title: In silico identification and three-dimensional modelling of the missense mutation in ADAMTS2 in a sheep flock with dermatosparaxis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatosparaxis (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in humans) is characterized by extreme fragility of the skin. It is due to the lack of mature collagen caused by a failure in the enzymatic processing of procollagen I. We investigated the condition in a commercial sheep flock.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Mutations in the ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 2 (ADAMTS2) locus, are involved in the development of dermatosparaxis in humans, cattle and the dorper sheep breed; consequently, this locus was investigated in the flock.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single affected lamb, its dam, the dam of a second affected lamb and the rams in the flock were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA was purified from blood, PCR primers were used to detect parts of the ADAMS2 gene and nucleotide sequencing was performed using Sanger's procedure. Skin samples were examined using standard histology procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A missense mutation was identified in the catalytic domain of ADAMTS2. The mutation is predicted to cause the substitution in the mature ADAMTS2 of a valine molecule by a methionine molecule (V15M) affecting the catalytic domain of the enzyme. Both the 'sorting intolerant from tolerant' (SIFT) and the PolyPhen-2 methodologies predicted a damaging effect for the mutation. Three-dimensional modelling suggested that this mutation may alter the stability of the protein folding or distort the structure, causing the protein to malfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of the mutation responsible for the pathology allowed us to remove the heterozygote ram, thus preventing additional cases in the flock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Embryology and Genetics, School of Veterinary Science, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Monteagudo
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Catalan-Insa
authors.forename: Demetris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savva
authors.forename: Liam J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: McGuffin
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tejedor
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004535:Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D008297:Male; D020125:Mutation, Missense / Q000235:genetics*; D017510:Protein Folding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051722:ADAM Proteins