Dataset Information

Homozygous deletion of six olfactory receptor genes in a subset of individuals with Beta-thalassemia.

ABSTRACT: Progress in the functional studies of human olfactory receptors has been largely hampered by the lack of a reliable experimental model system. Although transgenic approaches in mice could characterize the function of individual olfactory receptors, the presence of over 300 functional genes in the human genome becomes a daunting task. Thus, the characterization of individuals with a genetic susceptibility to altered olfaction coupled with the absence of particular olfactory receptor genes will allow phenotype/genotype correlations and vindicate the function of specific olfactory receptors with their cognate ligands. We characterized a 118 kb ?-globin deletion and found that its 3' end breakpoint extends to the neighboring olfactory receptor region downstream of the ?-globin gene cluster. This deletion encompasses six contiguous olfactory receptor genes (OR51V1, OR52Z1, OR51A1P, OR52A1, OR52A5, and OR52A4) all of which are expressed in the brain. Topology analysis of the encoded proteins from these olfactory receptor genes revealed that OR52Z1, OR52A1, OR52A5, and OR52A4 are predicted to be functional receptors as they display integral characteristics of G-proteins coupled receptors. Individuals homozygous for the 118 kb ?-globin deletion are afflicted with ?-thalassemia due to a homozygous deletion of the ?-globin gene and have no alleles for the above mentioned olfactory receptors genes. This is the first example of a homozygous deletion of olfactory receptor genes in human. Although altered olfaction remains to be ascertained in these individuals, such a study can be carried out in ?-thalassemia patients from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines where this mutation is common. Furthermore, OR52A1 contains a ?-globin enhancer, which was previously shown to confer continuous expression of the fetal ?-globin genes. Thus, the hypothesis that ?-thalassemia individuals, who are homozygous for the 118 kb deletion, may also have an exacerbation of their anemia due to the deletion of two copies of the ?-globin enhancer element is worthy of consideration.

SUBMITTER: Van Ziffle J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3044735 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Homozygous deletion of six olfactory receptor genes in a subset of individuals with Beta-thalassemia.

Van Ziffle Jessica J Yang Wendy W Chehab Farid F FF

PloS one 20110224 2

Progress in the functional studies of human olfactory receptors has been largely hampered by the lack of a reliable experimental model system. Although transgenic approaches in mice could characterize the function of individual olfactory receptors, the presence of over 300 functional genes in the human genome becomes a daunting task. Thus, the characterization of individuals with a genetic susceptibility to altered olfaction coupled with the absence of particular olfactory receptor genes will al ...[more]

PMID: 21390308

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe frequency of the beta-thalassemia (β-thalassemia) gene in Indonesia ranges from 3 to 10%. However, in the East Java province, there is still limited information on the prevalence of β-thalassemia mutations in clinically diagnosed beta-thalassemia patients of East Java. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize β-thalassemia mutations in selected patients in the East Java province of Indonesia.MethodsThis is an analytical observational study. Diagnosis of β-thalassemia was based on clinical presentation, complete blood count (CBC), and hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis. Blood specimens taken from each patient in three ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes were analyzed for CBC and Hb electrophoresis and processed for DNA extraction and subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Detection of mutations in Hemoglobin Subunit Beta (HBB) gene exons 1-3 of the β-thalassemia gene as the common mutation in Indonesia was done using PCR followed by Sanger sequencing.ResultsIn total, 33 (n = 33) participants were involved in this study with ages ranging from 5 to 17 years comprising 19 women and 14 men. Their ethnic origins were Javanese (n = 30) and Chinese (n = 3). CBC results showed that mean ± standard deviation (SD) for Hb, red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red cell distribution width (RDW)-CV were 81.2 ± 7.0 g/L; 3.40 ± 0.39 × 109/L; 71.05 ± 5.72 fL; 24.12 ± 2.45 pg; 33.91 ± 1.47 g/dl; 24.38 ± 6.02%, respectively. Hb electrophoresis revealed that 5 out of 33 participants had beta-thalassemia and 28 out of 33 participants had hemoglobinopathy (Hb) E/beta-thalassemia. Results of Sanger sequencing showed the following genotype variations in the samples: 12 (36.4%) with β CD26 /β IVS-I-5; 6 (18.2%) with β CD26 /β CD35; 3 (9.1%) with β CD26 /β IVS-I-2; 2 (6.1%) with β CD27/28 /β CD40; 2 (6.1%) with β IVS-I-1 /β CAP+1; and β CD26 /β IVS-I-1; β IVS-I-5 /β CAP+1; β IVS-I-5 /β CD35; β CD26 /β CD37; β CD26 /β CD15; β CD26 /β CD40; and β IVS-I-5 /β CD19 in 1 (3%) sample, respectively, and 1 (3%) had no abnormality detected in sequencing even though electrophoresis showed abnormality in the migration pattern. The β CD26 /β IVS-I-5 mutation was found in samples that were noted to have Hb E/beta-thalassemia on Hb electrophoresis.ConclusionThe underlying genetic variations are heterogeneous in thalassemia patients in East Java, where 12 variants were found. The most common variant was β CD26 /β IVS-I-5, which all accounted for Hb E/beta-thalassemia on Hb electrophoresis. Furthermore, 28 out of 33 participants had hemoglobinopathy (Hb) E/beta-thalassemia.

Dataset Information

Homozygous deletion of six olfactory receptor genes in a subset of individuals with Beta-thalassemia.

Publications

Homozygous deletion of six olfactory receptor genes in a subset of individuals with Beta-thalassemia.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets