Elaine S. Mansfield

Connexin-26 mutations in sporadic and inherited sensorineural deafness

BACKGROUND Hearing impairment affects one infant in 1000 and 4% of people aged younger than 45 years. Congenital deafness is inherited or apparently sporadic. We have shown previously that DFNB1 on chromosome 13 is a major locus for recessive deafness in about 80% of Mediterranean families and that the connexin-26 gene gap junction protein beta2 (GJB2) is mutated in DFNB1 families. We investigated mutations in the GJB2 gene in familial and sporadic cases of deafness. METHODS We obtained DNA samples from 82 families from Italy and Spain with recessive non-syndromic deafness and from 54 unrelated participants with apparently sporadic congenital deafness. We analysed the coding region of the GJB2 gene for mutations. We also tested 280 unrelated people from the general populations of Italy and Spain for the frameshift mutation 35delG. FINDINGS 49% of participants with recessive deafness and 37% of sporadic cases had mutations in the GJB2 gene. The 35delG mutation accounted for 85% of GJB2 mutations, six other mutations accounted for 6% of alleles, and no changes in the coding region of GJB2 were detected in 9% of DFNB1 alleles. The carrier frequency of mutation 35delG among people from the general population was one in 31 (95% CI one in 19 to one in 87). INTERPRETATION Mutations in the GJB2 gene are a major cause of inherited and apparently sporadic congenital deafness. Mutation 35delG is the most common mutation for sensorineural deafness. Identification of 35delG and other mutations in the GJB2 gene should facilitate diagnosis and counselling for the most common genetic form of deafness.

Parallel molecular genetic analysis

We describe recent progress in parallel molecular genetic analyses using DNA microarrays, gel-based systems, and capillary electrophoresis and utilization of these approaches in a variety of molecular biology assays. These applications include use of polymorphic markers for mapping of genes and disease-associated loci and carrier detection for genetic diseases. Application of these technologies in molecular diagnostics as well as fluorescent technologies in DNA analysis using immobilized oligonucleotide arrays on silicon or glass microchips are discussed. The array-based assays include sequencing by hybridization, cDNA expression profiling, comparative genome hybridization and genetic linkage analysis. Developments in non microarray-based, parallel analyses of mutations and gene expression profiles are reviewed. The promise of and recent progress in capillary array electrophoresis for parallel DNA sequence analysis and genotyping is summarized. Finally, a framework for decision making in selecting available technology options for specific molecular genetic analyses is presented.

Wall coating for DNA sequencing and fragment analysis by capillary electrophoresis

In capillary electrophoresis, covering the inner capillary surface with a coating is an efficient way to minimize both the electroosmotic flow and sorption of w analytes on the capillary wall. We modified the procedure by Cobb et al. Anal. . x Chem. 62, 2478 1990 for preparing wall coating to permit large-scale production. Specifically, we use a positive pressure to fill the capillary with both thionyl chloride and later vinylmagnesium bromide solution. This enables large-scale production of the coating by treating 100 m capillary pieces at a time. We found that no extensive flushing with either organic solvents or sodium hydroxide is needed before the reactions are performed. Application of liquid thionyl chloride with positive pressure scavenges residual humidity on the capillary surface and eliminates a need for extensive drying of the capillary. In the polymerization step, elimination of TEMED from the polymerization mixture and incubation at 708C enables a homogeneous coating to be prepared in capillaries as long as 100 m. The prepared wall coating is stable for approximately 110 runs of DNA sequencing in a denaturing matrix and over 300 runs of DNA fragment analysis under nondenatur- ing conditions. Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 10: 175)184, 1998

Rapid sizing of polymorphic microsatellite markers by capillary array electrophoresis.

Genetic mapping and DNA sequencing projects could potentially be completed more rapidly by using capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) systems running 48-96 capillaries simultaneously. Currently, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multicolor fluorescent dye-labeling strategies are used to generate DNA profiles containing 18-24 genotypes per sample. By using 4-color fluorescence detection and these multiplex PCR strategies, a CAE system has the capacity to generate up to 5.5 million genotypes per year. CAE offers extremely fast, high-resolution separation of DNA and more automated sample processing than conventional systems because the labor-intensive slab-gel pouring and sample-loading steps are eliminated. We used a prototype CAE system in an ongoing linkage analysis study of inherited deafness in Mediterranean families. CA-repeat markers linked to deafness susceptibility genes on chromosomes 7, 11 and 13 were analyzed and DNA profiles generated which contain 6 markers per color. Fragment sizes of over 28,000 short tandem repeat alleles and 3200 CA-repeat alleles have been determined by CAE. An average sizing precision of +/- 0.12 base pairs (bp) for fragments up to 350 bp was realized in 1-h runs. In addition, a versatile non-denaturing matrix was used to separate DNA sizing standards, restriction digests, and multiplex PCR samples. Application of this matrix to Duchenne muscular dystrophy exon deletion screening is also described. These CAE approaches should facilitate rapid genotyping of microsatellite markers and subsequent identification of disease-causing mutations.