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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Functional Characterization of Endogenously Expressed Human RYR1 Variants
Published on: June 9, 2021
Novel motor phenotypes in patients with VRK1 mutations without pontocerebellar hypoplasia
Marion Stoll1, Hooiling Teoh1, James Lee1
1From the Molecular Medicine Laboratory (M.S., G.N.), Neurology Department (J.L.), ANZAC Research Institute (G.N.), and NSW Health Pathology (G.N.), Concord Hospital (S.R.); Departments of Neurology (H.T., H.S., M.F.) and Genetics (T.R.), Sydney Children's Hospital; Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine (H.T., H.S., M.F.), and St Vincent's Clinical School (T.R.), The University of New South Wales, Sydney; Kolling Institute (Y.Z.), Royal North Shore Hospital, Newcastle GOLD Service, Hunter Genetics, Waratah; SEALS Haematology and Genetics Laboratory (M.B.), Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney; Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics (T.R.); and Sydney Medical School (G.N.), University of Sydney, Australia.
Objective:
To describe the phenotypes in 2 families with vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) mutations including one novel VRK1 mutation.
Methods:
VRK1 mutations were found by whole exome sequencing in patients presenting with motor neuron disorders.
Results:
We identified pathogenic mutations in the VRK1 gene in the affected members of 2 families. In family 1, compound heterozygous mutations were identified in VRK1, c.356A>G; p.H119R, and c.1072C>T; p.R358*, in 2 siblings with adult onset distal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In family 2, a novel VRK1 mutation, c.403G>A; p.G135R and c.583T>G; p.L195V, were identified in a child with motor neuron disease.
Conclusions:
VRK1 mutations can produce adult-onset SMA and motor neuron disease in children without pontocerebellar hypoplasia.
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