Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Dominant inheritance of premature ovarian failure associated with mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Robert Taylor

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

Background: Premature ovarian failure (POF) results in menopause before the age of 40. Recently, mutations in the catalytic subunit of mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG) were shown to segregate with POF in families with progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) and multiple large-scale rearrangements of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Methods and Results: A patient, mother and maternal grandmother are described, all presenting with POF and PEO. The mother developed parkinsonism in her sixth decade. Normal mtDNA sequence excluded mitochondrial inheritance. Sequence analysis of polymerase gamma revealed a dominant Y955C mutation that segregated with disease. Southern blot analysis demonstrated mtDNA depletion in fibroblasts (43% of controls). In contrast, multiple rearrangements of mtDNA were seen in skeletal muscle, consistent with the relative sparing of nuclear-encoded complex II activity compared with other respiratory chain enzymes. Immunoblotting of native gels showed that DNA polymerase gamma stability was not affected, whereas a reverse-transcriptase primer-extension assay suggested a trend towards reduced polymerase activity in fibroblasts. Conclusions: This study confirms that POLG mutations can segregate with POF and parkinsonism and demonstrates for the first time that the Y955C mutation can lead to mtDNA depletion. Future screening projects will determine the frequency with which POLG is involved in the aetiology of POF and its impact on reproductive counselling. © 2006 Oxford University Press.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Pagnamenta AT, Taanman J-W, Wilson CJ, Anderson NE, Marotta R, Duncan AJ, Bitner-Glindzicz M, Taylor RW, Laskowski A, Thorburn DR, Rahman S

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Human Reproduction

Year: 2006

Volume: 21

Issue: 10

Pages: 2467-2473

ISSN (print): 0268-1161

ISSN (electronic): 1460-2350

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/humrep/del076

DOI: 10.1093/humrep/del076


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
074454Wellcome Trust

Share