Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

09:34
Targeted Next-generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Pipeline to Evaluate Genetic Determinants of Constitutional Disease
Published on: April 4, 2018
A novel PTPN11 mutation in LEOPARD syndrome
E Conti1, T Dottorini, A Sarkozy
1Ospedale CSS, IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
Human Mutation
|February 13, 2004
Summary
Noonan syndrome (NS) and LEOPARD syndrome (LS) share PTPN11 gene mutations. A new PTPN11 mutation, Gln506Pro, identified in an LS patient, highlights the need for broader genetic screening in rare cases.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Noonan syndrome (NS) and LEOPARD syndrome (LS) are genetic disorders associated with mutations in the PTPN11 gene.
- Previously, only two recurrent PTPN11 mutations (Tyr279Cys and Thr468Met) were identified in LS patients.
Observation:
- This study reports a novel PTPN11 mutation, c.1517A>C, resulting in a glutamine to proline substitution at amino acid 506 (Gln506Pro) in the SHP2 phosphatase domain.
- This mutation occurred in a single patient diagnosed with LEOPARD syndrome.
Findings:
- The Gln506Pro mutation is located in a known mutation hotspot within the PTPN11 phosphatase domain.
- Molecular modeling predicts that Gln506Pro disrupts inter-domain contacts, leading to enhanced SHP2 phosphatase activity.
Implications:
- This discovery expands the spectrum of known PTPN11 mutations associated with LEOPARD syndrome beyond the two recurrent variants.
- It underscores the importance of screening the entire PTPN11 gene in LS patients who test negative for the common mutations.
Related Concept Videos
Epistasis
In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...
Pleiotropy
Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
ATP Synthase: Structure
ATP synthase or ATPase is among the most conserved proteins found in bacteria, mammals, and plants. This enzyme can catalyze a forward reaction in response to the electrochemical gradient, producing ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. ATP synthase can also work in a reverse direction by hydrolyzing ATP and generating an electrochemical gradient. Different forms of ATP synthases have evolved special features to meet the specific demands of the cell. Based on their specific feature, ATP...
Incomplete Dominance
Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
Lethal Alleles
Agouti: A Lethal Allele
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...

