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Homozygous TAF1C variants are associated with a novel childhood-onset neurological phenotype.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Pyle, Angela 
Suo-Palosaari, Maria 
Duff, Jennifer 

Abstract

TATA-box binding protein associated factor, RNA polymerase I subunit C (TAF1C) is a component of selectivity factor 1 belonging to RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription machinery. We report two unrelated patients with homozygous TAF1C missense variants and an early onset neurological phenotype with severe global developmental delay. Clinical features included lack of speech and ambulation and epilepsy. MRI of the brain demonstrated widespread cerebral atrophy and frontal periventricular white matter hyperintensity. The phenotype resembled that of a previously described variant of UBTF, which encodes another transcription factor of Pol I. TAF1C variants were located in two conserved amino acid positions and were predicted to be deleterious. In patient-derived fibroblasts, TAF1C mRNA and protein expression levels were substantially reduced compared with healthy controls. We propose that the variants impairing TAF1C expression are likely pathogenic and relate to a novel neurological disease. This study expands the disease spectrum related to Pol I transcription machinery, associating the TAF1C missense variants with a severe neurological phenotype for the first time.

Description

Keywords

Pol I transcription initiation complex proteins, TATA-binding protein associated factors, brain atrophy, infantile spasms, Child, Preschool, Epilepsy, Female, Fibroblasts, Homozygote, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Mutation, Missense, Phenotype, RNA Polymerase I, Spasms, Infantile, TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors, Transcription Factor TFIID

Journal Title

Clin Genet

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0009-9163
1399-0004

Volume Title

98

Publisher

Wiley

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/N025431/2)
MRC (MR/N027302/2)
Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT) (64/17 A)
Wellcome Trust (109915/A/15/Z)