@article {437, title = {Identification of the Photoreceptor Transcriptional Co-Repressor SAMD11 as Novel Cause of Autosomal Recessive Retinitis Pigmentosa.}, journal = {Sci Rep}, volume = {6}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Oct 13}, pages = {35370}, abstract = {

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the most frequent form of inherited retinal dystrophy is characterized by progressive photoreceptor degeneration. Many genes have been implicated in RP development, but several others remain to be identified. Using a combination of homozygosity mapping, whole-exome and targeted next-generation sequencing, we found a novel homozygous nonsense mutation in SAMD11 in five individuals diagnosed with adult-onset RP from two unrelated consanguineous Spanish families. SAMD11 is ortholog to the mouse major retinal SAM domain (mr-s) protein that is implicated in CRX-mediated transcriptional regulation in the retina. Accordingly, protein-protein network analysis revealed a significant interaction of SAMD11 with CRX. Immunoblotting analysis confirmed strong expression of SAMD11 in human retina. Immunolocalization studies revealed SAMD11 was detected in the three nuclear layers of the human retina and interestingly differential expression between cone and rod photoreceptors was observed. Our study strongly implicates SAMD11 as novel cause of RP playing an important role in the pathogenesis of human degeneration of photoreceptors.

}, keywords = {Aged, Animals, Co-Repressor Proteins, Codon, Nonsense, Cohort Studies, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Consanguinity, DNA Mutational Analysis, Exome, Eye Proteins, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Genes, Recessive, Homeodomain Proteins, Homozygote, Humans, Male, Mice, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Protein Interaction Mapping, Retina, Retinal Dystrophies, Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells, Retinitis pigmentosa, Spain, Trans-Activators, Transcription Factors}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/srep35370}, author = {Corton, M and Avila-Fern{\'a}ndez, A and Campello, L and S{\'a}nchez, M and Benavides, B and L{\'o}pez-Molina, M I and Fern{\'a}ndez-S{\'a}nchez, L and S{\'a}nchez-Alcudia, R and da Silva, L R J and Reyes, N and Mart{\'\i}n-Garrido, E and Zurita, O and Fern{\'a}ndez-San Jos{\'e}, P and P{\'e}rez-Carro, R and Garc{\'\i}a-Garc{\'\i}a, F and Dopazo, J and Garc{\'\i}a-Sandoval, B and Cuenca, N and Ayuso, C} } @article {490, title = {Novel RP1 mutations and a recurrent BBS1 variant explain the co-existence of two distinct retinal phenotypes in the same pedigree.}, journal = {BMC Genet}, volume = {15}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Dec 14}, pages = {143}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Molecular diagnosis of Inherited Retinal Dystrophies (IRD) has long been challenging due to the extensive clinical and genetic heterogeneity present in this group of disorders. Here, we describe the clinical application of an integrated next-generation sequencing approach to determine the underlying genetic defects in a Spanish family with a provisional clinical diagnosis of autosomal recessive Retinitis Pigmentosa (arRP).

RESULTS: Exome sequencing of the index patient resulted in the identification of the homozygous BBS1 p.M390R mutation. Sanger sequencing of additional members of the family showed lack of co-segregation of the p.M390R variant in some individuals. Clinical reanalysis indicated co-ocurrence of two different phenotypes in the same family: Bardet-Biedl syndrome in the individual harboring the BBS1 mutation and non-syndromic arRP in extended family members. To identify possible causative mutations underlying arRP, we conducted disease-targeted gene sequencing using a panel of 26 IRD genes. The in-house custom panel was validated using 18 DNA samples known to harbor mutations in relevant genes. All variants were redetected, indicating a high mutation detection rate. This approach allowed the identification of two novel heterozygous null mutations in RP1 (c.4582_4585delATCA; p.I1528Vfs*10 and c.5962dupA; p.I1988Nfs*3) which co-segregated with the disease in arRP patients. Additionally, a mutational screening in 96 patients of our cohort with genetically unresolved IRD revealed the presence of the c.5962dupA mutation in one unrelated family.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of molecular findings for RP1 and BBS1 genes through exome and gene panel sequencing enabled us to explain the co-existence of two different retinal phenotypes in a family. The identification of two novel variants in RP1 suggests that the use of panels containing the prevalent genes of a particular population, together with an optimized data analysis pipeline, is an efficient and cost-effective approach that can be reliably implemented into the routine diagnostic process of diverse inherited retinal disorders. Moreover, the identification of these novel variants in two unrelated families supports the relatively high prevalence of RP1 mutations in Spanish population and the role of private mutations for commonly mutated genes, while extending the mutational spectrum of RP1.

}, keywords = {Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, Base Sequence, Case-Control Studies, DNA Mutational Analysis, Eye Proteins, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Association Studies, Humans, Microsatellite Repeats, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Mutation, Missense, Pedigree, Phenotype, Retina, Retinitis pigmentosa}, issn = {1471-2156}, doi = {10.1186/s12863-014-0143-2}, author = {M{\'e}ndez-Vidal, Cristina and Bravo-Gil, Nereida and Gonz{\'a}lez-del Pozo, Mar{\'\i}a and Vela-Boza, Alicia and Dopazo, Joaquin and Borrego, Salud and Anti{\v n}olo, Guillermo} } @article {575, title = {Mutation spectrum of EYS in Spanish patients with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa.}, journal = {Hum Mutat}, volume = {31}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Nov}, pages = {E1772-800}, abstract = {

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal dystrophies characterised ultimately by the loss of photoreceptor cells. We have recently identified a new gene(EYS) encoding an ortholog of Drosophila space maker (spam) as a commonly mutated gene in autosomal recessive RP. In the present study, we report the identification of 73 sequence variations in EYS, of which 28 are novel. Of these, 42.9\% (12/28) are very likely pathogenic, 17.9\% (5/28)are possibly pathogenic, whereas 39.3\% (11/28) are SNPs. In addition, we have detected 3 pathogenic changes previously reported in other populations. We are also presenting the characterisation of EYS homologues in different species, and a detailed analysis of the EYS domains, with the identification of an interesting novel feature: a putative coiled-coil domain.Majority of the mutations in the arRP patients have been found within the domain structures of EYS. The minimum observed prevalence of distinct EYS mutations in our group of patients is of 15.9\% (15/94), confirming a major involvement of EYS in the pathogenesis of arRP in the Spanish population. Along with the detection of three recurrent mutations in Caucasian population, our hypothesis of EYS being the first prevalent gene in arRP has been reinforced in the present study.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Case-Control Studies, DNA Mutational Analysis, Drosophila Proteins, Evolution, Molecular, Eye Proteins, Female, Genes, Recessive, Genetic Variation, Humans, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, mutation, Pedigree, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Retinitis pigmentosa, Spain, Structural Homology, Protein}, issn = {1098-1004}, doi = {10.1002/humu.21334}, author = {Barrag{\'a}n, Isabel and Borrego, Salud and Pieras, Juan Ignacio and Gonz{\'a}lez-del Pozo, Mar{\'\i}a and Santoyo, Javier and Ayuso, Carmen and Baiget, Montserrat and Mill{\'a}n, Jos{\'e} M and Mena, Marcela and Abd El-Aziz, Mai M and Audo, Isabelle and Zeitz, Christina and Littink, Karin W and Dopazo, Joaquin and Bhattacharya, Shomi S and Anti{\v n}olo, Guillermo} }