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Purpose The endoplasmic reticulum membrane complex (EMC) is a highly conserved, multifunctional 10-protein complex related to membrane protein biology. In seven families, we identified 13 individuals with highly overlapping phenotypes who harbor a single identical homozygous frameshift variant in EMC10. Methods Using exome, genome, and Sanger sequencing, a recurrent frameshift EMC10 variant was identified in affected individuals in an international cohort of consanguineous families. Multiple families were independently identified and connected via Matchmaker Exchange and internal databases. We assessed the effect of the frameshift variant on EMC10 RNA and protein expression and evaluated EMC10 expression in normal human brain tissue using immunohistochemistry. Results A homozygous variant EMC10 c.287delG (Refseq NM_206538.3, p.Gly96Alafs*9) segregated with affected individuals in each family, who exhibited a phenotypic spectrum of intellectual disability (ID) and global developmental delay (GDD), variable seizures and variable dysmorphic features (elongated face, curly hair, cubitus valgus, and arachnodactyly). The variant arose on two founder haplotypes and results in significantly reduced EMC10 RNA expression and an unstable truncated EMC10 protein. Conclusion We propose that a homozygous loss-of-function variant in EMC10 causes a novel syndromic neurodevelopmental phenotype. Remarkably, the recurrent variant is likely the result of a hypermutable site and arose on distinct founder haplotypes.

More than 98% of the human genome is made up of non-coding DNA, but techniques to ascertain its contribution to human disease have lagged far behind our understanding of protein coding variations. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been mostly associated with coding variations via de novo single nucleotide variants (SNVs), recessive/homozygous SNVs, or de novo copy number variants (CNVs); however, most ASD cases continue to lack a genetic diagnosis. We analyzed 187 consanguineous ASD families for biallelic CNVs. Recessive deletions were significantly enriched in affected individuals relative to their unaffected siblings (17% versus 4%, p p

Significance By evaluating children with a malformed cerebral cortex, we identified an ATPase pump (ATP1A3) with an early role in brain development. The ATP1A3 pump maintains the physiological concentration of sodium and potassium ions in cells, a process critical for osmotic equilibrium and membrane potential across several developing cell populations. We employed single-cell sequencing approaches to identify key enrichments for ATP1A3 expression during human cortex development. Unravelling this early cell-type–specific pathophysiology in the developing brain offers a potential basis for the treatment of ATP1A3-related diseases affecting prenatal and early childhood development., Osmotic equilibrium and membrane potential in animal cells depend on concentration gradients of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions across the plasma membrane, a function catalyzed by the Na+,K+-ATPase α-subunit. Here, we describe ATP1A3 variants encoding dysfunctional α3-subunits in children affected by polymicrogyria, a developmental malformation of the cerebral cortex characterized by abnormal folding and laminar organization. To gain cell-biological insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of prenatal ATP1A3 expression, we built an ATP1A3 transcriptional atlas of fetal cortical development using mRNA in situ hybridization and transcriptomic profiling of ∼125,000 individual cells with single-cell RNA sequencing (Drop-seq) from 11 areas of the midgestational human neocortex. We found that fetal expression of ATP1A3 is most abundant to a subset of excitatory neurons carrying transcriptional signatures of the developing subplate, yet also maintains expression in nonneuronal cell populations. Moving forward a year in human development, we profiled ∼52,000 nuclei from four areas of an infant neocortex and show that ATP1A3 expression persists throughout early postnatal development, most predominantly in inhibitory neurons, including parvalbumin interneurons in the frontal cortex. Finally, we discovered the heteromeric Na+,K+-ATPase pump complex may form nonredundant cell-type–specific α-β isoform combinations, including α3-β1 in excitatory neurons and α3-β2 in inhibitory neurons. Together, the developmental malformation phenotype of affected individuals and single-cell ATP1A3 expression patterns point to a key role for α3 in human cortex development, as well as a cell-type basis for pre- and postnatal ATP1A3-associated diseases.

Osmotic equilibrium and membrane potential in animal cells depend on concentration gradients of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions across the plasma membrane, a function catalyzed by the Na+,K+-ATPase α-subunit. Here, we describe ATP1A3 variants encoding dysfunctional α3-subunits in children affected by polymicrogyria, a developmental malformation of the cerebral cortex characterized by abnormal folding and laminar organization. To gain cell-biological insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of prenatal ATP1A3 expression, we built an ATP1A3 transcriptional atlas of fetal cortical development using mRNA in situ hybridization and transcriptomic profiling of ∼125,000 individual cells with single-cell RNA sequencing (Drop-seq) from 11 areas of the midgestational human neocortex. We found that fetal expression of ATP1A3 is most abundant to a subset of excitatory neurons carrying transcriptional signatures of the developing subplate, yet also maintains expression in nonneuronal cell populations. Moving forward a year in human development, we profiled ∼52,000 nuclei from four areas of an infant neocortex and show that ATP1A3 expression persists throughout early postnatal development, most predominantly in inhibitory neurons, including parvalbumin interneurons in the frontal cortex. Finally, we discovered the heteromeric Na+,K+-ATPase pump complex may form nonredundant cell-type-specific α-β isoform combinations, including α3-β1 in excitatory neurons and α3-β2 in inhibitory neurons. Together, the developmental malformation phenotype of affected individuals and single-cell ATP1A3 expression patterns point to a key role for α3 in human cortex development, as well as a cell-type basis for pre- and postnatal ATP1A3-associated diseases.

Osmotic equilibrium and membrane potential in animal cells depend on concentration gradients of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions across the plasma membrane, a function that is catalyzed by the Na,K-ATPase alpha subunit. In vertebrates, four paralogous genes, ATP1A1-4, encode distinct alpha subunit isoforms (a1-a4), three of which (a1, a2, a3) are expressed in the brain, and two (a1, a3) predominantly in neurons. The a3 isoform, encoded by ATP1A3, is critical to neuronal physiology, and a growing spectrum of neurological diseases are associated with ATP1A3 pathogenic variants, with ages of onset ranging from early childhood to adulthood. Here, we describe ATP1A3 variants encoding dysfunctional a3 subunits in children affected by polymicrogyria, a developmental malformation of the cerebral cortex characterized by abnormal folding and laminar organization. To gain cell-biological insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of prenatal ATP1A3 expression, we established a transcriptional atlas of ATP1A3 expression during cortical development using mRNA in situ hybridization and transcriptomic profiling of ~125,000 individual cells with single-cell RNA sequencing (Drop-Seq) from various areas of the midgestational human neocortex. We find that fetal expression of ATP1A3 is restricted to a subset of excitatory neurons carrying transcriptional signatures of neuronal activity and maturation characteristic of the developing subplate. Furthermore, by performing Drop-Seq on ~52,000 nuclei from four different areas of an infant human neocortex, we show that ATP1A3 expression persists throughout early postnatal development, not only within excitatory neurons across all cortical layers, but also and more predominantly in inhibitory neurons, with specific enrichment in fast-spiking basket cells. In addition, we show that ATP1A3 expression, both in fetal and postnatal neurons, tends to be higher in frontal cortical areas than in occipital areas, in a pattern consistent with the rostro-caudal maturation gradient of the human neocortex. Finally, we discover distinct co-expression patterns linking catalytic α subunit isoforms (ATP1A1,2,3) and auxiliary isoforms (ATP1B1,2,3), suggesting the ATPase pump may form non-redundant, cell-type specific α-β combinations. Together, the importance of the developmental phenotypes and dynamic expression patterns of ATP1A3 point to a key role for a3 in the development and function of human cortex.

Purpose The exocyst complex is a conserved protein complex that mediates fusion of intracellular vesicles to the plasma membrane and is implicated in processes including cell polarity, cell migration, ciliogenesis, cytokinesis, autophagy, and fusion of secretory vesicles. The essential role of these genes in human genetic disorders, however, is unknown. Methods We performed homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing of consanguineous families with recessively inherited brain development disorders. We modeled an EXOC7 splice variant in vitro and examined EXOC7 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in developing mouse and human cortex. We modeled exoc7 loss-of-function in a zebrafish knockout. Results We report variants in exocyst complex members, EXOC7 and EXOC8, in a novel disorder of cerebral cortex development. In EXOC7, we identified four independent partial loss-of-function (LOF) variants in a recessively inherited disorder characterized by brain atrophy, seizures, and developmental delay, and in severe cases, microcephaly and infantile death. In EXOC8, we found a homozygous truncating variant in a family with a similar clinical disorder. We modeled exoc7 deficiency in zebrafish and found the absence of exoc7 causes microcephaly. Conclusion Our results highlight the essential role of the exocyst pathway in normal cortical development and how its perturbation causes complex brain disorders.

Genes mutated in human neuronal migration disorders encode tubulin proteins and a variety of tubulin-binding and -regulating proteins, but it is very poorly understood how these proteins function together to coordinate migration. Additionally, the way in which regional differences in neocortical migration are controlled is completely unknown. Here we describe a new syndrome with remarkably region-specific effects on neuronal migration in the posterior cortex, reflecting de novo variants in CEP85L. We show that CEP85L is required cell autonomously in vivo and in vitro for migration, that it localizes to the maternal centriole, and that it forms a complex with many other proteins required for migration, including CDK5, LIS1, NDE1, KIF2A, and DYNC1H1. Loss of CEP85L disrupts CDK5 localization and activation, leading to centrosome disorganization and disrupted microtubule cytoskeleton organization. Together, our findings suggest that CEP85L highlights a complex that controls CDK5 activity to promote neuronal migration. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Protein homeostasis is tightly regulated by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. Disruption of this pathway gives rise to a host of neurological disorders. Through whole exome sequencing (WES) in families with neurodevelopmental disorders, we identified mutations in PSMD12, a core component of the proteasome, underlying a neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability (ID) and features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We performed WES on six affected siblings from a multiplex family with ID and autistic features, the affected father, and two unaffected mothers, and a trio from a simplex family with one affected child with ID and periventricular nodular heterotopia. We identified an inherited heterozygous nonsense mutation in PSMD12 (NM_002816: c.367C>T: p.R123X) in the multiplex family and a de novo nonsense mutation in the same gene (NM_002816: c.601C>T: p.R201X) in the simplex family. PSMD12 encodes a non-ATPase regulatory subunit of the 26S proteasome. We confirm the association of PSMD12 with ID, present the first cases of inherited PSMD12 mutation, and demonstrate the heterogeneity of phenotypes associated with PSMD12 mutations.

Aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases ligate amino acids to specific tRNAs and are essential for protein synthesis. Although alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS) is a synthetase implicated in a wide range of neurological disorders from Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease to infantile epileptic encephalopathy, there have been limited data on their pathogenesis. Here we report loss-of-function mutations in AARS in two siblings with progressive microcephaly with hypomyelination, intractable epilepsy and spasticity. Whole exome sequencing identified that the affected individuals were compound heterozygous for mutations in AARS gene, c.2067dupC (p.Tyr690Leufs*3) and c.2738G>A (p.Gly913Asp). A lymphoblastoid cell line developed from one of the affected individuals showed a strong reduction in AARS abundance. The mutations decrease aminoacylation efficiency by 70–90%. The p.Tyr690Leufs*3 mutation also abolished editing activity required for hydrolyzing misacylated tRNAs, thereby increasing errors during aminoacylation. Our study has extended potential mechanisms underlying AARS-related disorders to include destabilization of the protein, aminoacylation dysfunction, and defective editing activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

While next-generation sequencing has accelerated the discovery of human disease genes, progress has been largely limited to the “low hanging fruit” of mutations with obvious exonic coding or canonical splice site impact. In contrast, the lack of high-throughput, unbiased approaches for functional assessment of most noncoding variants has bottlenecked gene discovery. We report the integration of transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), which surveys all mRNAs to reveal functional impacts of variants at the transcription level, into the gene discovery framework for a unique human disease, microcephaly-micromelia syndrome (MMS). MMS is an autosomal recessive condition described thus far in only a single First Nations population and causes intrauterine growth restriction, severe microcephaly, craniofacial anomalies, skeletal dysplasia, and neonatal lethality. Linkage analysis of affected families, including a very large pedigree, identified a single locus on Chromosome 21 linked to the disease (LOD > 9). Comprehensive genome sequencing did not reveal any pathogenic coding or canonical splicing mutations within the linkage region but identified several nonconserved noncoding variants. RNA-seq analysis detected aberrant splicing in DONSON due to one of these noncoding variants, showing a causative role for DONSON disruption in MMS. We show that DONSON is expressed in progenitor cells of embryonic human brain and other proliferating tissues, is co-expressed with components of the DNA replication machinery, and that Donson is essential for early embryonic development in mice as well, suggesting an essential conserved role for DONSON in the cell cycle. Our results demonstrate the utility of integrating transcriptomics into the study of human genetic disease when DNA sequencing alone is not sufficient to reveal the underlying pathogenic mutation.

Channelopathies are disorders caused by abnormal ion channel function in differentiated excitable tissues. We discovered a unique neurodevelopmental channelopathy resulting from pathogenic variants in SCN3A, a gene encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel Na(V)1.3. Pathogenic Na(V)1.3 channels showed altered biophysical properties including increased persistent current. Remarkably, affected individuals showed disrupted folding (polymicrogyria) of the perisylvian cortex of the brain but did not typically exhibit epilepsy; they presented with prominent speech and oral motor dysfunction, implicating SCN3A in prenatal development of human cortical language areas. The development of this disorder parallels SCN3A expression, which we observed to be highest early in fetal cortical development in progenitor cells of the outer subventricular zone and cortical plate neurons and decreased postnatally, when SCN1A (Na(V)1.1) expression increased. Disrupted cerebral cortical folding and neuronal migration were recapitulated in ferrets expressing the mutant channel, underscoring the unexpected role of SCN3A in progenitor cells and migrating neurons.

Congenital muscular dystrophies display a wide phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. The combination of clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetic findings must be considered to obtain the precise diagnosis and provide appropriate genetic counselling. Here we report five individuals from four families presenting with variable clinical features including muscular dystrophy with a reduction in dystroglycan glycosylation, short stature, intellectual disability, and cataracts, overlapping both the dystroglycanopathies and Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome. Whole-exome sequencing revealed homozygous missense and compound heterozygous mutations in INPP5K in the affected members of each family. INPP5K encodes the inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase K, also known as SKIP (skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), which is highly expressed in the brain and muscle. INPP5K localizes to both the endoplasmic reticulum and to actin ruffles in the cytoplasm. It has been shown to regulate myoblast differentiation and has also been implicated in protein processing through its interaction with the ER chaperone HSPA5/BiP. We show that morpholino-mediated inpp5k loss of function in the zebrafish results in shortened body axis, microphthalmia with disorganized lens, microcephaly, reduced touch-evoked motility, and highly disorganized myofibers. Altogether these data demonstrate that mutations in INPP5K cause a congenital muscular dystrophy syndrome with short stature, cataracts, and intellectual disability.

The genetic architecture of autism spectrum disorder involves the interplay of common and rare variants and their impact on hundreds of genes. Using exome sequencing, here we show that analysis of rare coding variation in 3,871 autism cases and 9,937 ancestry-matched or parental controls implicates 22 autosomal genes at a false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05, plus a set of 107 autosomal genes strongly enriched for those likely to affect risk (FDR < 0.30). These 107 genes, which show unusual evolutionary constraint against mutations, incur de novo loss-of-function mutations in over 5% of autistic subjects. Many of the genes implicated encode proteins for synaptic formation, transcriptional regulation and chromatin-remodelling pathways. These include voltage-gated ion channels regulating the propagation of action potentials, pacemaking and excitability-transcription coupling, as well as histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodellers-most prominently those that mediate post-translational lysine methylation/demethylation modifications of histones.

While next-generation sequencing has accelerated the discovery of human disease genes, progress has been largely limited to the “low hanging fruit” of mutations with obvious exonic coding or canonical splice site impact. In contrast, the lack of high-throughput, unbiased approaches for functional assessment of most noncoding variants has bottlenecked gene discovery. We report the integration of transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), which surveys all mRNAs to reveal functional impacts of variants at the transcription level, into the gene discovery framework for a unique human disease, microcephaly-micromelia syndrome (MMS). MMS is an autosomal recessive condition described thus far in only a single First Nations population and causes intrauterine growth restriction, severe microcephaly, craniofacial anomalies, skeletal dysplasia, and neonatal lethality. Linkage analysis of affected families, including a very large pedigree, identified a single locus on Chromosome 21 linked to the disease (LOD > 9). Comprehensive genome sequencing did not reveal any pathogenic coding or canonical splicing mutations within the linkage region but identified several nonconserved noncoding variants. RNA-seq analysis detected aberrant splicing in DONSON due to one of these noncoding variants, showing a causative role for DONSON disruption in MMS. We show that DONSON is expressed in progenitor cells of embryonic human brain and other proliferating tissues, is co-expressed with components of the DNA replication machinery, and that Donson is essential for early embryonic development in mice as well, suggesting an essential conserved role for DONSON in the cell cycle. Our results demonstrate the utility of integrating transcriptomics into the study of human genetic disease when DNA sequencing alone is not sufficient to reveal the underlying pathogenic mutation.

Mutations that cause neurological phenotypes are highly informative with regard to mechanisms governing human brain function and disease. We report autosomal recessive mutations in the enzyme glutamate pyruvate transaminase 2 (GPT2) in large kindreds initially ascertained for intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). GPT2 [also known as alanine transaminase 2 (ALT2)] is one of two related transaminases that catalyze the reversible addition of an amino group from glutamate to pyruvate, yielding alanine and α-ketoglutarate. In addition to IDD, all affected individuals show postnatal microcephaly and ∼80% of those followed over time show progressive motor symptoms, a spastic paraplegia. Homozygous nonsense p.Arg404* and missense p.Pro272Leu mutations are shown biochemically to be loss of function. The GPT2 gene demonstrates increasing expression in brain in the early postnatal period, and GPT2 protein localizes to mitochondria. Akin to the human phenotype, Gpt2-null mice exhibit reduced brain growth. Through metabolomics and direct isotope tracing experiments, we find a number of metabolic abnormalities associated with loss of Gpt2. These include defects in amino acid metabolism such as low alanine levels and elevated essential amino acids. Also, we find defects in anaplerosis, the metabolic process involved in replenishing TCA cycle intermediates. Finally, mutant brains demonstrate misregulated metabolites in pathways implicated in neuroprotective mechanisms previously associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Overall, our data reveal an important role for the GPT2 enzyme in mitochondrial metabolism with relevance to developmental as well as potentially to neurodegenerative mechanisms.

Objective Miller-Dieker syndrome (MDS) is a malformation of cortical development that results in lissencephaly (meaning smooth brain). This disorder is caused by heterozygous deletions on chromosome 17p13.3, including the lissencephaly 1 (LIS1) gene. Various mouse models have been used as an experimental paradigm in understanding human lissencephaly, but clear limitations exist in these studies, particularly because mice are naturally lissencephalic. Thus, the objective of this article was to establish human neural precursor cell lines from postmortem MDS tissue and to characterize the pathological cellular processes that contribute to the human lissencephalic phenotype. Methods Human neural precursors were isolated and expanded from the frontal cortices of a 33-week postmortem fetus with MDS and an age-matched control subject. Relative rates of proliferation and cell death were assessed in vitro, whereas the migration of precursors was examined after transplantation in vivo. Results Precursors showed haploinsufficiency of the LIS1 gene and a reduction in LIS1 protein. Precursors could also differentiate into both neurons and glia. MDS precursors demonstrated impairments in neuronal migration, diminished rates of cell proliferation, and increased cell death. Interpretation These results suggest that, in addition to migration, disruption in cell proliferation could play a more important role in the development of lissencephaly than previously suspected. Ann Neurol 2006

Whole-exome sequencing (WES), which analyzes the coding sequence of most annotated genes in the human genome, is an ideal approach to studying fully penetrant autosomal-recessive diseases, and it has been very powerful in identifying disease-causing mutations even when enrollment of affected individuals is limited by reduced survival. In this study, we combined WES with homozygosity analysis of consanguineous pedigrees, which are informative even when a single affected individual is available, to identify genetic mutations responsible for Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS), a genetically heterogeneous autosomal-recessive disorder that severely affects the development of the brain, eyes, and muscle. Mutations in seven genes are known to cause WWS and explain 50%–60% of cases, but multiple additional genes are expected to be mutated because unexplained cases show suggestive linkage to diverse loci. Using WES in consanguineous WWS-affected families, we found multiple deleterious mutations in GTDC2 (also known as AGO61). GTDC2’s predicted role as an uncharacterized glycosyltransferase is consistent with the function of other genes that are known to be mutated in WWS and that are involved in the glycosylation of the transmembrane receptor dystroglycan. Therefore, to explore the role of GTDC2 loss of function during development, we used morpholino-mediated knockdown of its zebrafish ortholog, gtdc2. We found that gtdc2 knockdown in zebrafish replicates all WWS features (hydrocephalus, ocular defects, and muscular dystrophy), strongly suggesting that GTDC2 mutations cause WWS.

SummaryHemimegalencephaly (HMG) is a developmental brain disorder characterized by an enlarged, malformed cerebral hemisphere, typically causing epilepsy that requires surgical resection. We studied resected HMG tissue to test whether the condition might reflect somatic mutations affecting genes critical to brain development. We found that two out of eight HMG samples showed trisomy of chromosome 1q, which encompasses many genes, including AKT3, a gene known to regulate brain size. A third case showed a known activating mutation in AKT3 (c.49G→A, creating p.E17K) that was not present in the patient's blood cells. Remarkably, the E17K mutation in AKT3 is exactly paralogous to E17K mutations in AKT1 and AKT2 recently discovered in somatic overgrowth syndromes. We show that AKT3 is the most abundant AKT paralog in the brain during neurogenesis and that phosphorylated AKT is abundant in cortical progenitor cells. Our data suggest that somatic mutations limited to the brain could represent an important cause of complex neurogenetic disease.

Genes disrupted in human microcephaly (meaning "small brain") define key regulators of neural progenitor proliferation and cell-fate specification. In comparison, genes mutated in human lissencephaly (lissos means smooth and cephalos means brain) highlight critical regulators of neuronal migration. Here, we report two families with extreme microcephaly and grossly simplified cortical gyral structure, a condition referred to as microlissencephaly, and show that they carry homozygous frameshift mutations in NDE1, which encodes a multidomain protein that localizes to the centrosome and mitotic spindle poles. Both human mutations in NDE1 truncate the C-terminal NDE1domains, which are essential for interactions with cytoplasmic dynein and thus for regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics in mitosis and for cell-cycle-dependent phosphorylation of NDE1 by Cdk1. We show that the patient NDE1 proteins are unstable, cannot bind cytoplasmic dynein, and do not localize properly to the centrosome. Additionally, we show that CDK1 phosphorylation at T246, which is within the C-terminal region disrupted by the mutations, is required for cell-cycle progression from the G2 to the M phase. The role of NDE1 in cell-cycle progression probably contributes to the profound neuronal proliferation defects evident in Nde1-null mice and patients with NDE1 mutations, demonstrating the essential role of NDE1 in human cerebral cortical neurogenesis.

Although autosomal genes are increasingly recognized as important causes of intellectual disability, very few of them are known. We identified a genetic locus for autosomal-recessive nonsyndromic intellectual disability associated with variable postnatal microcephaly through homozygosity mapping of a consanguineous Israeli Arab family. Sequence analysis of genes in the candidate interval identified a nonsense nucleotide change in the gene that encodes TRAPPC9 (trafficking protein particle complex 9, also known as NIBP), which has been implicated in NF-kappaB activation and possibly in intracellular protein trafficking. TRAPPC9 is highly expressed in the postmitotic neurons of the cerebral cortex, and MRI analysis of affected patients shows defects in axonal connectivity. This suggests essential roles of TRAPPC9 in human brain development, possibly through its effect on NF-kappaB activation and protein trafficking in the postmitotic neurons of the cerebral cortex.

Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) is a genetically heterogeneous autosomal recessive disease characterized by congenital muscular dystrophy, cobblestone lissencephaly, and ocular malformations. Mutations in six genes involved in the glycosylation of á-dystroglycan (POMT1, POMT2, POMGNT1, FCMD, FKRP and LARGE) have been identified in WWS patients, but account for only a portion of WWS cases. To better understand the genetics of WWS and establish the frequency and distribution of mutations across WWS genes, we genotyped all known loci in a cohort of 43 WWS patients of varying geographical and ethnic origin. Surprisingly, we reached a molecular diagnosis for 40% of our patients and found mutations in POMT1, POMT2, FCMD and FKRP, many of which were novel alleles, but no mutations in POMGNT1 or LARGE. Notably, the FCMD gene was a more common cause of WWS than previously expected in the European/American subset of our cohort, including all Ashkenazi Jewish cases, who carried the same founder mutation.

Joubert syndrome is a congenital brain malformation of the cerebellar vermis and brainstem with abnormalities of axonal decussation (crossing in the brain) affecting the corticospinal tract and superior cerebellar peduncles1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Individuals with Joubert syndrome have motor and behavioral abnormalities, including an inability to walk due to severe clumsiness and 'mirror' movements, and cognitive and behavioral disturbances5,6,7,8,10,11,12. Here we identified a locus associated with Joubert syndrome, JBTS3, on chromosome 6q23.2–q23.3 and found three deleterious mutations in AHI1, the first gene to be associated with Joubert syndrome. AHI1 is most highly expressed in brain, particularly in neurons that give rise to the crossing axons of the corticospinal tract and superior cerebellar peduncles. Comparative genetic analysis of AHI1 indicates that it has undergone positive evolutionary selection along the human lineage. Therefore, changes in AHI1 may have been important in the evolution of human-specific motor behaviors.

Progressive microcephaly is a heterogeneous condition with causes including mutations in genes encoding regulators of neuronal survival. Here, we report the identification of mutations in QARS (encoding glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase [QARS]) as the causative variants in two unrelated families affected by progressive microcephaly, severe seizures in infancy, atrophy of the cerebral cortex and cerebellar vermis, and mild atrophy of the cerebellar hemispheres. Whole-exome sequencing of individuals from each family independently identified compound-heterozygous mutations in QARS as the only candidate causative variants. QARS was highly expressed in the developing fetal human cerebral cortex in many cell types. The four QARS mutations altered highly conserved amino acids, and the aminoacylation activity of QARS was significantly impaired in mutant cell lines. Variants p.Gly45Val and p.Tyr57His were located in the N-terminal domain required for QARS interaction with proteins in the multisynthetase complex and potentially with glutamine tRNA, and recombinant QARS proteins bearing either substitution showed an over 10-fold reduction in aminoacylation activity. Conversely, variants p.Arg403Trp and p.Arg515Trp, each occurring in a different family, were located in the catalytic core and completely disrupted QARS aminoacylation activity in vitro. Furthermore, p.Arg403Trp and p.Arg515Trp rendered QARS less soluble, and p.Arg403Trp disrupted QARS-RARS (arginyl-tRNA synthetase 1) interaction. In zebrafish, homozygous qars loss of function caused decreased brain and eye size and extensive cell death in the brain. Our results highlight the importance of QARS during brain development and that epilepsy due to impairment of QARS activity is unusually severe in comparison to other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase disorders.

Whereas many genes associated with intellectual disability (ID) encode synaptic proteins, transcriptional defects leading to ID are less well understood. We studied a large, consanguineous pedigree of Arab origin with seven members affected with ID and mild dysmorphic features. Homozygosity mapping and linkage analysis identified a candidate region on chromosome 17 with a maximum multipoint logarithm of odds score of 6.01. Targeted high-throughput sequencing of the exons in the candidate region identified a homozygous 4-bp deletion (c.169_172delCACT) in the METTL23 (methyltransferase like 23) gene, which is predicted to result in a frameshift and premature truncation (p.His57Valfs*11). Overexpressed METTL23 protein localized to both nucleus and cytoplasm, and physically interacted with GABPA (GA-binding protein transcription factor, alpha subunit). GABP, of which GABPA is a component, is known to regulate the expression of genes such as THPO (thrombopoietin) and ATP5B (ATP synthase, H+ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, beta polypeptide) and is implicated in a wide variety of important cellular functions. Overexpression of METTL23 resulted in increased transcriptional activity at the THPO promoter, whereas knockdown of METTL23 with siRNA resulted in decreased expression of ATP5B, thus revealing the importance of METTL23 as a regulator of GABPA function. The METTL23 mutation highlights a new transcriptional pathway underlying human intellectual function.

The planktonic copepod sibling species Pseudocalanus moultoni and P. newmani (Crustacea, Copepoda) are abundant in waters over Georges Bank from late winter until mid-summer and are thought to reproduce throughout this period. The two species cannot be reliably distinguished using morphological characters, but are readily identified and distinguished by simple, rapid, and inexpensive molecular protocols based on sequence variation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). DNA sequence variation of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) confirmed the presence of P. moultoni and P. newmani on Georges Bank; the mtCOI sequences were used to design species-specific oligonucleotide primers for use in a competitive multiplexed species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Species-specific PCR was used to determine the relative abundances of the two species in sub-samples of zooplankton collections from US GLOBEC Georges Bank Study Broadscale Surveys from February to June, 1997. Based on monthly visualizations, we inferred the spring evolution of the two species’ distributions and abundances on Georges Bank. Both species’ overall abundances increased from February to May or June: maximum abundance of P. moultoni was 38,061 m−2 in surface waters on the crest of Georges Bank in June; maximum abundance of P. newmani was 13,854 m−2 in subsurface waters on the Northeast Peak in April. The Peak in distribution of P. moultoni shifted from Georges Basin in April, to the northern edge of the Bank in May, to the center of the Bank in June. In contrast, P. newmani was more abundant to the south and east of the Bank. Beginning in April, P. newmani occurred on the Bank but was less abundant and less widely-distributed than P. moultoni; P. newmani abundance peaked in May and declined somewhat in June. Females of the species differed in their patterns of distribution and abundance, with P. moultoni always the more abundant species on the crest of the Bank. The spring increase of P. moultoni may result from the persistence of reproducing individuals over the Bank and/or from advective transport from adjacent regions. In contrast, P. newmani may be transported to Georges Bank from upstream populations on the Scotian Shelf and Browns Bank. The processes responsible for the observed patterns cannot be determined from this series of monthly snap-shots alone; ongoing studies use numerical models to examine the biological and physical dynamics causing these distributions.

ObjectiveTo identify the genetic cause of a syndrome causing cerebellar ataxia and eye movement abnormalities.MethodsWe identified 2 families with cerebellar ataxia, eye movement abnormalities, and global developmental delay. We performed genetic analyses including single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, linkage analysis, array comparative genomic hybridization, quantitative PCR, and Sanger sequencing. We obtained eye movement recordings of mutant mice deficient for the ortholog of the identified candidate gene, and performed immunohistochemistry using human and mouse brain specimens.ResultsAll affected individuals had ataxia, eye movement abnormalities, most notably tonic upgaze, and delayed speech and cognitive development. Homozygosity mapping identified the disease locus on chromosome 4q. Within this region, a homozygous deletion of GRID2 exon 4 in the index family and compound heterozygous deletions involving GRID2 exon 2 in the second family were identified. Grid2-deficient mice showed larger spontaneous and random eye movements compared to wild-type mice. In developing mouse and human cerebella, GRID2 localized to the Purkinje cell dendritic spines. Brain MRI in 2 affected children showed progressive cerebellar atrophy, which was more severe than that of Grid2-deficient mice.ConclusionsBiallelic deletions of GRID2 lead to a syndrome of cerebellar ataxia and tonic upgaze in humans. The phenotypic resemblance and similarity in protein expression pattern between humans and mice suggest a conserved role for GRID2 in the synapse organization between parallel fibers and Purkinje cells. However, the progressive and severe cerebellar atrophy seen in the affected individuals could indicate an evolutionarily unique role for GRID2 in the human cerebellum.

Despite significant heritability of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), their extreme genetic heterogeneity has proven challenging for gene discovery. Studies of primarily simplex families have implicated de novo copy number changes and point mutations, but are not optimally designed to identify inherited risk alleles. We apply whole exome sequencing (WES) to ASD families enriched for inherited causes due to consanguinity and find familial ASD associated with biallelic mutations in disease genes (AMT, PEX7, SYNE1, VPS13B, PAH, POMGNT1), some implicated for the first time in ASD. At least some of these genes show biallelic mutations in nonconsanguineous families as well. These mutations are often only partially disabling or present atypically, with patients lacking diagnostic features of the Mendelian disorders with which these genes are classically associated. Our study shows the utility of WES for identifying specific genetic conditions not clinically suspected and the importance of partial loss of gene function in ASDs.

Charged multivesicular body protein 1A (CHMP1A; also known as chromatin-modifying protein 1A) is a member of the ESCRT-III (endosomal sorting complex required for transport-III) complex but is also suggested to localize to the nuclear matrix and regulate chromatin structure. Here, we show that loss-of-function mutations in human CHMP1A cause reduced cerebellar size (pontocerebellar hypoplasia) and reduced cerebral cortical size (microcephaly). CHMP1A-mutant cells show impaired proliferation, with increased expression of INK4A, a negative regulator of stem cell proliferation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation suggests loss of the normal INK4A repression by BMI in these cells. Morpholino-based knockdown of zebrafish chmp1a resulted in brain defects resembling those seen after bmi1a and bmi1b knockdown, which were partially rescued by INK4A ortholog knockdown, further supporting links between CHMP1A and BMI1-mediated regulation of INK4A. Our results suggest that CHMP1A serves as a critical link between cytoplasmic signals and BMI1-mediated chromatin modifications that regulate proliferation of central nervous system progenitor cells.

Although autism has a clear genetic component, the high genetic heterogeneity of the disorder has been a challenge for the identification of causative genes. We used homozygosity analysis to identify probands from nonconsanguineous families that showed evidence of distant shared ancestry, suggesting potentially recessive mutations. Whole-exome sequencing of 16 probands revealed validated homozygous, potentially pathogenic recessive mutations that segregated perfectly with disease in 4/16 families. The candidate genes (UBE3B, CLTCL1, NCKAP5L, ZNF18) encode proteins involved in proteolysis, GTPase-mediated signaling, cytoskeletal organization, and other pathways. Furthermore, neuronal depolarization regulated the transcription of these genes, suggesting potential activity-dependent roles in neurons. We present a multidimensional strategy for filtering whole-exome sequence data to find candidate recessive mutations in autism, which may have broader applicability to other complex, heterogeneous disorders., National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant no. T32 NS007473-11), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant no. T32 NS007484-11)

Objective: We sought to explore the genetic and molecular causes of Troyer syndrome, one of several complicated hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs). Troyer syndrome had been thought to be restricted to the Amish; however, we identified 2 Omani families with HSP, short stature, dysarthria and developmental delay— core features of Troyer syndrome—and a novel mutation in the SPG20 gene, which is also mutated in the Amish. In addition, we analyzed SPG20 expression throughout development to infer how disruption of this gene might generate the constellation of developmental and degenerative Troyer syndrome phenotypes. Methods: Clinical characterization of 2 non-Amish families with Troyer syndrome was followed by linkage and sequencing analysis. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization analysis of SPG20 expression were carried out in embryonic and adult human and mouse tissue. Results: Two Omani families carrying a novel SPG20 mutation displayed clinical features remarkably similar to the Amish patients with Troyer syndrome. SPG20 mRNA is expressed broadly but at low relative levels in the adult brain; however, it is robustly and specifically expressed in the limbs, face, and brain during early morphogenesis. Interpretation: Null mutations in SPG20 cause Troyer syndrome, a specific clinical entity with developmental and degenerative features. Maximal expression of SPG20 in the limb buds and forebrain during embryogenesis may explain the developmental origin of the skeletal and cognitive defects observed in this disorder. ANN NEUROL 2010;67:516 –525

Donnai-Barrow syndrome is associated with agenesis of the corpus callosum, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, facial dysmorphology, ocular anomalies, sensorineural hearing loss and developmental delay. By studying multiplex families, we mapped this disorder to chromosome 2q23.3-31.1 and identified LRP2 mutations in six families with Donnai-Barrow syndrome and one family with facio-oculo-acoustico-renal syndrome. LRP2 encodes megalin, a multiligand uptake receptor that regulates levels of diverse circulating compounds. This work implicates a pathway with potential pharmacological therapeutic targets.

Patients with distal deletions of chromosome 1q have a recognizable syndrome that includes microcephaly, hypoplasia or agenesis of the corpus callosum, and psychomotor retardation. Although these symptoms have been attributed to deletions of 1q42-1q44, the minimal chromosomal region involved has not been identified. Using microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, we have mapped the deleted regions in seven patients with terminal deletions of chromosome 1q to define a 2.0-Mb microcephaly critical region including the 1q43-1q44 boundary and no more than 11 genes. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Purpose: Familial periventricular heterotopia (PH) represents a disorder of neuronal migration resulting in multiple gray-matter nodules along the lateral ventricular walls. Prior studies have shown that mutations in the filamin A (FLNA) gene can cause PH through an X-linked dominant pattern. Heterozygotic female patients usually remain asymptomatic until the second or third decade of life, when they may have predominantly focal seizures, whereas hemizygotic male fetuses typically die in utero. Recent studies have also reported mutations in FLNA in male patients with PH who are cognitively normal. We describe PH in three male siblings with PH due to FLNA, severe developmental regression, and West syndrome.Methods: the study includes the three affected brothers and their parents. Video-EEG recordings and magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanning were performed on all individuals. Mutations for FLNA were detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on genomic DNA followed by single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis or sequencing.Results: Two of the siblings are monozygotic twins, and all had West syndrome with hypsarrthymia on EEG. MRI of the brain revealed periventricular nodules of cerebral gray-matter intensity, typical for PH. Mutational analyses demonstrated a cytosine-to-thymidine missense mutation (c. C1286T), resulting in a threonine-to-methionine amino acid substitution in exon 9 of the FLNA gene.Conclusions: the association between PH and West syndrome, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported. Males with PH have been known to harbor FLNA mutations, although uniformly, they either show early lethality or survive and have a normal intellect. the current studies show that FLNA mutations can cause periventricular heterotopia, developmental regression, and West syndrome in male patients, suggesting that this type of FLNA mutation may contribute to severe neurologic deficits. Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, Brazil Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Radiol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, Brazil Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Med Genet, São Paulo, Brazil Fed Univ Espirito Santo, Dept Pediat, Espirito Santo, Brazil Harvard Univ, Sch Med, Howard Hughes Med Inst, Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr,Dept Neurol, Boston, MA 02115 USA Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, Brazil Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Radiol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, Brazil Web of Science

Schizencephaly is a human brain malformation distinguished by full-thickness unilateral or bilateral clefts through the neocortex. Heterozygous mutations in the EMX2 locus are reported to give rise to schizencephaly. However, the comprehensive identification of causative genetic loci is precluded by a lack of large pedigrees and genome-wide linkage analyses. We present here a large Turkish pedigree with three individuals with schizencephaly. The similarity of clinical signs in affected individuals strongly suggests an underlying genetic cause; however, genome-wide linkage analysis rules out EMX2 linkage and instead suggests additional candidate loci. These results indicate that genetic forms of schizencephaly are likely to be heterogeneous.

Disruption of human neural precursor proliferation can give rise to a small brain ( microcephaly), and failure of neurons to migrate properly can lead to an abnormal arrest of cerebral cortical neurons in proliferative zones near the lateral ventricles (periventricular heterotopia). Here we show that an autosomal recessive condition characterized by microcephaly and periventricular heterotopia 1 maps to chromosome 20 and is caused by mutations in the gene ADP-ribosylation factor guanine nucleotide-exchange factor-2 (ARFGEF2). By northern-blot analysis, we found that mouse Arfgef2 mRNA levels are highest during embryonic periods of ongoing neuronal proliferation and migration, and by in situ hybridization, we found that the mRNA is widely distributed throughout the embryonic central nervous system (CNS). ARFGEF2 encodes the large (>200 kDa) brefeldin A (BFA)-inhibited GEF2 protein (BIG2), which is required for vesicle and membrane trafficking from the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Inhibition of BIG2 by BFA, or by a dominant negative ARFGEF2 cDNA, decreases cell proliferation in vitro, suggesting a cell-autonomous regulation of neural expansion. Inhibition of BIG2 also disturbed the intracellular localization of such molecules as E-cadherin and beta-catenin by preventing their transport from the Golgi apparatus to the cell surface. Our findings show that vesicle trafficking is an important regulator of proliferation and migration during human cerebral cortical development.

Mekel-Bobrov et al . (Reports, 9 September 2005, p. 1720) suggested that ASPM , a gene associated with microcephaly, underwent natural selection within the last 500 to 14,100 years. Their analyses based on comparison with computer simulations indicated that ASPM had an unusual pattern of variation. However, when we compare ASPM empirically to a large number of other loci, its variation is not unusual and does not support selection.

Despite recent advances in understanding the genetic bases of microcephaly, a large number of cases of microcephaly remain unexplained, suggesting that many microcephaly syndromes and associated genes have yet to be identified. Here, we report mutations in PYCR2, which encodes an enzyme in the proline biosynthesis pathway, as the cause of a unique syndrome characterized by postnatal microcephaly, hypomyelination, and reduced cerebral white-matter volume. Linkage mapping and whole-exome sequencing identified homozygous mutations (c.355C>T [p.Arg119Cys] and c.751C>T [p.Arg251Cys]) in PYCR2 in the affected individuals of two consanguineous families. A lymphoblastoid cell line from one affected individual showed a strong reduction in the amount of PYCR2. When mutant cDNAs were transfected into HEK293FT cells, both variant proteins retained normal mitochondrial localization but had lower amounts than the wild-type protein, suggesting that the variant proteins were less stable. A PYCR2-deficient HEK293FT cell line generated by genome editing with the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas9 system showed that PYCR2 loss of function led to decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased susceptibility to apoptosis under oxidative stress. Morpholino-based knockdown of a zebrafish PYCR2 ortholog, pycr1b, recapitulated the human microcephaly phenotype, which was rescued by wild-type human PYCR2 mRNA, but not by mutant mRNAs, further supporting the pathogenicity of the identified variants. Hypomyelination and the absence of lax, wrinkly skin distinguishes this condition from that caused by previously reported mutations in the gene encoding PYCR2's isozyme, PYCR1, suggesting a unique and indispensable role for PYCR2 in the human CNS during development.

The tight junction, or zonula occludens, is a specialized cell-cell junction that regulates epithelial and endothelial permeability, and it is an essential component of the blood-brain barrier in the cerebrovascular endothelium. In addition to functioning as a diffusion barrier, tight junctions are also involved in signal transduction. In this study, we identified a homozygous mutation in the tight-junction protein gene JAM3 in a large consanguineous family from the United Arab Emirates. Some members of this family had a rare autosomal-recessive syndrome characterized by severe hemorrhagic destruction of the brain, subependymal calcification, and congenital cataracts. Their clinical presentation overlaps with some reported cases of pseudo-TORCH syndrome as well as with cases involving mutations in occludin, another component of the tight-junction complex. However, massive intracranial hemorrhage distinguishes these patients from others. Homozygosity mapping identified the disease locus in this family on chromosome 11q25 with a maximum multipoint LOD score of 6.15. Sequence analysis of genes in the candidate interval uncovered a mutation in the canonical splice-donor site of intron 5 of JAM3. RT-PCR analysis of a patient lymphoblast cell line confirmed abnormal splicing, leading to a frameshift mutation with early termination. JAM3 is known to be present in vascular endothelium, although its roles in cerebral vasculature have not been implicated. Our results suggest that JAM3 is essential for maintaining the integrity of the cerebrovascular endothelium as well as for normal lens development in humans.

SUMMARY Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are often comorbid, but the extent to which they share common genetic causes remains controversial. Here, we present two autosomal-recessive “founder” mutations in the CC2D1A gene causing fully penetrant cognitive phenotypes, including mild-to-severe ID, ASD, as well as seizures, suggesting shared developmental mechanisms. CC2D1A regulates multiple intracellular signaling pathways, and we found its strongest effect to be on the transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Cc2d1a gain and loss of function both increase activation of NF-κB, revealing a critical role of Cc2d1a in homeostatic control of intra-cellular signaling. Cc2d1a knockdown in neurons reduces dendritic complexity and increases NF-κB activity, and the effects of Cc2d1a depletion can be rescued by inhibiting NF-κB activity. Homeostatic regulation of neuronal signaling pathways provides a mechanism whereby common founder mutations could manifest diverse symptoms in different patients.