Reverse mutation in fragile X syndrome.

Abstract

The fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of familial mental retardation, with an incidence of {approximately}1/1,500 in males and 1/2,500 in females. The clinical expression includes moderate to severe mental retardation, macroorchidism, dysmorphic facial features and behavior disturbances. In 1991, the FMR-1 gene was isolated from the region of the fragile X site. The fragile X phenotype has been found, in most cases, to be characterized at the molecular level by expansion of a (CGG){sub n} repeat and hypermethylation of a CpG island identified in the 5{prime}-UTR of the FMR-1 gene. It has been proposed, and some evidence has been shown, that germ cells carry only premutation alleles and that expansion occurs at a postzygotic stage. A few cases of reduction of the (CGG){sub n} repeat in fragile X syndrome have been reported. These reductions were from a larger premutation to a smaller premutation, in female-to-male transmission, from full mutation to a mosaic pattern, reduction from mosaic full-mutation/premutation females or regression from premutation to normal. We present here the novel observation of a phenotypically normal female carrying a nonmosaic full-mutation allele in somatic cells who transmits a premutation allele to her daughter. This daughter has three mosaic offspringmore » with the full mutation and the premutation. Two of them are monozygotic (MZ) twins sharing a concordant mutation pattern. They are monoamniotic monochorionic, which indicates a late form of twinning. 20 refs., 1 fig.« less