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Mosaicism for an FMR1 gene deletion in a fragile X female
Author(s) -
Fan Hongxin,
Booker Jessica K.,
McCandless Shawn E.,
Shashi Vandana,
Fleming Alison,
Farber Rosann A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.064
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1552-4833
pISSN - 1552-4825
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.a.30807
Subject(s) - fmr1 , fragile x syndrome , breakpoint , genetics , biology , southern blot , allele , mutation , point mutation , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , trinucleotide repeat expansion , chromosomal translocation
Most cases of fragile X syndrome result from expansion of CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene; deletions and point mutations of FMR1 are much less common. Mosaicism for an FMR1 full mutation with a deletion or with a normal allele has been reported in fragile X males. Here we report on a fragile X female who is mosaic for an FMR1 full mutation and an intragenic deletion. The patient is a 4‐year‐old girl with developmental delay, autistic‐like behaviors, and significant speech and language abnormalities. Southern blotting demonstrated the presence of a methylated full mutation, a normal allele in methylated and unmethylated forms, and an additional fragment smaller than the normal methylated allele. This result indicates that the patient is mosaic for a full mutation and a deletion, in the presence of a normal allele. By DNA sequence analysis, we mapped the 5′ breakpoint 63/65 bp upstream from the CGG repeat region and the 3′ breakpoint 86/88 bp downstream of the CGG repeats within the FMR1 gene. The deletion removed 210 bp, including the entire CGG repeat region. The full mutation was inherited from a premutation in the patient's mother. The deletion, which remained methylated at the Eag I and Nru I sites, was probably derived from the full mutation allele. Mosaicism of this type is rare in females with a fragile X mutation but should be kept in mind in the interpretation of Southern blots. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.