Search

To determine how often the results of a single trophectoderm (TE) biopsy tested by PGTseq, a targeted next-generation sequencing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy technology, reflect the biology of the rest of the embryo.Blinded prospective cohort study.University-affiliated private practice.A total of 300 blastocysts were donated; 113 of these embryos were euploid; 163 embryos possessed at least one whole chromosome aneuploidy; and 24 embryos were negative for whole chromosome aneuploidy but possessed at least one secondary finding on initial TE biopsy.All blastocysts underwent rebiopsy and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy on the PGTseq platform.Partial concordance rate per embryo, total concordance rate per embryo, and total concordance rate per chromosomal event.An initial TE biopsy result of euploidy or whole chromosome aneuploidy was reconfirmed in99% of rebiopsied samples, affirming that meiotic errors are manifested in almost the entire embryo. In contrast, results of whole chromosome or segmental mosaicism were confirmed in 15%-18% of subsequent rebiopsies, suggesting that mitotic events are only sporadically seen throughout the embryo. Segmental aneuploidy was confirmed in 56.6% of rebiopsied samples, identifying a mixed meiotic and mitotic etiology for such abnormalities.A euploid or aneuploid result on the PGTseq platform is highly concordant with the rest of the embryo's ploidy status. The rarer confirmation of whole chromosome mosaic and segmental mosaic results suggest that these mosaics are suitable for embryo transfer. Segmental aneuploidy, with higher concordance rates throughout the embryo, may represent a different biologic etiology compared to mosaic embryos.

In IVF cycles, the application of aneuploidy testing at the blastocyst stage is quickly growing, and the latest reports estimate almost half of cycles in the US undergo preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A). Following PGT-A cycles, understanding the predictive value of an aneuploidy result is paramount for making informed decisions about the embryo's fate and utilization. Compelling evidence from non-selection trials strongly supports that embryos diagnosed with a uniform whole-chromosome aneuploidy very rarely result in the live birth of a healthy baby, while their transfer exposes women to significant risks of miscarriage and chromosomally abnormal pregnancy. On the other hand, embryos displaying low range mosaicism for whole chromosomes have shown reproductive capabilities somewhat equivalent to uniformly euploid embryos, and they have comparable clinical outcomes and gestational risks. Therefore, given their clearly distinct biological origin and clinical consequences, careful differentiation between uniform and mosaic aneuploidy is critical in both the clinical setting when counseling individuals and in the research setting when presenting aneuploidy studies in human embryology. Here, we focus on the evidence gathered so far on PGT-A diagnostic predictive values and reproductive outcomes observed across the broad spectrum of whole-chromosome aneuploidies detected at the blastocyst stage to obtain evidence-based conclusions on the clinical management of aneuploid embryos in the quickly growing PGT-A clinical setting.

Objective To validate a commercially available noninvasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (niPGT-A) assay by investigating the following: prevalence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) amplification failure with niPGT-A; factors affecting amplification failure with niPGT-A; and frequency of discordant results between niPGT-A and traditional preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. Design Prospective cohort study Setting Academic-affiliated private practice Patient(s) One hundred sixty-six blastocysts and their surrounding culture media from couples undergoing in vitro fertilization between July 2019 and May 2020 were analyzed. Intervention(s) Blastocyst-stage spent culture media samples underwent niPGT-A using a commercially available kit that used whole-genome amplification with a modified multiple annealing and looping-based amplification cycle protocol followed by next-generation sequencing. Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy of trophectoderm (TE) biopsies was performed using targeted next-generation sequencing. Main Outcome Measure(s) The primary outcome was failure to achieve an interpretable result with niPGT-A. Factors affecting DNA amplification were also assessed. Discrepancies between niPGT-A and TE biopsy results were analyzed, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Result(s) Deoxyribonucleic acid amplification failures with niPGT-A were observed in 37.3% (62/166) of the samples. With TE biopsy, no embryos exhibited DNA amplification failure. Embryos with a shorter duration of exposure to the culture media and no evidence of whole-chromosome aneuploidy on the TE biopsy displayed high rates of DNA amplification failure with niPGT-A. Of 104 embryos with both niPGT-A and TE biopsy results available, whole-chromosome discordance was noted in 42 cases (40.4%). Three embryos classified as aneuploid based on the niPGT-A result progressed to successful delivery. Conclusion(s) The rates of DNA amplification failure were high among the niPGT-A samples, virtually precluding the clinical applicability of niPGT-A in its current form.

Embryo diagnostics are somewhat controversial in clinical assisted reproduction technology (ART) practice and remain an active area of investigation. Application of embryo diagnostics holds great potential to raise the standard of clinical care by eliminating futile transfers, allowing highly effective single-embryo transfer, and reducing the probability of clinical loss and ongoing abnormal gestations. These advantages are accompanied by risks, principally the chance that a reproductively competent embryo will be mislabeled and discarded. This would lower the ultimate probability that one or more of the embryos might implant and lead to delivery of a healthy infant. Rigorous validation should be required for embryo diagnostics. Metrics for validation can be divided into three simple areas: analytical validation, determination of clinical predictive values for normal and abnormal test results, and a randomized clinical trial to demonstrate that the selection advantage gained through the diagnostic improves clinical outcomes.

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a large study addressing the efficacy of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). The 14-centre randomized control non-inferiority trial used cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) as a clinical endpoint to examine the value of PGT-A and concluded that conventional IVF was not inferior to IVF with PGT-A. Unfortunately, the experimental design was highly flawed; and in fact, the data generated in the study do not support the major conclusions presented in the publication. The embryos in each patient’s three-embryo pool, which were available for transfer, were selected solely by morphology. The investigators then randomized patients to either the PGT-A group or the control group. It is important to note that PGT-A screening in the study group was done only after the embryos were selected. PGT-A was not really used in a meaningful way, which would have been for the PGT-A results to help in selecting which embryos would be in the three-embryo group. Thus, the outcomes were wholly determined prior to the study intervention. The ultimate delivery rate for each group of three embryos was determined when they were selected by morphology. The randomization, which occurred after embryo selection, would assure equal distribution of those cohorts destined to deliver and those destined to fail to the two study groups, the PGT-A and control groups. Thus, there was no potential for PGT-A to enhance selection and thus no possible way to improve the cumulative outcomes. Since there was no possible way for the control group to be inferior, the experimental design precluded any chance of evaluating the primary endpoint of the study. The primary question of the study was never evaluated. Another serious flaw was that the study was initiated prior to knowing how to interpret the data provided in the PGT-A analytical result. Specifically, the design excluded mosaic embryos from transfer despite the literature demonstrating the significant reproductive potential for these embryos. When accounting for the lost deliveries induced by this non-evidence-based decision, the expected delivery rates in the two groups become virtually identical. That is an important issue because the data from the study actually demonstrate the safety of PGT-A without diminution in outcomes from the impact of trophectoderm biopsy or the discarding of competent embryos which had wrongfully been considered aneuploid. A final serious flaw in the experimental design and interpretation of the data surrounding the issue of the miscarriage rate. The investigators noted that the miscarriage rate was lower in the PGT-A group but stated that its impact was insufficient to alter the CLBR. Of course, by design, the CLBRs were limited to being equivalent. There was no potential for enhanced outcomes in the PGT-A group and thus no possibility that the lower risk of miscarriage in the PGT-A group would raise the CLBR. The benefit of a lower miscarriage rate is real and significant. Its relevance should not be diminished based on the lack of a change in the CLBR since that was never possible in this study. The investigators of the study concluded that the CLBR with conventional ART is equivalent to that with PGT-A, but a simple review of the experiment reassigns their genuine findings to those of a safety study. Significantly, the data in the study demonstrate that the intervention of PGT-A is safe. This study neither supports nor refutes the efficacy of clinical PGT-A.

The ATP/GTP-Binding Protein 1 (AGTPBP1) gene (OMIM *606830) catalyzes deglutamylation of polyglutamylated proteins, and its deficiency manifests by cerebellar ataxia and peripheral neuropathy in mice and lower motor neuron-like disease in sheep. In the mutant mice, cerebellar atrophy due to Purkinje cell degeneration is observed, likely due to increased tubulin polyglutamylation in affected brain areas. We report two unrelated individuals who presented with early onset cerebellar atrophy, developmental arrest with progressive muscle weakness, and feeding and respiratory difficulties, accompanied by severe motor neuronopathy. Whole exome sequencing followed by segregation analysis in the families and cDNA studies revealed deleterious biallelic variants in the AGTPBP1 gene. We conclude that complete loss-of-function of AGTPBP1 in humans, just like in mice and sheep, is associated with cerebellar and motor neuron disease, reminiscent of Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia Type 1 (PCH1).

Objective To determine the predictive value of an aneuploid diagnosis with a targeted next-generation sequencing–based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) assay in prognosticating the failure of a successful delivery. Design Prospective, blinded, multicenter, nonselection study. All usable blastocysts were biopsied, and the single best morphologic blastocyst was transferred before genetic analysis. Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy was performed after clinical outcome was determined. Clinical outcomes were compared to PGT-A results to calculate the predictive value of a PGT-A aneuploid diagnosis. Setting Fertility centers. Patient(s) Couples undergoing their first in vitro fertilization cycle without recurrent pregnancy loss, antral follicle count Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) The primary outcome was the ability of the analytical result of aneuploid to predict failure to deliver (clinical result). A secondary outcome was the impact of the trophectoderm biopsy on sustained implantation. Result(s) Four hundred two patients underwent 484 single, frozen, blastocyst transfers. The PGT-A aneuploid diagnosis clinical error rate was 0%. There was no difference in sustained implantation between the study group and an age-matched control group, where biopsy was not performed (47.9% vs. 45.8). Conclusion(s) The PGT-A assay evaluated was highly prognostic of failure to deliver when an aneuploid result was obtained. Additionally, the trophectoderm biopsy had no detectable adverse impact on sustained implantation. Clinical Trial Registration Numbers NCT02032264 and NCT03604107.

Leigh syndrome is a frequent, heterogeneous pediatric presentation of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) disease, manifesting with psychomotor retardation and necrotizing lesions in brain deep gray matter. OXPHOS occurs at the inner mitochondrial membrane through the integrated activity of five protein complexes, of which complex V (CV) functions in a dimeric form to directly generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mutations in several different structural CV subunits cause Leigh syndrome; however, dimerization defects have not been associated with human disease. We report four Leigh syndrome subjects from three unrelated Ashkenazi Jewish families harboring a homozygous splice-site mutation (c.87 + 1G>C) in a novel CV subunit disease gene, USMG5. The Ashkenazi population allele frequency is 0.57%. This mutation produces two USMG5 transcripts, wild-type and lacking exon 3. Fibroblasts from two Leigh syndrome probands had reduced wild-type USMG5 mRNA expression and undetectable protein. The mutation did not alter monomeric CV expression, but reduced both CV dimer expression and ATP synthesis rate. Rescue with wild-type USMG5 cDNA in proband fibroblasts restored USMG5 protein, increased CV dimerization and enhanced ATP production rate. These data demonstrate that a recurrent USMG5 splice-site founder mutation in the Ashkenazi Jewish population causes autosomal recessive Leigh syndrome by reduction of CV dimerization and ATP synthesis.

Despite the accelerated discovery of genes associated with syndromic traits, the majority of families affected by such conditions remain undiagnosed. Here, we employed whole-exome sequencing in two unrelated consanguineous kindreds with central nervous system (CNS), cardiac, renal, and digit abnormalities. We identified homozygous truncating mutations in TMEM260, a locus predicted to encode numerous splice isoforms. Systematic expression analyses across tissues and developmental stages validated two such isoforms, which differ in the utilization of an internal exon. The mutations in both families map uniquely to the long isoform, raising the possibility of an isoform-specific disorder. Consistent with this notion, RT-PCR of lymphocyte cell lines from one of the kindreds showed reduced levels of only the long isoform, which could be ameliorated by emetine, suggesting that the mutation induces nonsense-mediated decay. Subsequent in vivo testing supported this hypothesis. First, either transient suppression or CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of zebrafish tmem260 recapitulated key neurological phenotypes. Second, co-injection of morphants with the long human TMEM260 mRNA rescued CNS pathology, whereas the short isoform was significantly less efficient. Finally, immunocytochemical and biochemical studies showed preferential enrichment of the long TMEM260 isoform to the plasma membrane. Together, our data suggest that there is overall reduced, but not ablated, functionality of TMEM260 and that attenuation of the membrane-associated functions of this protein is a principal driver of pathology. These observations contribute to an appreciation of the roles of splice isoforms in genetic disorders and suggest that dissection of the functions of these transcripts will most likely inform pathomechanism.

PURPOSE: To describe diagnostic results following re-biopsy of blastocysts with inconclusive results on preimplantation genetic screening for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and to evaluate the reproductive potential of re-biopsied blastocysts. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all trophectoderm biopsies submitted for PGT-A by a large in vitro fertilization center to a single genetics laboratory from June 2016 to October 2018. PGT-A was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). No-result blastocysts that underwent re-biopsy were subsequently classified as euploid, aneuploid, mosaic/segmental, or no-result. Ongoing pregnancy and clinical loss rates were assessed following transfer of re-biopsied blastocysts. Logistic regressions were conducted to account for age and blastocyst morphology. RESULTS: Of the trophectoderm biopsies submitted for PGT-A, 635/25,199 (2.5%) were categorized as no-result. Those that underwent re-biopsy (n = 250) had a 95.2% diagnostic rate with 140 (56.0%) receiving euploid diagnoses. Thirty-six re-biopsied blastocysts deemed euploid were subsequently transferred, resulting in 18 (50.0%) ongoing pregnancies and 5 (13.9%) clinical losses. After adjusting for age and blastocyst morphology, there remained a lower ongoing pregnancy rate and a trend towards higher clinical loss rate following transfer of a re-biopsied blastocyst. When compared to blastocysts that underwent the same number of vitrification-warming cycles but only one biopsy, there were no differences in outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Failure to obtain an analytical result does not change the probability that a given blastocyst is euploid. Pregnancy outcomes following transfer of re-biopsied blastocysts are favorable, but further data must be accrued for an adequately powered comparison with outcomes after transfer of blastocysts biopsied once.

Autosomal-recessive cerebellar atrophy is usually associated with inactivating mutations and early-onset presentation. The underlying molecular diagnosis suggests the involvement of neuronal survival pathways, but many mechanisms are still lacking and most patients elude genetic diagnosis. Using whole exome sequencing, we identified homozygous p.Val55Ala in the THG1L (tRNA-histidine guanylyltransferase 1 like) gene in three siblings who presented with cerebellar signs, developmental delay, dysarthria, and pyramidal signs and had cerebellar atrophy on brain MRI. THG1L protein was previously reported to participate in mitochondrial fusion via its interaction with MFN2. Abnormal mitochondrial fragmentation, including mitochondria accumulation around the nuclei and confinement of the mitochondrial network to the nuclear vicinity, was observed when patient fibroblasts were cultured in galactose containing medium. Culturing cells in galactose containing media promotes cellular respiration by oxidative phosphorylation and the action of the electron transport chain thus stimulating mitochondrial activity. The growth defect of the yeast thg1Δ strain was rescued by the expression of either yeast Thg1 or human THG1L; however, clear growth defect was observed following the expression of the human p.Val55Ala THG1L or the corresponding yeast mutant. A defect in the protein tRNAHis guanylyltransferase activity was excluded by the normal in vitro G-1 addition to either yeast tRNAHis or human mitochondrial tRNAHis in the presence of the THG1L mutation. We propose that homozygosity for the p.Val55Ala mutation in THG1L is the cause of the abnormal mitochondrial network in the patient fibroblasts, likely by interfering with THG1L activity towards MFN2. This may result in lack of mitochondria in the cerebellar Purkinje dendrites, with degeneration of Purkinje cell bodies and apoptosis of granule cells, as reported for MFN2 deficient mice.

Preimplantation genetic testing has evolved tremendously from the early days of FISH detection for a select few chromosome aneuploidies to now combining the detection of all whole chromosome imbalances in conjunction with single gene disorder testing for inherited diseases. As universal carrier screening and exome or genome studies become more commonplace, more and more families are becoming interested in reducing the risk of having a child with a severe disease using preimplantation genetic testing. We describe here the use of quantitative PCR (qPCR) for the custom construction of single gene disorder testing plans for families, the validation of the probes designed, and the protocol for diagnosing an embryo biopsy. qPCR has been shown to have the lowest risk of failed amplification and allele dropout and thus the lowest risk of a misdiagnosis, while also currently providing the fastest protocol to allow for rapid turnaround of results.

Preimplantation genetic testing has evolved tremendously from the early days of FISH detection for a select few chromosome aneuploidies to now combining the detection of all whole chromosome imbalances in conjunction with single gene disorder testing for inherited diseases. As universal carrier screening and exome or genome studies become more commonplace, more and more families are becoming interested in reducing the risk of having a child with a severe disease using preimplantation genetic testing. We describe here the use of quantitative PCR (qPCR) for the custom construction of single gene disorder testing plans for families, the validation of the probes designed, and the protocol for diagnosing an embryo biopsy. qPCR has been shown to have the lowest risk of failed amplification and allele dropout and thus the lowest risk of a misdiagnosis, while also currently providing the fastest protocol to allow for rapid turnaround of results.

As part of a broader collaborative network of exome sequencing studies, we developed a jointly called data set of 5,685 Ashkenazi Jewish exomes. We make publicly available a resource of site and allele frequencies, which should serve as a reference for medical genetics in the Ashkenazim (hosted in part at https://ibd.broadinstitute.org, also available in gnomAD at http://gnomad.broadinstitute.org). We estimate that 34% of protein-coding alleles present in the Ashkenazi Jewish population at frequencies greater than 0.2% are significantly more frequent (mean 15-fold) than their maximum frequency observed in other reference populations. Arising via a well-described founder effect approximately 30 generations ago, this catalog of enriched alleles can contribute to differences in genetic risk and overall prevalence of diseases between populations. As validation we document 148 AJ enriched protein-altering alleles that overlap with "pathogenic" ClinVar alleles (table available at https://github.com/macarthur-lab/clinvar/blob/master/output/clinvar.tsv), including those that account for 10–100 fold differences in prevalence between AJ and non-AJ populations of some rare diseases, especially recessive conditions, including Gaucher disease (GBA, p.Asn409Ser, 8-fold enrichment); Canavan disease (ASPA, p.Glu285Ala, 12-fold enrichment); and Tay-Sachs disease (HEXA, c.1421+1G>C, 27-fold enrichment; p.Tyr427IlefsTer5, 12-fold enrichment). We next sought to use this catalog, of well-established relevance to Mendelian disease, to explore Crohn's disease, a common disease with an estimated two to four-fold excess prevalence in AJ. We specifically attempt to evaluate whether strong acting rare alleles, particularly protein-truncating or otherwise large effect-size alleles, enriched by the same founder-effect, contribute excess genetic risk to Crohn's disease in AJ, and find that ten rare genetic risk factors in NOD2 and LRRK2 are enriched in AJ (p < 0.005), including several novel contributing alleles, show evidence of association to CD. Independently, we find that genomewide common variant risk defined by GWAS shows a strong difference between AJ and non-AJ European control population samples (0.97 s.d. higher, p, Author summary The Ashkenazim are a people with ancestry in northern-European Jewish groups. A founder effect caused a bottleneck in this population approximately one thousand years ago, resulting in a group of enriched alleles in their genetic makeup. A higher documented prevalence of Crohn’s Disease in the Ashkenazim indicates that some enriched alleles may confer risk of having this disease. By studying which genes are enriched, and which of these contribute to Crohn’s Disease risk, we are better able to understand the genetic architecture of the affected population, and of the disease itself. Further, we are able to develop a resource containing tables of significantly enriched alleles that are known or suspected to contribute to other disease.

Background/aims Leukodystrophies due to abnormal production of myelin cause extensive morbidity in early life; their genetic background is still largely unknown. We aimed at reaching a molecular diagnosis in Ashkenazi-Jewish patients who suffered from developmental regression at 6–13 months, leukodystrophy and peripheral neuropathy. Methods Exome analysis, determination of alkaline ceramidase activity catalysing the conversion of C18:1-ceramide to sphingosine and D-ribo-C12-N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) (NBD)-phytoceramide to NBD-C12-fatty acid using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and thin layer chromatography, respectively, and sphingolipid analysis in patients’ blood by LC-MS/MS. Results The patients were homozygous for p.E33G in the ACER3, which encodes a C18:1-alkaline ceramidase and C20:1-alkaline ceramidase. The mutation abolished ACER3 catalytic activity in the patients’ cells and failed to restore alkaline ceramidase activity in yeast mutant strain. The levels of ACER3 substrates, C18:1-ceramides and dihydroceramides and C20:1-ceramides and dihydroceramides and other long-chain ceramides and dihydroceramides were markedly increased in the patients’ plasma, along with that of complex sphingolipids, including monohexosylceramides and lactosylceramides. Conclusions Homozygosity for the p.E33G mutation in the ACER3 gene results in inactivation of ACER3, leading to the accumulation of various sphingolipids in blood and probably in brain, likely accounting for this new form of childhood leukodystrophy.

Background The identification of the molecular basis of mitochondrial disorders continues to be challenging and expensive. The increasing usage of next-generation sequencing is facilitating the discovery of the genetic aetiology of heterogeneous phenotypes associated with these conditions. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential cofactor for mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and other biochemical pathways. Mutations in genes involved in CoQ10 biosynthesis cause primary CoQ10 deficiency syndromes that can be treated with oral supplementation of ubiquinone. Methods We used whole exome sequencing to evaluate six probands from four unrelated families with clinical findings suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder. Clinical data were obtained by chart review, parental interviews, direct patient assessment and biochemical and pathological evaluation. Results We identified five recessive missense mutations in COQ4 segregating with disease in all four families. One mutation was found in a homozygous state in two unrelated Ashkenazi Jewish probands. All patients were female, and presented on the first day of life, and died in the neonatal period or early infancy. Clinical findings included hypotonia (6/6), encephalopathy with EEG abnormalities (4/4), neonatal seizures (3/6), cerebellar atrophy (4/5), cardiomyopathy (5/6) and lactic acidosis (4/6). Autopsy findings in two patients revealed neuron loss and reactive astrocytosis or cerebellar and brainstem hypoplasia and microdysgenesis. Conclusions Mutations in COQ4 cause an autosomal recessive lethal neonatal mitochondrial encephalomyopathy associated with a founder mutation in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. The early mortality in our cohort suggests that COQ4 is an essential component of the multisubunit complex required for CoQ10 biosynthesis.

Background L-serine plays an essential role in neuronal development and function. Although a non-essential amino acid, L-serine must be synthesised within the brain because of its poor permeability by the blood–brain barrier. Within the brain, its synthesis is confined to astrocytes, and its shuttle to neuronal cells is performed by a dedicated neutral amino acid transporter, ASCT1. Methods and results Using exome analysis we identified the recessive mutations, p.E256K, p.L315fs, and p.R457W, in SLC1A4 , the gene encoding ASCT1, in patients with developmental delay, microcephaly and hypomyelination; seizure disorder was variably present. When expressed in a heterologous system, the mutations did not affect the protein level at the plasma membrane but abolished or markedly reduced L-serine transport for p.R457W and p.E256K mutations, respectively. Interestingly, p.E256K mutation displayed a lower L-serine and alanine affinity but the same substrate selectivity as wild-type ASCT1. Conclusions The clinical phenotype of ASCT1 deficiency is reminiscent of defects in L-serine biosynthesis. The data underscore that ASCT1 is essential in brain serine transport. The SLC1A4 p.E256K mutation has a carrier frequency of 0.7% in the Ashkenazi-Jewish population and should be added to the carrier screening panel in this community.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder that results from functional and ultrastructural abnormalities of motile cilia. Patients with PCD have diverse clinical phenotypes that include chronic upper and lower respiratory tract infections, situs inversus, heterotaxy with or without congenital heart disease, and male infertility, among others. In this report, the carrier frequencies for eleven mutations in eight PCD-associated genes (DNAI1, DNAI2, DNAH5, DNAH11, CCDC114, CCDC40, CCDC65, and C21orf59) that had been found in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent were investigated in order to advise on including them in existing clinical mutation panels for this population. Results showed relatively high carrier frequencies for the DNAH5 c.7502G>C mutation (0.58%), the DNAI2 c.1304G>A mutation (0.50%), and the C21orf59 c.735C>G mutation (0.48%), as well as lower frequencies for mutations in DNAI1, CCDC65, CCDC114, and DNAH11 (0.10–0.29%). These results suggest that several of these genes should be considered for inclusion in carrier screening panels in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

Ethnic-specific differences in minor allele frequency impact variant categorization for genetic screening of nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) and other genetic disorders. We sought to evaluate all previously reported pathogenic NSHL variants in the context of a large number of controls from ethnically distinct populations sequenced with orthogonal massively parallel sequencing methods. We used HGMD, ClinVar, and dbSNP to generate a comprehensive list of reported pathogenic NSHL variants and re-evaluated these variants in the context of 8,595 individuals from 12 populations and 6 ethnically distinct major human evolutionary phylogenetic groups from three sources (Exome Variant Server, 1000 Genomes project, and a control set of individuals created for this study, the OtoDB). Of the 2,197 reported pathogenic deafness variants, 325 (14.8%) were present in at least one of the 8,595 controls, indicating a minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.00006. MAFs ranged as high as 0.72, a level incompatible with pathogenicity for a fully penetrant disease like NSHL. Based on these data, we established MAF thresholds of 0.005 for autosomal-recessive variants (excluding specific variants in GJB2) and 0.0005 for autosomal-dominant variants. Using these thresholds, we recategorized 93 (4.2%) of reported pathogenic variants as benign. Our data show that evaluation of reported pathogenic deafness variants using variant MAFs from multiple distinct ethnicities and sequenced by orthogonal methods provides a powerful filter for determining pathogenicity. The proposed MAF thresholds will facilitate clinical interpretation of variants identified in genetic testing for NSHL. All data are publicly available to facilitate interpretation of genetic variants causing deafness.

Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HH) is a clinically severe variant of dyskeratosis congenita (DC), characterized by cerebellar hypoplasia, microcephaly, intrauterine growth retardation, and severe immunodeficiency in addition to features of DC. Germline mutations in the RTEL1 gene have recently been identified as causative of HH. In this study, the carrier frequency for five RTEL1 mutations that occurred in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent was investigated in order to advise on including them in existing clinical mutation panels for this population. Our screening showed that the carrier frequency for c.3791G>A (p.R1264H) was higher than expected, 1% in the Ashkenazi Orthodox and 0.45% in the general Ashkenazi Jewish population. Haplotype analyses suggested the presence of a common founder. We recommend that the c.3791G>A RTEL1 mutation be considered for inclusion in carrier screening panels in the Ashkenazi population.

It has been over two decades since the first preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for a monogenic disorder was performed [1], and methods have evolved to include a wide variety of techniques [2]. Among the most important advances was the incorporation of genotyping of linked informative markers near the mutation in order to avoid misdiagnosis from a phenomenon known as allele drop out (ADO). ADO occurs when two alleles are present, but the PCR-based test only detects one of the two, which can result in misdiagnosis of a monogenic disorder. However, by evaluating nearby linked informative polymorphisms, this type of error can be avoided since it is less likely to occur twice in the same test [2, 3]. The most common type of polymorphism used as a linked marker in the PGD setting is the short tandem repeat (STR). One advantage of the STR is that it is often multi-allelic, providing a high likelihood of being informative for a given family. However, a potential disadvantage is the relatively low frequency of STRs throughout the human genome [4, 5]. This becomes an important issue as genotypes of markers too far away from the mutation could be misinterpreted as a result of recombination. Specifically, if recombination occurred between the marker and the mutation, the genotypes could be misinterpreted as consistent with an ADO event at one of the two loci. This is even more of a concern when genes near telomeres are evaluated since the recombination frequency is considerably higher than other regions on the chromosome [6, 7]. In contrast to the STR, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is the most common polymorphism in the human genome, and therefore more likely to provide a marker within 1 Mb of the mutation, as recommended by the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) PGD Consortium [2]. We recently reported the use of TaqMan PCR based allelic discrimination to genotype embryos for a single gene disorder in parallel with comprehensive chromosome screening [8]. This approach provides an opportunity to genotype SNPs as informative markers, instead of STRs, using a quantitative real time (q)PCR-based approach. This case report illustrates the particular advantage of qPCR, by identifying STR-based misdiagnoses due to recombination near the mutation.

Osteopetrosis is a rare and heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by dense bone mass that is a consequence of defective osteoclast function and/or development. Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (ARO) is the most severe form and is often fatal within the first years of life; early hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains the only curative treatment for ARO. The majority of the ARO-causing mutations are located in the TCIRG1 gene. We report here the identification and characterization of an A to T transversion in the fourth base of the intron 2 donor splice site (c.117+4A→T) in TCIRG1, a mutation not previously seen in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population. Analysis of a random sample of individuals of AJ descent revealed a carrier frequency of approximately 1 in 350. Genotyping of five loci adjacent to the c.117+4A→T-containing TCIRG1 allele revealed that the presence of this mutation in the AJ population is due to a single founder. The identification of this mutation will enable population carrier testing and will facilitate the identification and treatment of individuals homozygous for this mutation.

As part of a broader collaborative network of exome sequencing studies, we developed a jointly called data set of 5,685 Ashkenazi Jewish exomes. We make publicly available a resource of site and allele frequencies, which should serve as a reference for medical genetics in the Ashkenazim (hosted in part at https://ibd.broadinstitute.org, also available in gnomAD at http://gnomad.broadinstitute.org). We estimate that 34% of protein-coding alleles present in the Ashkenazi Jewish population at frequencies greater than 0.2% are significantly more frequent (mean 15-fold) than their maximum frequency observed in other reference populations. Arising via a well-described founder effect approximately 30 generations ago, this catalog of enriched alleles can contribute to differences in genetic risk and overall prevalence of diseases between populations. As validation we document 148 AJ enriched protein-altering alleles that overlap with "pathogenic" ClinVar alleles (table available at https://github.com/macarthur-lab/clinvar/blob/master/output/clinvar.tsv), including those that account for 10-100 fold differences in prevalence between AJ and non-AJ populations of some rare diseases, especially recessive conditions, including Gaucher disease (GBA, p.Asn409Ser, 8-fold enrichment); Canavan disease (ASPA, p.Glu285Ala, 12-fold enrichment); and Tay-Sachs disease (HEXA, c.1421+1GC, 27-fold enrichment; p.Tyr427IlefsTer5, 12-fold enrichment). We next sought to use this catalog, of well-established relevance to Mendelian disease, to explore Crohn's disease, a common disease with an estimated two to four-fold excess prevalence in AJ. We specifically attempt to evaluate whether strong acting rare alleles, particularly protein-truncating or otherwise large effect-size alleles, enriched by the same founder-effect, contribute excess genetic risk to Crohn's disease in AJ, and find that ten rare genetic risk factors in NOD2 and LRRK2 are enriched in AJ (p0.005), including several novel contributing alleles, show evidence of association to CD. Independently, we find that genomewide common variant risk defined by GWAS shows a strong difference between AJ and non-AJ European control population samples (0.97 s.d. higher, p10-16). Taken together, the results suggest coordinated selection in AJ population for higher CD risk alleles in general. The results and approach illustrate the value of exome sequencing data in case-control studies along with reference data sets like ExAC (sites VCF available via FTP at ftp.broadinstitute.org/pub/ExAC_release/release0.3/) to pinpoint genetic variation that contributes to variable disease predisposition across populations.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is known to be caused by numerous mutations that occur in at least 15 of the BBS genes. As the disease follows an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance, carrier screening can be performed for at-risk couples, but the number of potential mutation sites to screen can be daunting. Ethnic studies can help to narrow this range by highlighting mutations that are present at higher percentages in certain populations. In this article, the carrier frequency for two mutations that occur in the BBS2 gene, c.311A>C and c.1895G>C were studied in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent in order to advise on including them in existing mutation panels for this population. Carrier screenings were performed on individuals from the Ashkenazi Jewish population using a combination of TaqMan genotyping assays followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and allelic discrimination, and allele-specific PCR confirmed by restriction analysis. The combined results indicated carrier frequencies of 0.473% (±0.0071%) for the c.311A>C mutation and 0.261% (±0.0064%) for the c.1895G>C mutation. On the basis of these frequencies, we believe that the two mutations should be considered for inclusion in screening panels for the Ashkenazi population.

Zellweger syndrome is known to be caused by numerous mutations that occur in at least 12 of the PEX genes. While phenotypes vary, many are severely debilitating, and death can result in affected newborns. Since the disease follows an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance, carrier screening can be done for at-risk couples, but the number of potential mutations sites to screen can be daunting. Ethnicity-specific studies can help narrow this range by highlighting mutations that are present at higher percentages in certain populations. In this article, the carrier frequencies for two mutations causative of the severe Zellweger syndrome spectrum phenotype that occur in the PEX2 gene, c.355C>T and c.550del, were studied in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent in order to advise on inclusion in existing carrier screening mutation panels for this population. The screening was performed for 2093 individuals through the use of TaqMan genotyping assays, real-time PCR, and allelic discrimination. Results indicated a carrier frequency of 0.813% (±0.385%) for the c.355C>T mutation and a carrier frequency of 0.00% (±0.00%) for the c.550del mutation. On the basis of these frequencies, we believe that the c.355C>T mutation should be considered for inclusion in carrier screening panels for the Ashkenazi population.

As part of a broader collaborative network of exome sequencing studies, we developed a jointly called data set of 5,685 Ashkenazi Jewish exomes. We make publicly available a resource of site and allele frequencies, which should serve as a reference for medical genetics in the Ashkenazim. We estimate that 30% of protein-coding alleles present in the Ashkenazi Jewish population at frequencies greater than 0.2% are significantly more frequent (mean 7.6-fold) than their maximum frequency observed in other reference populations. Arising via a well-described founder effect, this catalog of enriched alleles can contribute to differences in genetic risk and overall prevalence of diseases between populations. As validation we document 151 AJ enriched protein-altering alleles that overlap with “pathogenic” ClinVar alleles, including those that account for 10-100 fold differences in prevalence between AJ and non-AJ populations of some rare diseases including Gaucher disease (GBA, p.Asn409Ser, 8-fold enrichment); Canavan disease (ASPA, p.Glu285Ala, 12-fold enrichment); and Tay-Sachs disease (HEXA, c.1421+1G>C, 27-fold enrichment; p.Tyr427IlefsTer5, 12-fold enrichment). We next sought to use this catalog, of well-established relevance to Mendelian disease, to explore Crohn’s disease, a common disease with an estimated two to four-fold excess prevalence in AJ. We specifically evaluate whether strong acting rare alleles, enriched by the same founder-effect, contribute excess genetic risk to Crohn’s disease in AJ, and find that ten rare genetic risk factors in NOD2 and LRRK2 are strongly enriched in AJ, including several novel contributing alleles, show evidence of association to CD. Independently, we find that genomewide common variant risk defined by GWAS shows a strong difference between AJ and non-AJ European control population samples (0.97 s.d. higher, p−16). Taken together, the results suggest coordinated selection in AJ population for higher CD risk alleles in general. The results and approach illustrate the value of exome sequencing data in case-control studies along with reference data sets like ExAC to pinpoint genetic variation that contributes to variable disease predisposition across populations.

Background Cell survival critically depends on the integrity of mitochondria, which play a pivotal role during apoptosis. Extensive mitochondrial damage promotes release of pro-apoptotic factors from the intermembrane space of mitochondria. Released mitochondrial proteins include Smac/DIABLO and HTRA2/Omi, which inhibit the cytosolic E3 ubiquitin ligase XIAP and other inhibitors of apoptosis proteins. Aims Here we investigated the cause of extreme hypertonia at birth, alternating with hypotonia, with the subsequent appearance of extrapyramidal symptoms, lack of psychomotor development, microcephaly, intractable seizures and early death in four patients from two unrelated families. The patients showed lactic acidemia, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, intermittent neutropenia, evolving brain atrophy and disturbed cristae structure in muscle mitochondria. Methods and results Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified missplicing mutation and a 5 bp deletion in HTRA2 , encoding HTRA2/Omi. This protein was completely absent from the patients9 fibroblasts, whose growth was impaired and which were hypersensitive to apoptosis. Expression of HtrA2/Omi or of the proteolytically inactive HTRA2/Omi protein restored the cells9 apoptotic resistance. However, cell growth was only restored by the proteolytically active protein. Conclusions This is the first report of recessive deleterious mutations in HTRA2 in human. The clinical phenotype, the increased apoptotic susceptibility and the impaired cell growth recapitulate those observed in the Htra2 knockout mice and in mutant mice with proteolytically inactive HTRA2/Omi. Together, they underscore the importance of both chaperone and proteolytic activities of HTRA2/Omi for balanced apoptosis sensitivity and for brain development. Absence of HTRA2/Omi is associated with severe neurodegenerative disorder of infancy, abnormal mitochondria, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria and increased sensitivity to apoptosis.

Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (MIM #604498) (CAMT) is a rare inherited disease presenting as severe thrombocytopenia in infancy. Untreated, many CAMT patients develop aplastic anemia within the first decade of life; the only effective treatment of CAMT is bone marrow transplantation. CAMT is the result of the presence of homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the thrombopoietin receptor-encoding gene, MPL. We report here the identification and characterization of a founder mutation in MPL in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population. This mutation, termed c.79+2T>A, is a T to A transversion in the invariant second base of the intron 1 donor splice site. Analysis of a random sample of 2018 individuals of AJ descent revealed a carrier frequency of approximately 1 in 75. Genotyping of six loci adjacent to the MPL gene in the proband and in the 27 individuals identified as carriers of the c.79+2T>A mutation revealed that the presence of this mutation in the AJ population is due to a single founder. The observed carrier frequency predicts an incidence of CAMT in the AJ population of approximately 1 in 22,500 pregnancies. The identification of this mutation will enable population carrier testing and will facilitate the identification and treatment of individuals homozygous for this mutation.

Background The genetic heterogeneity of developmental delay and cognitive impairment is vast. The endocytic network is essential for neural development and synaptic plasticity by regulating the sorting of numerous transmembrane proteins. Disruption of the pathway can lead to neuronal pathology. Endosomal biogenesis relies on two Rab proteins, Rab5 and Rab7, which bind to two hexameric tethering complexes, the endosomal class C core vacuole/endosome tethering complex (CORVET) and the late endosomal/lysosomal homotypic fusion and protein sorting complex (HOPS). Both complexes consist of four core proteins and differ by their specific Rab-binding proteins. Objectives To identify the molecular basis of a neurological disease, which consists of global developmental stagnation at 3–8 months, increasing appendicular spasticity, truncal hypotonia and acquired microcephaly, with variable seizure disorder, accompanied by thin corpus callosum, paucity of white matter and delayed myelination in eight patients from four unrelated Ashkenazi-Jewish (AJ) families. Methods Exome analysis, homozygosity mapping and Mup1-GFP transport assay in mutant yeast. Results Homozygosity for a missense mutation, p.Cys846Gly, in one of the endosomal biogenesis core proteins, VPS11, was identified in all the patients. This was shown to be a founder mutation with a carrier frequency of 0.6% in the AJ population. The homologous yeast mutant had moderate impairment of fusion of the late endosome to the vacuole in Mup1-GFP transport assay. Conclusions We speculate that in neuronal cells, impairment of fusion of the late endosome to the vacuole would attenuate the degradation of plasma membrane receptors, thereby underlying the progressive neuronal phenotype in our patients. The VPS11 p.Cys846Gly mutation should be added to the AJ carrier screening panel.

Background Leukodystrophies are genetic white matter disorders affecting the formation or maintenance of myelin. Among the recently discovered genetic defects associated with leukodystrophies, several genes converge on a common mechanism involving protein transcription/translation and ER stress response. Methods The genetic basis of a novel congenital leukodystrophy, associated with early onset spastic paraparesis, acquired microcephaly and optic atrophy was studied in six patients from three unrelated Ashkenazi-Jewish families. To this end we used homozygosity mapping, exome analysis, western blot (Hikeshi, HSF1-pS326 and b-actin) in patient fibroblasts, indirect immunofluorescence (HSP70 and HSF1) in patient fibroblasts undergoing heat shock stress, nuclear injection of plasmids expressing Hikeshi or EGFP in patient fibroblasts, in situ hybridization and Immunoblot analysis of Hikeshi in newborn and adult mouse brain. Results All the patients were homozygous for a missense mutation, p.Val54Leu, in C11ORF73 encoding HSP70 nuclear transporter protein, Hikeshi. The mutation segregated with the disease in the families and was carried by 1:200 Ashkenazi-Jewish individuals. The mutation was associated with undetectable level of Hikeshi in the patients' fibroblasts and with lack of nuclear HSP70 during heat shock stress, a phenomenon which was reversed upon the introduction of normal human Hikeshi to the patients cells. Hikeshi was found to be expressed in central white matter of mouse brain. Conclusions These data underscore the importance of Hikeshi for HSP70 relocation into the nucleus. It is likely that in the absence of Hikeshi, HSP70 cannot attenuate the multiple heat shock induced nuclear phenotypes, leaving the cells unprotected during heat shock stress. We speculate that the sudden death of three of the six patients following a short febrile illness and the life-threatening myo-pericarditis in the fourth are the result of excess extra-nuclear HSP70 level which initiates cytokine release or provide target for natural killer cells. Alternatively, nuclear HSP70 might play an active role in stressed cells protection.