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Expanding the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of TRAPPC9 and MID2-related neurodevelopmental disabilities: report of two novel mutations, 3D-modelling, and molecular docking studies

Journal of Human Genetics (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Intellectual disabilities (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a variety of etiologies, including environmental and genetic factors. Our study reports a psychiatric clinical investigation and a molecular analysis using whole exome sequencing (WES) of two siblings with ID and ASD from a consanguineous family. Bioinformatic prediction and molecular docking analysis were also carried out. The two patients were diagnosed with profound intellectual disability, brain malformations such as cortical atrophy, acquired microcephaly, and autism level III. The neurological and neuropsychiatric examination revealed that P2 was more severely affected than P1, as he was unable to walk, presented with dysmorphic feature and exhibited self and hetero aggressive behaviors. The molecular investigations revealed a novel TRAPPC9 biallelic nonsense mutation (c.2920 C > T, p.R974X) in the two siblings. The more severely affected patient (P2) presented, along with the TRAPPC9 variant, a new missense mutation c.166 C > T (p.R56C) in the MID2 gene at hemizygous state, while his sister P1 was merely a carrier. The 3D modelling and molecular docking analysis revealed that c.166 C > T variant could affect the ability of MID2 binding to Astrin, leading to dysregulation of microtubule dynamics and causing morphological abnormalities in the brain. As our knowledge, the MID2 mutation (p.R56C) is the first one to be detected in Tunisia and causing phenotypic variability between the siblings. We extend the genetic and clinical spectrum of TRAPPC9 and MID2 mutations and highlights the possible concomitant presence of X-linked as well as autosomal recessive inheritance to causing ID, microcephaly, and autism.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the patients and their families for their cooperation in the present study. They also thank the doctors of the CHU Hedi Chaker of Sfax’s Child Neurology department for their assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Genetics, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia

    Marwa Kharrat, Olfa Alila & Faiza Fakhfakh

  2. Child Neurology Department, Hedi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia

    Chahnez Triki, Abir ben isaa, Wafa Bouchaala, Yosra Ghouliya & Fatma Kamoun

  3. Research laboratory (LR19ES15), Sfax Medical School, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia

    Chahnez Triki, Abir ben isaa, Wafa Bouchaala, Yosra Ghouliya & Fatma Kamoun

  4. Department of Applied Biology, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Jihen Chouchen & Abdelaziz Tlili

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Kharrat, M., Triki, C., ben isaa, A. et al. Expanding the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of TRAPPC9 and MID2-related neurodevelopmental disabilities: report of two novel mutations, 3D-modelling, and molecular docking studies. J Hum Genet (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s10038-024-01242-9

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