Dataset Information

Extensive variation in gene copy number at the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor locus in humans.

ABSTRACT: Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are involved in the regulation of natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Within the human genome seventeen KIR genes are present, which all contain a large number of allelic variants. The high level of homology among KIR genes has hampered KIR genotyping in larger cohorts, and determination of gene copy number variation (CNV) has been difficult. We have designed a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique for genotyping and CNV determination in one single assay and validated the results by next-generation sequencing and with a KIR gene-specific short tandem repeat assay. In this way, we demonstrate in a cohort of 120 individuals a high level of CNV for all KIR genes except for the framework genes KIR3DL3 and KIR3DL2. Application of our MLPA assay in segregation analyses of families from the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humaine, previously KIR-genotyped by classical techniques, confirmed an earlier reported duplication and resulted in the identification of a novel duplication event in one of these families. In summary, our KIR MLPA assay allows rapid and accurate KIR genotyping and CNV detection, thus rendering improved transplantation programs and oncology treatment feasible, and enables more detailed studies on the role of KIRs in human (auto)immunity and infectious disease.

SUBMITTER: Vendelbosch S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3695908 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Extensive variation in gene copy number at the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor locus in humans.

Vendelbosch Sanne S de Boer Martin M Gouw Remko A T W RA Ho Cynthia K Y CK Geissler Judy J Swelsen Wendy T N WT Moorhouse Michael J MJ Lardy Neubury M NM Roos Dirk D van den Berg Timo K TK Kuijpers Taco W TW

PloS one 20130628 6

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are involved in the regulation of natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Within the human genome seventeen KIR genes are present, which all contain a large number of allelic variants. The high level of homology among KIR genes has hampered KIR genotyping in larger cohorts, and determination of gene copy number variation (CNV) has been difficult. We have designed a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique for genotyping and CNV deter ...[more]

PMID: 23840750

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Project description:The study of genomic regions that contain gene copies and structural variation is a major challenge in modern genomics. Unlike variation involving single nucleotide changes, data on the variation of copy number is difficult to collect and few tools exist for analyzing the variation between individuals. The immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV) locus, which plays an integral role in the adaptive immune response, is an example of a complex genomic region that varies in gene copy number. Lack of standard methods to genotype this region prevents it from being included in association studies and is holding back the growing field of antibody repertoire analysis. Here we develop a method that takes short reads from high-throughput sequencing and outputs a genetic profile of the IGHV locus with the read coverage depth and a putative nucleotide sequence for each operationally defined gene cluster. Our operationally defined gene clusters aim to address a major challenge in studying the IGHV locus: the high sequence similarity between gene segments in different genomic locations. Tests on simulated data demonstrate that our approach can accurately determine the presence or absence of a gene cluster from reads as short as 70 bp. More detailed resolution on the copy number of gene clusters can be obtained from read coverage depth using longer reads (e.g., ≥ 100 bp). Detail at the nucleotide resolution of single copy genes (genes present in one copy per haplotype) can be determined with 250 bp reads. For IGHV genes with more than one copy, accurate nucleotide-resolution reconstruction is currently beyond the means of our approach. When applied to a family of European ancestry, our pipeline outputs genotypes that are consistent with the family pedigree, confirms existing multigene variants and suggests new copy number variants. This study paves the way for analyzing population-level patterns of variation in IGHV gene clusters in larger diverse datasets and for quantitatively handling regions of copy number variation in other structurally varying and complex loci.

Project description:Two coding variants in the APOL1 gene (G1 and G2) explain most of the high rate of kidney disease in African Americans. APOL1-associated kidney disease risk inheritance follows an autosomal recessive pattern: The relative risk of kidney disease associated with inheritance of two high-risk variants is 7-30 fold, depending on the specific kidney phenotype. We wished to determine if the variability in phenotype might in part reflect structural differences in APOL1 gene. We analyzed sequence coverage from 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 samples as well as exome sequencing data from African American kidney disease cases for copy number variation. 8 samples sequenced in the 1000 Genomes Project showed increased coverage over a ~100kb region that includes APOL2, APOL1 and part of MYH9, suggesting the presence of APOL1 copy number greater than 2. We reasoned that such duplications should be enriched in apparent G1 heterozygotes with kidney disease. Using a PCR-based assay, we observed the presence of this duplication in additional samples from apparent G0G1 or G0G2 individuals. The frequency of this APOL1 duplication was compared among cases (n = 123) and controls (n = 255) with apparent G0G1 heterozygosity. The presence of APOL1 duplication was observed in 4.06% of cases and 0.78% controls, preliminary evidence that this APOL1 duplication may alter susceptibility to kidney disease (p = 0.03). Taqman-based copy number assays confirmed the presence of 3 APOL1 copies in individuals positive for this specific duplication by PCR assay, but also identified a small number of individuals with additional APOL1 copies of presumably different structure. These observations motivate further studies to better assess the contribution of APOL1 copy number on kidney disease risk and on APOL1 function. Investigators and clinicians genotyping APOL1 should also consider whether the particular genotyping platform used is subject to technical errors when more than two copies of APOL1 are present.

Dataset Information

Extensive variation in gene copy number at the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor locus in humans.

Publications

Extensive variation in gene copy number at the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor locus in humans.

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