A novel mutation in the transmembrane 6 domain of GABBR2 leads to a Rett-like phenotype

International audienceWe read with great interest the recent article published by Yooet al1reporting 4 additional Rett-like (RTT) patients with therecurring A567TGABBR2mutation.2More interestingly, theyshowed, with in vitro and in vivo functional studies, that theseverity of the phenotype caused byGABBR2mutations wasdirectly linked to their impact onc-aminobutyric acid (GABA)signaling activity, this latter being more reduced with the 2 mis-sense mutations, S695I and I705N, associated with epilepticencephalopathy (EE).1,3They hypothesized that the position ofvariants in different transmembrane (TM) domains ofGABBR2,TM6 for S695I and I705N, and TM3 for A567T, could deter-mine the phenotypic expression. This hypothesis was recentlyreinforced with the report of a novelGABBR2mutation also inTM6 and associated with infantile epileptic spasms

High efficiency and clinical relevance of exome sequencing in the daily practice of neurogenetics

International audienceObjective To assess the efficiency and relevance of clinical exome sequencing (cES) as a first-tier or second-tier test for the diagnosis of progressive neurological disorders in the daily practice of Neurology and Genetic Departments. Methods Sixty-seven probands with various progressive neurological disorders (cerebellar ataxias, neuromuscular disorders, spastic paraplegias, movement disorders and individuals with complex phenotypes labelled ‘other’) were recruited over a 4-year period regardless of their age, gender, familial history and clinical framework. Individuals could have had prior genetic tests as long as it was not cES. cES was performed in a proband-only (60/67) or trio (7/67) strategy depending on available samples and was analysed with an in-house pipeline including software for CNV and mitochondrial-DNA variant detection. Results In 29/67 individuals, cES identified clearly pathogenic variants leading to a 43% positive yield. When performed as a first-tier test, cES identified pathogenic variants for 53% of individuals (10/19). Difficult cases were solved including double diagnoses within a kindred or identification of a neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation in a patient with encephalopathy of suspected mitochondrial origin. Conclusion This study shows that cES is a powerful tool for the daily practice of neurogenetics offering an efficient (43%) and appropriate approach for clinically and genetically complex and heterogeneous disorders

Episignature Mapping of TRIP12 Provides Functional Insight into Clark–Baraitser Syndrome

Clark–Baraitser syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant intellectual disability syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in the TRIP12 (Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interactor 12) gene. TRIP12 encodes an E3 ligase in the ubiquitin pathway. The ubiquitin pathway includes activating E1, conjugating E2 and ligating E3 enzymes which regulate the breakdown and sorting of proteins. This enzymatic pathway is crucial for physiological processes. A significant proportion of TRIP12 variants are currently classified as variants of unknown significance (VUS). Episignatures have been shown to represent a powerful diagnostic tool to resolve inconclusive genetic findings for Mendelian disorders and to re-classify VUSs. Here, we show the results of DNA methylation episignature analysis in 32 individuals with pathogenic, likely pathogenic and VUS variants in TRIP12. We identified a specific and sensitive DNA methylation (DNAm) episignature associated with pathogenic TRIP12 variants, establishing its utility as a clinical biomarker for Clark–Baraitser syndrome. In addition, we performed analysis of differentially methylated regions as well as functional correlation of the TRIP12 genome-wide methylation profile with the profiles of 56 additional neurodevelopmental disorders

Episignature Mapping of TRIP12 Provides Functional Insight into Clark–Baraitser Syndrome

Clark–Baraitser syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant intellectual disability syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in the TRIP12 (Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interactor 12) gene. TRIP12 encodes an E3 ligase in the ubiquitin pathway. The ubiquitin pathway includes activating E1, conjugating E2 and ligating E3 enzymes which regulate the breakdown and sorting of proteins. This enzymatic pathway is crucial for physiological processes. A significant proportion of TRIP12 variants are currently classified as variants of unknown significance (VUS). Episignatures have been shown to represent a powerful diagnostic tool to resolve inconclusive genetic findings for Mendelian disorders and to re-classify VUSs. Here, we show the results of DNA methylation episignature analysis in 32 individuals with pathogenic, likely pathogenic and VUS variants in TRIP12. We identified a specific and sensitive DNA methylation (DNAm) episignature associated with pathogenic TRIP12 variants, establishing its utility as a clinical biomarker for Clark–Baraitser syndrome. In addition, we performed analysis of differentially methylated regions as well as functional correlation of the TRIP12 genome-wide methylation profile with the profiles of 56 additional neurodevelopmental disorders