title: A novel AARS mutation in a family with dominant myeloneuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the genetic cause of neurodegeneration in a family with myeloneuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 5 siblings in a family with a mild, dominantly inherited neuropathy by clinical examination and electrophysiology. One patient had a sural nerve biopsy. After ruling out common genetic causes of axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, we sequenced 3 tRNA synthetase genes associated with neuropathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All affected family members had a mild axonal neuropathy, and 3 of 4 had lower extremity hyperreflexia, evidence of a superimposed myelopathy. A nerve biopsy showed evidence of chronic axonal loss. All affected family members had a heterozygous missense mutation c.304G>C (p.Gly102Arg) in the alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS) gene; this allele was not identified in unaffected individuals or control samples. The equivalent change in the yeast ortholog failed to complement a strain of yeast lacking AARS function, suggesting that the mutation is damaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel mutation in AARS causes a mild myeloneuropathy, a novel phenotype for patients with mutations in one of the tRNA synthetase genes.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Motley
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laurie B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mademan
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baets
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Vriendt
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Jonghe
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonellis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: Albena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jordanova
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology (W.W.M., S.S.S.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (L.B.G., A.A.), Medical Science Training Program (L.B.G.), and the Departments of Human Genetics (A.A.) and Neurology (A.A.), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor; the Neurogenetics Group (I.M., J.B., P.D.J.) and the Molecular Neurogenomics Group (E.D.V., A.J.), VIB, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp; the Neurogenetics Laboratory (I.M., J.B., E.D.V., P.D.J., A.J.), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp; and the Department of Neurology (J.B., P.D.J.), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. sscherer@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Scherer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000412:Alanine-tRNA Ligase / Q000235:genetics*; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010375:Pedigree; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000412:Alanine-tRNA Ligase