↗

Genetic analysis of traditional and evolved Basmati and non-Basmati rice varieties by using fluorescence-based ISSR-PCR and SSR markers.

The objective of the present study was to make use of efficient molecular marker systems to reveal genetic relationships in traditional and evolved Basmati (EB) and semidwarf non-Basmati (NB) rice varieties. A subset of three rice groups was analyzed by using 19 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci and 12 inter-SSR-PCR primers. A total of 70 SSR alleles and 481 inter-SSR-PCR markers were revealed in 24 varieties from the three groups. The lowest genetic diversity was observed among the traditional Basmati varieties, whereas the EB varieties showed the highest genetic diversity by both the marker assays. The results indicated that the subset of aromatic rice varieties analyzed in the present study is probably derived from a single land race. The traditional Basmati (TB) and semidwarf NB rice varieties used in the present study were clearly delineated by both marker assays. A number of markers, which could unambiguously distinguish the TB varieties used in the present study from the evolved and NB rice varieties, were identified. The potential use of these markers in Basmati rice-breeding programs and authentication of TB varieties used in the present study are envisaged.

Alleles↗

Identifying genes of agronomic importance in maize by screening microsatellites for evidence of selection during domestication.

Crop species experienced strong selective pressure directed at genes controlling traits of agronomic importance during their domestication and subsequent episodes of selective breeding. Consequently, these genes are expected to exhibit the signature of selection. We screened 501 maize genes for the signature of selection using microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs). We applied the Ewens-Watterson test, which can reveal deviations from a neutral-equilibrium model, as well as two nonequilibrium tests that incorporate the domestication bottleneck. We investigated two classes of SSRs: those known to be polymorphic in maize (Class I) and those previously classified as monomorphic in maize (Class II). Fifteen SSRs exhibited some evidence for selection in maize and 10 showed evidence under stringent criteria. The genes containing nonneutral SSRs are candidates for agronomically important genes. Because demographic factors can bias our tests, further independent tests of these candidates are necessary. We applied such an additional test to one candidate, which encodes a MADS box transcriptional regulator, and confirmed that this gene experienced a selective sweep during maize domestication. Genomic scans for the signature of selection offer a means of identifying new genes of agronomic importance even when gene function and the phenotype of interest are unknown.

Agriculture↗

Mutational inactivation of the proapoptotic gene BAX confers selective advantage during tumor clonal evolution.

A remarkable instability at simple repeated sequences characterizes gastrointestinal cancer of the microsatellite mutator phenotype (MMP). Mutations in the DNA mismatch repair gene family underlie the MMP, a landmark for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. These tumors define a distinctive pathway for carcinogenesis because they display a particular spectrum of mutated cancer genes containing target repeats for mismatch repair deficiency. One such gene is BAX, a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, which plays a key role in programmed cell death. More than half of colon and gastric cancers of the MMP contain BAX frameshifts in a (G)(8) mononucleotide tract. However, the functional significance of these mutations in tumor progression has not been established. Here we show that inactivation of the wild-type BAX allele by de novo frameshift mutations confers a strong advantage during tumor clonal evolution. Tumor subclones with only mutant alleles frequently appeared after inoculation into nude mice of single-cell clones of colon tumor cell lines with normal alleles. In contrast, no clones of BAX-expressing cells were found after inoculation of homozygous cell clones without wild-type BAX. These results support the interpretation that BAX inactivation contributes to tumor progression by providing a survival advantage. In this context, survival analyses show that BAX mutations are indicators of poor prognosis for both colon and gastric cancer of the MMP.

Animals↗

Structure of linkage disequilibrium and phenotypic associations in the maize genome.

Association studies based on linkage disequilibrium (LD) can provide high resolution for identifying genes that may contribute to phenotypic variation. We report patterns of local and genome-wide LD in 102 maize inbred lines representing much of the worldwide genetic diversity used in maize breeding, and address its implications for association studies in maize. In a survey of six genes, we found that intragenic LD generally declined rapidly with distance (r(2) < 0.1 within 1500 bp), but rates of decline were highly variable among genes. This rapid decline probably reflects large effective population sizes in maize during its evolution and high levels of recombination within genes. A set of 47 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci showed stronger evidence of genome-wide LD than did single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes. LD was greatly reduced but not eliminated by grouping lines into three empirically determined subpopulations. SSR data also supplied evidence that divergent artificial selection on flowering time may have played a role in generating population structure. Provided the effects of population structure are effectively controlled, this research suggests that association studies show great promise for identifying the genetic basis of important traits in maize with very high resolution.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Evidence for linkage of the apolipoprotein A-II locus to plasma apolipoprotein A-II and free fatty acid levels in mice and humans.

Although it has been hypothesized that the synteny between mouse and human genes provides an approach to the localization of genes that determine quantitative traits in humans, this has yet to be demonstrated. We tested this approach with two quantitative traits, plasma apolipoprotein A-II (apoAII) and free fatty acid (FFA) levels. ApoAII is the second most abundant protein of high density lipoprotein particles, but its function remains largely unknown. We now show that, in a backcross between strains Mus spretus and C57BL/6J, apoAII levels correlate with plasma FFA concentrations on both chow (P < 0.0001) and high-fat (P < 0.0003) diets and that apoAII levels are linked to the apoAII gene (P < 0.0002). To test whether variations of the apoAII gene influence plasma lipid metabolism in humans, we studied 306 individuals in 25 families enriched for coronary artery disease. The segregation of the apoAII gene was followed by using an informative simple sequence repeat in the second intron of the gene and two nearby genetic markers. Robust sib-pair linkage analysis was performed on members of these families using the SAGE linkage programs. The results suggest linkage between the human apoAII gene and a gene controlling plasma apoAII levels (P = 0.03). Plasma apoAII levels were also significantly correlated with plasma FFA levels (P = 0.007). Moreover, the apoAII gene exhibited linkage with a gene controlling FFA levels (P = 0.003). Evidence for nonrandom segregation was seen with markers as far as 6-12 centimorgans from the apoAII structural locus. These data provide evidence, in two species, that the apoAII gene is linked to a gene that controls plasma apoAII levels and that apoAII influences, by an unknown mechanism, plasma FFA levels. The results illustrate the utility of animal studies for analysis of complex traits.

Animals↗

Extraordinarily polymorphic microsatellite DNA in barley: species diversity, chromosomal locations, and population dynamics.

This study was undertaken to assess the extent of genetic variation in barley simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and to study the evolutionary dynamics of SSR alleles. SSR polymorphisms were resolved by the polymerase chain reaction with four pairs of primers. In total, 71 variants were observed in a sample of 207 accessions of wild and cultivated barley. Analyses of wheat-barley addition lines and barley doubled haploids identified these variants (alleles) with four loci, each located on a different chromosome. The numbers of alleles detected at a locus corresponded to the number of nucleotide repeats in the microsatellite sequences. The numbers of alleles at two loci were 28 and 37; to our knowledge these are the largest numbers of alleles for single Mendelian loci reported in plants. Three alleles were resolved by each of the other two loci. Allelic diversity was greater in wild than in cultivated barley and surveys of two generations (F8 and F53) of Composite Cross II, an experimental population of cultivated barley, showed that few of the alleles present in the 28 parents survived into generation F53, whereas some infrequent alleles reached high frequencies. Such changes in frequency indicate that the chromosomal segments marked by the SSR alleles are under the influence of natural selection. The SSR variants allow specific DNA sequences to be followed through generations. Thus, the great resolving power of SSR assays may provide clues regarding the precise targets of natural and man-directed selection.

Alleles↗

Loss of heterozygosity in cervical carcinoma: subchromosomal localization of a putative tumor-suppressor gene to chromosome 11q22-q24.

Infection of cervical epithelial cells with so-called "aggressive" subtypes of human papilloma virus (HPV) appears to be an important factor in the etiology of cervical carcinoma. However, mounting evidence suggests that additional genetic changes are required for progression to an invasive carcinoma. Functional studies have shown that human chromosome 11 contains a gene or genes capable of suppressing tumorigenicity in cell lines derived from different histopathological types of cervical carcinoma, suggesting that aberration of this gene(s) may represent at least one of the additional changes required for tumorigenic progression. To identify the likely chromosomal position of this gene(s), we have carried out a systematic genetic analysis of chromosome 11 in the primary tumors of 32 patients with cervical carcinoma. Sixteen highly polymorphic markers, 10 of which were based on simple sequence repeats typed by PCR, were used to compare matched DNA samples from noninvolved tissue and portions of tumor tissue highly enriched for neoplastic cells by the cryostat-sectioning technique. Of the 32 patients examined, 14 (44%) demonstrated clonal genetic alterations resulting in loss of heterozygosity for one or more markers. Seven of the clonal genetic alterations on chromosome 11 were specific to the long arm, and the overlap between these and other allelic deletions suggests that a suppressor gene(s) relevant to cervical carcinoma maps to chromosome 11q22-q24.

Alleles↗

Allelotyping of butadiene-induced lung and mammary adenocarcinomas of B6C3F1 mice: frequent losses of heterozygosity in regions homologous to human tumor-suppressor genes.

To identify the potential involvement of tumor-suppressor gene inactivation during neoplastic development in B6C3F1 mice, genetic losses were determined from allelotypes of butadiene-induced lung and mammary adenocarcinomas. By using length polymorphisms in restriction fragments and simple sequence repeats, or "microsatellites," markers on each autosome were analyzed for allele losses in tumor DNAs. Losses of heterozygosity on chromosome 11 were observed at several loci surrounding the p53 tumor-suppressor gene (Trp53) in 12 of 17 mammary tumors and 2 of 8 lung tumors. Although most of these alterations appeared to result from nondisjunction, at least two examples of somatic recombination or deletion were also observed. Southern analysis revealed a homozygous deletion of the remaining Trp53 allele of one of these mammary tumors. Losses of heterozygosity were also detected at the Rb-1 tumor-suppressor gene in 7 of 17 mammary tumors and 1 lung tumor. Finally, frequent allele losses were observed on chromosome 4 in lung tumors. Analysis of nine chromosome 4 loci defined an interstitial deletion containing the Ifa gene cluster in one of the lung tumors. A tumor-suppressor gene was previously mapped to this region of chromosome 4 in studies with somatic cell hybrids. In addition, homozygous deletions have been reported in a homologous region of human chromosome 9p for acute lymphocytic leukemias, glioblastomas, melanomas, and lung carcinomas. These findings suggest that the inactivation of tumor-suppressor genes including Trp53, Rb-1, and an unidentified gene on chromosome 4 plays a significant role during carcinogenesis in mice.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Genetic analysis of the NZB contribution to lupus-like autoimmune disease in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice.

Lupus-like autoimmunity in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice is frequently marked by the development of a severe and fatal renal disease. Genes from both NZB and NZW parents are required for the full expression of disease. We applied a mapping technique based on polymorphism in simple sequence repeats to the analysis of (NZB x NZW)F1 x NZW backcross mice to determine the NZB genetic contribution to disease. The results show that a single NZB locus or tightly linked group of loci on the distal part of chromosome 4 provides the strongest association with renal disease and death. This locus, designated here as nba-1 (New Zealand Black autoimmunity), lies distal to the locus elp-1, 60-70 centimorgans from the centromere. It is of interest that a gene encoding a receptor for tumor necrosis factor maps to the vicinity of this disease-associated gene.

Animals↗

The reverse transcriptase component of the Tetrahymena telomerase ribonucleoprotein complex.

Telomerase is a eukaryotic reverse transcriptase that adds simple sequence repeats to chromosome ends by copying a template sequence within the RNA component of the enzyme. We describe here the identification of a Tetrahymena telomerase protein with reverse transcriptase motifs, p133. This subunit is associated with the previously identified Tetrahymena telomerase RNA and the telomerase proteins p80 and p95 in immunoprecipitation assays. Therefore, all four known Tetrahymena telomerase components are present in a single complex. Expressed in rabbit reticulocyte lysate, recombinant p133 and telomerase RNA alone catalyze a reverse transcriptase activity with some similarities to and some differences from native Tetrahymena telomerase. These experiments suggest a complexity of telomerase structure and function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The onset and extent of genomic instability in sporadic colorectal tumor progression.

Cancer cell genomes contain alterations beyond known etiologic events, but their total number has been unknown at even the order of magnitude level. By sampling colorectal premalignant polyp and carcinoma cell genomes through use of the technique inter-(simple sequence repeat) PCR, we have found genomic alterations to be considerably more abundant than expected, with the mean number of genomic events per carcinoma cell totaling approximately 11,000. Colonic polyps early in the tumor progression pathway showed similar numbers of events. These results indicate that, as with certain hereditary cancer syndromes, genomic destabilization is an early step in sporadic tumor development. Together these results support the model of genomic instability being a cause rather than an effect of malignancy, facilitating vastly accelerated somatic cell evolution, with the observed orderly steps of the colon cancer progression pathway reflecting the consequences of natural selection.

Adenomatous Polyps↗

Structure, organization, and expression of the human band 7.2b gene, a candidate gene for hereditary hydrocytosis.

Band 7.2b is an integral membrane phosphoprotein absent from the erythrocyte membranes of patients with hereditary hydrocytosis, a hemolytic anemia inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion and characterized by stomatocytic red blood cells with abnormal permeability to Na+ and K+. The precise role of band 7.2b is unknown, but it may interact with other proteins of the junctional complex of the membrane skeleton. To gain additional insight into the structure and function of this protein and to provide the necessary tools for further genetic studies of hydrocytosis patients, we determined the sequence of the full-length human band 7.2b cDNA, characterized the genomic structure of the band 7.2b gene, studied its pattern of expression in different tissues, and characterized the promoter of the gene. The composite band 7.2b gene cDNA was 3047 base pairs in length. Northern blot analysis revealed a wide tissue distribution of expression of the band 7.2b gene, with utilization of alternative polyadenylation signals generating transcripts of 2.2 and 3.1 kilobases. Cloning of the band 7.2b chromosomal gene revealed that it is composed of seven exons distributed over 40 kilobases of DNA. The band 7.2b gene promoter was identified as a TATA-less, (G+C)-rich promoter with a typical InR recognition sequence and a single transcription initiation site. It directed high level expression of a reporter gene in both erythroid and nonerythroid cells. An imperfect simple sequence repeat polymorphism was identified in the 5'-flanking DNA, and an assay was developed for its analysis by PCR.

3T3 Cells↗

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase motifs required for elongation of a telomeric substrate.

The reverse transcriptase telomerase copies an internal RNA template to synthesize telomeric simple-sequence repeats. In the cellular context, telomerase must elongate its few intended substrates (authentic chromosome ends) without spurious activity on other potential substrates (chromosome ends created by damage, repair, or recombination). Many mechanisms have been proposed to account for the biological substrate specificity of telomerase, with most models focusing on protein-protein interactions between telomerase and telomeric chromatin. Telomerase activity assays testing the elongation of model oligonucleotide substrates have revealed that in addition to hybridization with the RNA template, optimal DNA substrates also engage telomerase protein-based interaction sites. The physiological significance of these non-template interaction sites has not been established. We used in vivo reconstitution to assemble telomerase enzymes with variant telomerase reverse transcriptase proteins. Several telomerase enzyme variants retained a wild-type level of catalytic function in vitro when assayed using an artificial sequence substrate but exhibited reduced activity on a more physiological telomeric-sequence substrate. Telomerases that demonstrated this defect in telomeric substrate usage in vitro also failed to support telomere length maintenance in vivo. Our findings suggest that non-template interactions of the telomerase ribonucleoprotein with telomeric DNA play a critical role in supporting telomerase function on its appropriate cellular substrates.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxias viewed from the RNA perspective.

The underlying cause of a number of autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxias is the expansion of various types of simple sequence repeats located in diverse functional regions of different single genes. The genetic heterogeneity of these diseases which contrasts with the similarity of their pathology sites and clinical symptoms justifies the search for the shared mechanism of pathogenesis. In this article we discuss the arguments which are in favor of the RNA-mediated pathomechanism.

Heterozygote↗

Molecular and phenotypic description of the widespread root symbiont Acephala applanata gen. et sp. nov., formerly known as dark-septate endophyte type 1.

Acephala applanata gen. et sp. nov. is described. A. applanata is a dark-septate endophyte (DSE) of conifer roots and belongs to the Phialocephala fortinii species complex. Several genetic markers, including isozymes, inter-simple-sequence-repeat (ISSR) fingerprints, single-copy restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS), let us unambiguously separate isolates of A. applanata from isolates of P. fortinii s.l. and other dark-septate endophytes. Alleles at four RFLP loci and two fixed nucleotides in the ITS region were diagnostic for A. applanata. One of the fixed nucleotides resulted in the addition of an Afa I restriction site. PCR amplification with primers prITS4 and the newly developed primer PF-ITS_F (ACT CTG AAT GTT AGT GAT GTC TGA GT) and restriction digestion with Afa I yielded three fragments (203 bp, 117 bp, 56 bp) in A. applanata but only two (260 bp and 117 bp) in P. fortinii s.l. Population differentiation (GST) between A. applanata and other cryptic species of P fortinii was pronounced, and the index of association (IA) did not deviate significantly from zero, showing that recombination occurs or had occurred in A. applanata. Although isolates of A. applanata never were observed to sporulate, it can be distinguished morphologically from P fortinii s.l. by the scarcity of aerial mycelium, significantly slower growth and denser mycelium on cellophane overlaid on water agar. These phenotypic characteristics, combined with diagnostic RFLP alleles and/or PCR-RFLP of the ITS fragment with the fixed Afa I restriction site, unequivocally allow identification of A. applanata.

Ascomycota↗

Mismatch repair and the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer syndrome (HNPCC).

The hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)-syndrome is the most common form of hereditary colorectal cancers, and accounts for 2-7% of the total colorectal cancer burden. Since there are no single clinical features specific for HNPCC, diagnosis is based on family history (Amsterdam or Bethesda criteria) and is confirmed by the detection of a mutation in one of the responsible mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Two types of HNPCC-families can be distinguished. Type I HNPCC tumors are exclusively located in the colon, whereas in Type II HNPCC patients, extracolonic tumors are present in the stomach, endometrium, ovary, and urinary tract. The identification of the human homologues of yeast mismatch repair genes hMSH2, hMSH3, hMSH6, hMLH1, hMLH3, hPMS1 (scMLH2), and hPMS2 (scPMS1) offered the prospect of genetic screening leading to an extensive search for mutations in HNPCC-families. The majority of the alterations have been found in hMSH2 (40%) and hMLH1 (40%) genes. Mutations in the other MMR genes appear rare, absent, and/or associated with atypical families (1-5%). As a result of the mismatch repair deficiency, replication misincorporation errors accumulate, resulting in a mutator phenotype. Diagnosis of HNPCC-associated replication errors is most easily determined by the examination of a panel of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-recommended simple repeated sequences (microsatellites), combined with immunohistochemical analysis. Although the exact molecular mechanism of the tumor development in these patients remains poorly understood, the identification of tumors that harbor a microsatellite instability has clinical and prognostic implications.

Base Pair Mismatch↗