Exome-based preconception carrier testing for consanguineous couples in China

Objective To evaluate the utility of clinical exome sequencing (ES)-based carrier screening in Chinese consanguineous couples. Methods Consanguineous couples were screened for autosomal recessive (AR) disorders using the clinical ES of 5000 genes associated with human diseases. Results We recruited 14 couples who elected to have sequencing. One couple was related as first cousins and 13 as second cousins. Both partners carrying the same pathogenic variant were detected in four couples. One couple was found in which one partner carried a splice variant, and the other had a missence variant of the same gene. These five couples were identified as being at risk of having a child affected by an AR disorder. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that ES-based preconception screening yields a clinical value for Chinese consanguineous couples. It enables to detect at-risk couples for rare AR diseases.