Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026
A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia
Published on: June 15, 2011
Expanding the Spectrum of Founder Mutations Causing Isolated Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Deficiency
Jin-Ho Choi1, Ravikumar Balasubramanian1, Phil H Lee1
1Harvard Reproductive Endocrine Sciences Center and Reproductive Endocrine Unit (J.-H.C., R.B., N.D.S., J.E.H., L.P., C.L.B., W.F.C.), and Department of Medicine, Psychiatric, and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit (P.H.L.), Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Center for Human Genetic Research (J.F.G.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Department of Genetics (M.-L.K.), University Hospital, Caen, 14003, Caen Cedex, France; Department of Biology and Pathology of Human Reproduction in Bialystok (K.J.), Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, and Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology (S.W.), Medical University of Bialystok, Sklodowskiej 24A, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland; Institute for Genetic Medicine (R.Q.), Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom; Disciplina de Endocrinologia (A.C.L.), Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 05403-900 Sao Paulo, Brazil; Laboratoire de Biochimie et Génétique Moléculaire (C.D.), Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris-Descartes, 75014 Paris, France; Departments of Molecular Endocrinology and Pediatrics (T.O.), Hamamatsu University of School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan; Section of Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility, and Genetics (H.-G.K., L.C.L.), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia 30912; and Department of Pediatrics (J.-H.C.), Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea.
Context:
Loss of function (LoF) mutations in more than 20 genes are now known to cause isolated GnRH deficiency (IGD) in humans. Most causal IGD mutations are typically private, ie, limited to a single individual/pedigree. However, somewhat paradoxically, four IGD genes (GNRH1, TAC3, PROKR2, and GNRHR) have been shown to harbor LoF founder mutations that are shared by multiple unrelated individuals. It is not known whether similar founder mutations occur in other IGD genes.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to determine whether shared deleterious mutations in IGD-associated genes represent founder alleles.
Setting:
This study was an international collaboration among academic medical centers.
Methods:
IGD patients with shared mutations, defined as those documented in three or more unrelated probands in 14 IGD-associated genes, were identified from various academic institutions, the Human Gene Mutation Database, and literature reports by other international investigators. Haplotypes of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and short tandem repeats surrounding the mutations were constructed to assess genetic ancestry.
Results:
A total of eight founder mutations in five genes, GNRHR (Q106R, R262Q, R139H), TACR3 (W275X), PROKR2 (R85H), FGFR1 (R250Q, G687R), and HS6ST1 (R382W) were identified. Most founder alleles were present at low frequency in the general population. The estimated age of these mutant alleles ranged from 1925 to 5600 years and corresponded to the time of rapid human population expansion.
Conclusions:
We have expanded the spectrum of founder alleles associated with IGD to a total of eight founder mutations. In contrast to the approximately 9000-year-old PROKR2 founder allele that may confer a heterozygote advantage, the rest of the founder alleles are relatively more recent in origin, in keeping with the timing of recent human population expansion and any selective heterozygote advantage of these alleles requires further evaluation.
More Related Videos
05:48Removal of an Internal Translational Start Site from mRNA While Retaining Expression of the Full-Length Protein
Published on: March 16, 2022
12:49Mutagenesis and Analysis of Genetic Mutations in the GC-rich KISS1 Receptor Sequence Identified in Humans with Reproductive Disorders
Published on: September 4, 2011
Related Concept Videos
01:43Sex-linked Disorders
01:20The Retinoblastoma Gene
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
02:38The Ras Gene
Ras is a...
01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
01:12Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
01:12Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions