Project description:We have performed a genome wide analysis of gene copy number polymorphisms and report here for the first time that the human genome contains thousands of well-characterized genes at copy numbers different from one maternal and one paternal allele; and that, furthermore, the copy numbers of hundreds of well-characterized genes can vary between two normal healthy humans making this a major source of genetic variation. Groups of genes affected by CNPs include genes involved in signal transduction, oncogenesis, cell adhesion activity and several types of immune response. In contrast to SNPs, which preferentially affect non-coding regions of the genome, copy number polymorphisms of well-characterized and actively expressed genes are very likely to have important biological consequences. Keywords: Gene Copy Number Variation
Project description:We have performed a genome wide analysis of gene copy number polymorphisms and report here for the first time that the human genome contains thousands of well-characterized genes at copy numbers different from one maternal and one paternal allele; and that, furthermore, the copy numbers of hundreds of well-characterized genes can vary between two normal healthy humans making this a major source of genetic variation. Groups of genes affected by CNPs include genes involved in signal transduction, oncogenesis, cell adhesion activity and several types of immune response. In contrast to SNPs, which preferentially affect non-coding regions of the genome, copy number polymorphisms of well-characterized and actively expressed genes are very likely to have important biological consequences. Experiment Overall Design: We utilized an expression microarray to analyze gene copy number variations (GCNVs).
Project description:Chromosomal abnormalities have been identified in some individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but their full etiologic role is unknown. Submicroscopic copy number variation (CNV) represents a considerable source of genetic variation in the human genome that contributes to phenotypic differences and disease susceptibility. To explore the contribution CNV imbalances in ASD, we genotyped unrelated ASD index cases using the Affymetrix GeneChip® 500K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mapping array. Keywords: Whole Genome Mapping SNP Genotyping Array
Project description:Copy number variation (CNV) of DNA segments has recently been identified as a major source of genetic diversity, but a more comprehensive understanding of the extent and phenotypic effect of this type of variation is only beginning to emerge. In this study we generated genome-wide expression data from 6 mouse tissues to investigate how CNVs influence gene expression. Keywords: genetic background, gene expression profiling
Project description:We examined six pairs of monozygotic twins discordant (MZD) for schizophrenia and identified copy number variation (CNV) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences between affected and unaffected co-twins using the Affymetrix Genome Wide SNP 6.0.
Project description:Detailed analyses of the clone-based genome assembly reveal that the recent duplication content of mouse (4.94%) is now comparable to that of human (5.5%), in contrast to previous estimates from the whole-genome shotgun sequence assembly. The architecture of mouse and human genomes differ dramatically; most mouse duplications are organized into discrete clusters of tandem duplications that are depleted for genes/transcripts and enriched for LINE1 and LTR retroposons. We assessed copy-number variation of the C57BL/6J duplicated regions within 15 mouse strains used for genetic association studies, sequencing, and the mouse phenome project. We determined that over 60% of these basepairs are polymorphic between the strains (on average 20 Mbp of copy-number variable DNA between different mouse strains). Our data suggest that different mouse strains show comparable, if not greater, copy-number polymorphism when compared to human; however, such variation is more locally restricted. We show large and complex patterns of inter-strain copy-number variation restricted to large gene families associated with spermatogenesis, pregnancy, viviparity, phermone signaling, and immune response. Keywords: comparative genomic hybridization
Project description:Gene copy number variation (CNV) is a form of genetic polymorphism that contributes significantly to genome size and function but remains poorly characterized due to technological limitations. Inter-specific comparisons of CNVs in recently diverged plant species are crucial to uncover selection patterns underlying adaptation of a species to stressful environments. Especially given that gene amplifications have long been implicated in emergence of species-specific traits, we conducted a genome-wide survey to identify species-specific gene copy number expansions and deletions in the model extremophile species - Arabidopsis halleri that has diverged in evolutionarily recent time from Arabidopsis thaliana. Cross-species cDNA array based comparative genomic hybridization was employed to compare and identify gene copy number variation in the two sister-species - the metallophyte Arabidopsis halleri and non-metallophyte Arabidopsis lyrata, both relative to Arabidopsis thaliana. We uncovered an unprecedented level of gene copy number polymorphism in Arabidopsis halleri, with a species-specific enrichment of metal homeostasis function in the genes found to be copy number expanded, thus indicating CNV as a mechanism that underlies the key physiological trait of metal hyperaccumulation and hypetolerance in A. halleri.
Project description:Genetic variation is responsible for the generation of phenotypic diversity, including susceptibility to disease. Two major types of variation are known: single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and a more recently discovered structural variation, involving changes in copy number (CNVs) of kilobase- to megabase-sized chromosomal segments. Variation caused by CNVs has exceeded the amount of SNP-based differences expected to exist between two unrelated humans. Furthermore, many CNVs have been associated with disease predisposition. It is unknown whether CNVs arise in somatic cells, but it is, however, generally assumed that normal cells are genetically identical. Here we show that CNVs are frequent in healthy somatic cells of adult humans. We tested 34 tissue samples from three subjects and, having analyzed for each tissue <10-6 of all cells expected in an adult human, we observed at least six CNVs, affecting a single organ or one or more tissues of the same subject. The CNVs ranged from 82-176 kb, often encompassing known genes, potentially affecting gene function. Our results point to a paradigm shift in the genetics of somatic cells and indicate that humans are commonly affected by somatic mosaicism for stochastic CNVs, which occur in a substantial fraction of cells. A considerable number of phenotypes and diseases affecting humans are a consequence of a somatic process. Thus, our conclusions will be important for the delineation of genetic factors behind these phenotypes. Consequently, biobanks should consider sampling multiple tissues in order to better address mosaicism in the studies of somatic disorders. Furthermore, forensic medicine laboratories should be sensitized to the issue of underestimated frequency of somatic CNV mosaicism. Keywords: copy number variation (CNV), phenotype diversity, somatic cells