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Title: An RNA-splicing mutation (G{sup +51VS20}) in the Type II collagen gene (COL2A1) in a family with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita

Journal Article · · American Journal of Human Genetics
OSTI ID:70399
;  [1]; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3]
  1. Vanderbilt Univ. School of Medicine, Nashville, TN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
  3. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Defects in type II collagen have been demonstrated in a phenotypic continuum of chondrodysplasias that includes achondrogenesis II, hypochondrogenesis, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC), Kniest dysplasia, and Stickler syndrome. We have determined that cartilage from a terminated fetus with an inherited form of SEDC contained both normal {alpha}1(II) collagen chains and chains that lacked amino acids 256-273 of the triple-helical domain. PCR amplification of this region of COL2A1, from genomic DNA, yielded products of normal size, while amplification of cDNA yielded a normal sized species and a shorter fragment missing exon 20. Sequence analysis of genomic DNA from the fetus revealed a G{yields}T transversion at position +5 of intron 20; the affected father was also heterozygous for the mutation. Allele-specific PCR and heteroduplex analysis of a VNTR in COL2A1 independently confirmed the unaffected status of a fetus in a subsequent pregnancy. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that the mutation prevents normal splicing of exon 20 by interfering with binding of U{sub 1} small-nuclear RNA to pre-mRNA, thus leading to skipping of exon 20 in transcripts from the mutant allele. Electron micrographs of diseased cartilage showed intracellular inclusion bodies, which were stained by an antibody to {alpha}1(II) procollagen. Our findings support the hypothesis that {alpha}-chain length alterations that preserve the Gly-X-Y repeat motif of the triple helix result in partial intracellular retention of {alpha}1(II) procollagen and produce mild to moderate chondrodysplasia phenotypes. 50 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

OSTI ID:
70399
Journal Information:
American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 56, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English