A De Novo Missense Variant in <i>TUBG2</i> in a Child with Global Developmental Delay, Microcephaly, Refractory Epilepsy and Perisylvian Polymicrogyria

Polymicrogyria is a brain malformation characterized by excessive folding of the cortex. To date, numerous causes of polymicrogyria have been identified, including variants in the genes associated with tubulinopathies. Herein, we present a child with severe intellectual disability, refractory to tre...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Salini Thulasirajah, Xueqi Wang, Erick Sell, Jorge Dávila, David A. Dyment, Kristin D. Kernohan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-12-01
Series:Genes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/1/108
Description
Summary:Polymicrogyria is a brain malformation characterized by excessive folding of the cortex. To date, numerous causes of polymicrogyria have been identified, including variants in the genes associated with tubulinopathies. Herein, we present a child with severe intellectual disability, refractory to treatment seizures, microcephaly and MRI findings consistent with polymicrogyria, closed-lip schizencephaly, periventricular heterotopia and a dysplastic corpus callosum. Exome sequencing identified a de novo missense variant in <i>TUBG2</i>, a gene not associated with human disease. The variant, NM_016437.3 c.747G>A p.(Met249Ile), is absent from available control databases and is predicated to be deleterious by in silico prediction programs. Laboratory studies show that cultured lymphoblasts derived from the patient grew significantly faster than controls. Recombinant protein was expressed (recombinant wild type and mutant TUBG2-FLAG) in 293T cells and lower levels of TUBG2 mutant compared with controls were observed. Furthermore, co-immuno-precipitation in cells transfected demonstrated that the TUBG2–GCP2 interaction is increased due to the MUT recombinant protein versus WT recombinant protein. In closing, this work provides preliminary evidence that <i>TUBG2</i> may represent a novel disease gene responsible for polymicrogyria.
ISSN:2073-4425