The human SHOX mutation database

Abstract

The human SHOX database has recently been established to provide clinicians and scientists access to a central source of information about all known SHOX mutations associated with short stature phenotypes such as idiopathic short stature, Lèri-Weill dyschondrosteosis, Langer syndrome, and Turner syndrome. So far, the database contains 29 unique intragenic mutations of the SHOX gene. These mutations were detected in a total of 39 patients from different families. Fourteen of these mutations have been found from the SHOX research group at the Institute of Human Genetics in Heidelberg, Germany; 25 mutations are from data reported in the literature. Not included in this database are complete SHOX gene deletions which represent the majority of all detectable SHOX mutations [Rappold et al., 2002]. The database is accessible via the website www.shox.uni-hd.de. It contains general information about the SHOX gene, and allows remote users to search the data and to submit new mutations to the database.