A Mutation in the CACNA1F Gene Found by Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and In Silico Analysis in an Iranian Family with Consanguineous Relationships

Abstract

Background: X-linked mutations are highly important in clinical diagnosis, and at least 533 disorders are related to the genes located on the X chromosome.

Case presentation: A 21-year-old Caucasian woman with a 24-year-old Caucasian man as her fiancé referred Clinical genetic lab for premarital genetic counseling (carrier screening). None of them had any abnormal manifestations. Following genetic counseling, Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) test performed to find the possible pathogenic mutations. Also, after drawing the couple's pedigree, candidate mutations were examined in the woman's parents as well as her uncles. Additionally, in silico investigations were performed through SWISS-MODEL, MolProbity, ProSA, Py- Mol, and FATCAT tools. The most important mutation diagnosed in the woman (R1362Q in the 35th exon of CACNA1F), was observed in her mother and her two uncles. The mutation was also screened in both her father and her fiancé, but they had no mutations. After medical examinations of carriers, there was no sign of any eye impairment. Other mutations were TCTN2 (c.1613-2A>G), TARS (p.K319E), SPEG (p.E3020K), CPS1 (p.A1180V), MYO3A (p.I736M), NNT (p.R968Q), MED23 (p.K406T). Bioinformatics analyses indicated no alteration in the mutant structure of CACNA1F (Q1362) compared with the normal structure (R1362).

Conclusion: Conclusively, the current study emphasizes the non-pathogenic effect of missense mutation R1362Q in the 35th exon of CACNA1F in association with ocular diseases. This will ensure the reports of this mutation as healthy instead of uncertain in the literature and databanks.

Keywords: CACNA1F; Whole exome sequencing; blindness; homology modeling.; mutation.