Accurate detection of clinically relevant uniparental disomy from exome sequencing data

Uniparental disomy (UPD) is the rare occurrence of two homologous chromosomes originating from the same parent and is typically identified by marker analysis or single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based microarrays. UPDs may lead to disease due to imprinting effects, underlying homozygous pathogenic variants, or low-level mosaic aneuploidies. In this study we detected clinically relevant UPD events in both trio and single exome sequencing (ES) data.

UPD was detected by applying a method based on Mendelian inheritance errors to a cohort of 4912 ES trios (all UPD types) and by using median absolute deviation-scaled regions of homozygosity to a cohort of 29,723 single ES samples (isodisomy only).

As positive controls, we accurately identified three mixed UPD, three isodisomy, as well as two segmental UPD events that were all previously reported by SNP-based microarrays. In addition, we identified three segmental UPD and 11 isodisomy events. This resulted in a novel diagnosis based on imprinting for one patient, and adjusted genetic counseling for another patient.

UPD can easily be identified using both single and trio ES and may be clinically relevant to patients. UPD analysis should become routine in clinical ES, because it increases the diagnostic yield and could affect genetic counseling.