4075 results for "*geneti*"

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• Assessing the impact of low frequency coding variants on disease risk using the Exomechip

  Following several rounds of Genome Wide Association (GWA) scans and subsequent meta-analyses of results multiple risk loci have been identified for many common diseases. However, in most instances the implicated common variants identified so far explain only a modest fraction of the genetic risk. In parallel to our efforts to identify the causative variants in the known loci it is necessary to assess the full spectrum of sequence variants for disease risk and in particular low frequency and rare variants that have not been tested in a comprehensive way so far. To this end an international effort by investigators who have performed whole exome sequencing in circa 12,000 individuals have assembled a set of ~250,000 exonic variants of low frequency – defined as seen in at least two studies and a minimum of three individuals (non-sysnonymous) or two individuals for SNPs altering splice sites / stop codons. The SNP content from the exome studies was complemented with additional interesting SNP sets totalling 25,000 markers (GWA tag SNPs, grid of common variants, HLA, Mitochondrial, Y-chromosome etc) and were used to generate a custom iSELECT array, the exome chip. Adequately powered association studies to test low frequency variants for association to disease risk are still very expensive if conducted by whole exome sequencing. The exome chip provides a cost efficient way to undertake such an experiment and the Wellcome Trust Cases Control Consortium will be applying this approach to eight diseases, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, bipolar, and ankylosing spondylitis. The first objective will be to generate a large set of at least 10,000 common UK controls as analysis of lower frequency variants will require large sample sizes. This includes ~6000 samples from the 1958 Birth Cohort.

  Study EGAS00001000584

• HipSci genotyping microarray for embryonic stem cell control lines

  The HipSci project brings together diverse constituents in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and clinical genetics to create a UK national iPS cell resource and use it to carry out cellular genetic studies. In this sub-study we use commercially available embryonic stem cell lines as control samples against which to compare HipSci's iPS cell lines. We performed genotyping analysis using the Infinium HumanExome BeadChip.

  Study EGAS00001001730

• Himalayan_population_genetic_study

  We genotyped 770 individuals belonging to 49 populations from Nepal, Bhutan, North India or Tibet at over 500,000 SNPs genomewide to investigate the demographic history of the region and the genetic adaptations to the harsh environment. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001002731

• UK10K_RARE_FIND

  In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The Raymond samples will be part of the “rare disease” group, and will undergo exome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Lucy Raymond (flr24@cam.ac.uk).

  Study EGAS00001000128

• ENU_CCK_81_cetuximab_pilot_project

  Cetuximab is a targeted monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is used therapeutically for the treatment of KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer (CRC). The Cetuximab sensitive KRAS wild-type CRC cell line NCI-H508 has been treated with a fixed concentration of ENU for 24 hours and then selected with Cetuximab until drug resistant clones were ready to be picked and grown up as sub-clones of the parental cell line. These will have genes causally implicated in cancer sequenced to identify common point mutations in multiple independently derived drug resistant clones as a forward genetic screen for mechanisms of resistance to Cetuximab in CRC.

  Study EGAS00001001743

• MutWP1__CRUK_Grand_Challenge_Mutographs_of_Cancer__Oesophageal_squamous_cell_carcinoma

  The Mutographs project aims to advance our understanding of the causes of cancer through studies of mutational signatures. Led by Mike Stratton, together with Paul Brennan, Ludmil Alexandrov, Allan Balmain, David Phillips and Peter Campbell, this large-scale international research endeavour was awarded a Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge. Different patterns of somatic mutation are generated by the different environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that cause cancer, many of them are still unknown. Within Mutographs, the International Agency for Research on Cancer is coordinating the recruitment of 5000 individuals with cancer (colorectal, renal, pancreatic, oesophageal adenocarcinoma or oesophageal squamous cancers) across 5 continents to explore whether different mutational signatures explain marked variation in incidence. In brief, through an international network of collaborators around the world, biological materials are collected, along with demographic, histological, clinical and questionnaire data. Whole genome sequences of tumour-germline DNA pairs are generated at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Illumina HiSeqX, 40X and 20X depth respectively). Somatic mutational signatures are subsequently extracted by non-negative matrix factorisation methods and correlated with risk factors data. Through an enhanced understanding of cancer aetiology, Mutographs unprecedented effort is anticipated to outline modifiable risk factors, lead to new approaches to prevent cancer, and provide opportunities to empower early detection, refine high-risk groups and contribute to further therapeutic development.

  Study EGAS00001002725

• Carcinoma of the oral tongue (OTSCC) genomic landscape characterisation

  Carcinoma of the oral tongue (OTSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity, characterized by frequent recurrence and poor survival. The last three decades has witnessed a change in the OTSCC epidemiological profile, with increasing incidence in younger patients, females and never-smokers. Here, we sought to characterize the OTSCC genomic landscape and to determine factors that may delineate the genetic basis of this disease, inform prognosis and identify targets for therapeutic intervention.

  Study EGAS00001001329

• Whole-genome Sequencing Suggests Mechanisms for 22q11.2 deletion-associated Parkinson’s disease

  Objectives: To investigate disease risk mechanisms of early-onset Parkinson’s disease (PD) associated with the recurrent 22q11.2 deletion, a genetic risk factor for early-onset PD. Methods: In a proof-of-principle study, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate sequence variants in nine adults with 22q11.2DS, three with neuropathologically confirmed early-onset PD and six without PD. Adopting an approach used recently to study schizophrenia in 22q11.2DS, here we tested candidate gene-sets relevant to PD. Results: No mutations common to the cases with PD were found in the intact 22q11.2 region. While all were negative for rare mutations in a gene-set comprising PD disease-causing and risk genes, another candidate gene-set of 1000 genes functionally relevant to PD presented a nominally significant (P=0.03) enrichment of rare putatively damaging missense variants in the PD cases. Polygenic score results, based on common variants associated with PD risk, were non-significantly greater in those with PD. Conclusions: The results of this first-ever pilot study of WGS in PD suggest that the cumulative burden of genome-wide sequence variants may contribute to expression of early-onset PD in the presence of threshold-lowering dosage effects of a 22q11.2 deletion. We found no evidence that expression of PD in 22q11.2DS is mediated by a recessive locus on the intact 22q11.2 chromosome or mutations in known PD genes. These findings offer initial evidence of the potential effects of multiple within-individual rare variants on the expression of PD and the utility of next generation sequencing for studying the etiology of PD.

  Study EGAS00001002275

• A_study_of_the_genetic_basis_of_evation_by_Acute_Myeloid_Leukaemia_of_Graft_vs_Leukaemia_effects_after_allogeneic_bone_marrow_transplantation

  Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive and molecularly diverse disease with a poor overall survival of 20-25%. With an annual incidence of 2.9 per 100,000, AML is currently the commonest myeloid malignancy in Europe, yet the two main therapeutic options for this disease, anthracyclines and purine analogues, have remained unchanged for over 20 years. Currently patients are stratified at diagnosis according to a series of clinicopathological parameters (e.g. age, white cell count and presence/absence of previous clonal haematological disease) and molecular markers (e.g. chromosomal translocations/deletions, aneuploidy and mutations in genes such as FLT3 and NPM1). Patients with adverse prognostic features, whose prognosis is particularly poor (e.g. <15% long-term survival) are offered treatment with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) if a sibling or unrelated donor is available. This can significantly improve survival (e.g. up to 40% long-term survival in some contexts), albeit at the expense of significant toxicity and transplant-related mortality (TRM). Allo-BMT is thought to work in part by allowing the delivery of large doses of chemotherapy followed by haemopoietic "rescue" with donor haemopoietic stem cells (haemopoietic failure would otherwise ensue). However, potentially the most potent effect of allo-BMT is the cytotoxic effect of donor lymphocytes against AML blasts, a phenomenon known as graft-vs-leukaemia (GVL) effect. Increasingly, transplants using reduced chemotherapy intensity (mini-allografts) are being used that partially circumvent the toxicity from chemotherapy and rely on GVL to effect cure. Nevertheless, AML relapse after allo-BMT still occurs at a significant rate of up to 80% depending on the type of transplant. There is accumulating evidence that genetic events in residual leukaemic cells enable them to evade immunodetection and therefore survive the GVL effect and expand to cause relapse. The most striking example of this is the loss of HLA antigens after transplants in which donor and recipient are not fully HLA-matched. In these cases, the leukaemia "deletes" the genomic region containing the disparate HLA antigen which was preferentially targeted as "foreign" by the GVL effect. However, the genetic basis of immune evasion in the majority of transplants, which are fully HLA matched, is not known. One possibility is that loss of genes coding for antigens outside the HLA locus but which are also targets of GVL may operate, alternatively genetic events that affect processes downstream of immunological cytotoxicity may be responsible.The identification of genetic events that mediate immune evasion would not only facilitate the understanding of this process but can help plan therapeutic interventions that improve the outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for AML and other disorders. We intend to study this by conducting exome sequencing on 6 cases of AMLs from patients that attend my clinic at Addenbrooke's hospital and have relapsed after allogeneic transplantation. Samples from AML diagnosis, remission/normal and AML relapse (total n=18) will be studied to identify somatic mutations in the primary AML and those acquired by the relapsed clone. The 18 samples will also be studied by array CGH to detect regions of genomic amplification or deletion.

  Study EGAS00001000145

• Discordant_Monozygotic_Twins_ALS (Epigenetics)

  We conducted a multi-omics study on a monozygotic twin pair discordant for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we submit epigenetic data from EPIC array.

  Study EGAS00001008053

• RUNX1 mutated families show phenotype heterogeneity and a somatic mutation profile unique to germline predisposed AML

  We present the clinical phenotypes and genetic mutations detected in 10 novel RUNX1 mutated FPD-MM families. Genomic analyses on these families detected two partial gene deletions, three novel mutations and five recurrent mutations as the germline RUNX1 alterations leading to FPD-MM. On 15 individuals, across the 10 families, we performed additional whole exome or myeloid panel sequencing on blood or bone marrow to determine somatic mutations that co-exist with the germline RUNX1 mutation in tumour and pre-leukaemic states.

  Study EGAS00001004273

• Accurate detection and classification of pediatric sarcomas based on cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns

  Sequencing of cell-free DNA in the blood of cancer patients (“liquid biopsy”) provides attractive opportunities not only for early diagnosis, but also for minimally invasive monitoring of treatment response and disease courses. To unlock liquid biopsy analysis for pediatric tumors with few genetic aberrations, we developed an integrated genetic/epigenetic analysis method and applied it to 241 deep whole-genome sequencing profiles of 95 patients with Ewing sarcoma and 31 patients with other pediatric sarcomas. We achieved sensitive detection and classification of circulating tumor DNA in peripheral blood independent of any genetic alterations. We evaluated different metrics for cell-free DNA fragmentation analysis and developed LIQUORICE, a bioinformatic tool for detecting circulating tumor DNA based on tumor-specific chromatin structure. Using machine learning methods, we combined several fragmentation-based metrics into an integrated approach for liquid biopsy analysis tailored to cancers with low mutation rates but widespread epigenetic deregulation. Clinical associations highlighted the potential value of cfDNA fragmentation patterns as prognostic biomarkers in Ewing sarcoma. Additionally, we performed low coverage whole-genome-sequencing on 43 tumor biopsy samples from patients with Ewing sarcoma, in order to compare copy number aberrations detected in cell-free DNA and biopsy samples of the same patients. For validation of the epigenetic signatures inferred from cell-free DNA, we further performed reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) on 38 matched biopsy samples from patients with Ewing sarcoma. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of circulating tumor DNA beyond recurrent somatic mutations, and it renders the benefits of liquid biopsy more readily accessible for childhood cancers.

  Study EGAS00001005127

• Insular Celtic population structure and genomic footprints of migration

  Previous studies of the genetic landscape of Ireland have suggested homogeneity, with population substructure undetectable using single-marker methods. Here we have harnessed the haplotype-based method fineSTRUCTURE in an Irish genome-wide SNP dataset, identifying 23 discrete genetic clusters which segregate with geographical provenance. Cluster diversity is pronounced in the west of Ireland but reduced in the east where older structure has been eroded by historical migrations. Accordingly, when populations from the neighbouring island of Britain are included, a west-east cline of Celtic-British ancestry is revealed along with a particularly striking correlation between haplotypes and geography across both islands. A strong relationship is revealed between subsets of Northern Irish and Scottish populations, where discordant genetic and geographic affinities reflect major migrations in recent centuries. Additionally, Irish genetic proximity of all Scottish samples likely reflects older strata of communication across the narrowest inter-island crossing. Using GLOBETROTTER we detected Irish admixture signals from Britain and Europe and estimated dates for events consistent with the historical migrations of the Norse-Vikings, the Anglo-Normans and the British Plantations. The influence of the former is greater than previously estimated from Y chromosome haplotypes. In all, we paint a new picture of the genetic landscape of Ireland, revealing structure which should be considered in the design of studies examining rare genetic variation and its association with traits.

  Study EGAS00001002769

• International Genetics of Parkinson Disease Progression (IGPP) Consortium GWAS Summary Results

  To characterize how genetic variation influences the progression of Parkinson’s disease to dementia, which is a major determinant for quality of life, we performed a longitudinal genome-wide survival study (GWSS). Risk profile analysis was performed with a novel polygenic hazard score in longitudinal cohorts in the International Genetics of Parkinson Disease Progression (IGPP) Consortium.

  Study EGAS00001005110

• Identification_of_rare_variants_associated_with_cardiovascular_traits_in_Cilento_isolates

  The aim of this project is to identify rare genetic variants of large effect implicated in complex diseases by focusing on the study of cardiovascular diseases and related quantitative traits in a well characterized isolated population in Cilento area, Italy.The reference panel has been selected carefully in order to maximize the imputation coverage and quality on the all population samples. The selected individuals should meet three criteria: selected individuals should be chip-genotyped and closely related to the maximum number of chip-genotyped individuals so as to maximize imputation coverage; relatedness between selected individuals should be minimal, so as to minimize redundancy in genetic information of the reference panel.We perform exome sequencing on samples from 250 individuals from the Campora and Gioi-Cardile populations.

  Study EGAS00001000620

• Divergence between high metastatic tumor burden and low circulating tumor DNA concentration in metastasized breast cancer

  Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was reported to represent a highly sensitive biomarker of metastatic cancer disease directly reflecting tumor burden and dynamics. Here we investigated the role of ctDNA in patients with metastatic breast cancer. In an index patient with more than 100,000 circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in serial blood analyses, whole genome, exome, or targeted deep sequencing of the primary tumor, metastases, and 551 CTCs were consistent with a genetically homogeneous cancer. However, the allele fractions (AFs) of ctDNA were only 2-3% in each analysis, which did neither reflect the tumor burden nor the dynamics of this progressive disease by far. Indeed, plasma analyses of 71 further patients demonstrated highly variable AFs of mutant fragments, which frequently did not correspond to the tumor burden. These results provide insights into mechanisms involved in CTC and ctDNA release into the circulation and have important implications for diagnostic tests based on liquid biopsies.

  Study EGAS00001000625

• Illumina ExomeChip genotyping data from the Cretan Greek isolate collection HELIC MANOLIS

  Isolated populations can empower the identification of rare variation associated with complex traits through next generation association studies. Here we have genotyped individuals from a Greek population isolate on the Illumina HumanExome Beadchip. The HELIC (Hellenic Isolated Cohorts) MANOLIS (Minoan Isolates) collection focuses on Anogia and surrounding Mylopotamos villages. Recruitment of this population-based sample was primarily carried out at the village medical centres. All individuals were older than 17 years and had to have at least one parent from the Mylopotamos area. www.helic.org **The data may not be used for population genetics analyses.**

  Study EGAS00001000630

• Institut Curie Neuroblastoma Whole Genome Sequencing Diagnosis Relapse

  Neuroblastoma, a clinically heterogeneous pediatric cancer, is characterized by distinct genomic profiles but few recurrent mutations. As neuroblastoma is expected to have high degree of genetic heterogeneity, study of neuroblastoma's clonal evolution with deep coverage whole-genome sequencing of diagnosis and relapse samples will lead to a better understanding of the molecular events associated with relapse. Samples were included in this study if sufficient DNA from constitutional, diagnosis and relapse tumors was available for WGS. Whole genome sequencing was performed on trios (constitutional, diagnose and relapse DNA) from eight patients using Illumina Hi-seq2500 leading to paired-ends (PE) 90x90 for 6 of them and 100x100 for two. Expected coverage for sample NB0175 100x100bp was 30X for tumor and constitutional samples. For the seven other patients expected coverage was 80X for tumor samples with PE 100x100, 100X in the other tumor samples and 50X for all constitutional samples (see table 1). Following alignment with BWA (Li et al., Oxford J, 2009 Jul) allowing up to 4% of mismatches, bam files were cleaned up according to the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) recommendations (Van der Auwera et al., Current Protocols in Bioinformatics, 2013, picard-1.45, GenomeAnalysisTK-2.2-16). Variant calling was performed in parallel using 3 variant callers: GenomeAnalysisTK-2.2-16, Samtools-0.1.18 and MuTect-1.1.4 (McKenna et al., Genome Res, 2010; Li et al., Oxford J, 2009 Aug; Cibulskis et al., Nature, 2013). Annovar-v2012-10-23 with cosmic-v64 and dbsnp-v137 were used for the annotation and RefSeq for the structural annotation. For GATK and Samtools, single nucleotide variants (SNVs) with a quality under 30, a depth of coverage under 6 or with less than 2 reads supporting the variant were filter out. MuTect with parameters following GATK and Samtools thresholds have been used to filter our irrelevant variants. .SNVs within and around exons of coding genes overlapping splice sites.. Then,variants reported in more than 1% of the population in the 1000 genomes (1000gAprl_2012) or Exome Sequencing Project (ESP6500) have been discarded in order to filter polymorphisms. Finally, synonymous variants were filtered out. MuTect focuses on somatic by filtering with constitutional sample. Mpileup comparison between constitutional and somatic DNAs allowed us to focus also on tumor specific SNVs with GATK and Samtools. Finally, every SNV called by our pipeline and also supported in any constitutional samples were filtered our in order to prevent putative constitutional DNA coverage deficiency. Then we analyzed CNVs (copy number variants) with HMMcopy-v0.1.1 (Gavin et al., Genome Res, 2012) and control-FREEC-v6.7 (Boeva et al., Bioinformatics 2011) with a respective window of 2000bp and 1000 bp, and auto-correction of normal contamination of tumor samples for Control-FREEC. Finally we explored Structural variants (SVs) including deletions, inversions, tandem duplications and translocations using DELLY-v0.5.5 with standard parameters (Rausch et al., Oxford J, 2012). In tumors, at least 10 supporting reads were required to make a call and 5 supporting reads for the sample NB0175 with a coverage of only 40X (see table 2). To predict SVs in constitutional samples for subsequent somatic filtering, only 2 supporting reads were required in order not to miss one. To identify somatic events, all the SVs in each normal sample were first flanked by 500 bp in both directions and any SVs called in a tumor sample which was in the combined flanked regions of respective normal sample was removed (see graph 1). Deletions with more than 5 genes impacted or larger than 1Mb and inversions or tandem duplications covering more than 4 genes, were removed. We focused on exonic and splicing events for deletions, inversions, and tandem duplications. For translocation, we keep all SVs that occurred in intronic, exonic, 5'UTR, upstream or splicing regions. Bioinformatics detection of variations with Deep sequencing approach Once PE reads merged and adaptors trimmed by SeqPrep with default parameters, merged reads were aligned via the BWA (Li H. and Durbin R. 2009 PMID 19451168) allowing up to 1 differences in the 22-base-long seeds and reporting only unique alignments. Only reads having a mapping quality 20 or more have been further analysed. Variant calling software was not used, since we aimed to predict variations at low frequencies, observed in less than 1% of reads. Such variants require a custom approach. Using DepthOfCoverage functions of the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) v2.13.2 (McKenna A, et al., 2010 Genome Research PMID: 20644199), we focused on high quality coverage of bases A, C, G and T at the targeted variant position. Depth of coverage of each base following a mapping quality higher than 20 and a base quality higher than 10 have been taken into account in order to focus only on high quality data. Aiming to determine the background level of variability at the studied regions, 10 control samples were included in the analysis. The same approach and filtering criteria have been applied as introduced above over the entire amplicons. In order to highlight variants, for each sample the frequencies of each bases at each amplicon position were then compared to those observed in the set of controls. Statistical analyses were performed with the R statistical software (http://www.R-project.org). Fisher’s exact two-sided tests with a Bonferroni correction were performed to compare percentages of bases between the data sets, i.e. for a given base between a case and the controls. Finally, significant variations were filtered-in once (i) a significant increase in the percentage of avariant base and (ii) a significant decrease in the percentage of it's reference base following our p.values criteria was observed (p.val < 0.05).

  Study EGAS00001001184

• GENETIC HISTORY OF ITALY

  Recent scientific literature has highlighted the relevance of population genetic studies both for disease association-mapping in admixed populations and for understanding the history of human migrations. Deeper insight into the history of Italian population is critical for understanding the peopling of Europe. Because of its crucial position at the centre of the Mediterranean basin, the Italian peninsula has experienced a complex history of colonization and migration, whose genetic signatures are still present in contemporary Italians. In this study, we investigated genomic variation in the Italian population using 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a sample of more than 300 unrelated Italian subjects with well-defined geographical origins. We combined several analytical approaches to interpret genome-wide data on 1,272 individuals from European, Middle Eastern, and North African populations. We detected three major ancestral components contributing different proportions across the Italian peninsula, and signatures of continuous gene flow within Italy, which has produced remarkable genetic variability among contemporary Italians. In addition, we have extracted novel details about the Italian population’s ancestry: we identified genetic signatures of major historical events in Europe and the Mediterranean basin from the Neolithic (e.g., peopling of Sardinia) to recent times (e.g., ‘barbarian invasion’ of Northern and Central Italy). These results are valuable for further genetic, epidemiological and forensic studies in Italy and in Europe.

  Study EGAS00001001458

• CD49f single-cell methylomes

  Single-cell DNA methylation has emerged as a powerful tool to study molecular heterogeneity within cellular populations. We report the development of a bisulfite based whole genome protocol suitable for use on single index sorted primary mammalian cells. Application of this protocol to human hematopoietic stem cells provided quantitative DNA methylation measurements of up to 5.7 million CpGs in a single cell. Analysis of cis CpG methylation states in single cells revealed a loss of concordance beyond 2kb, which supported the development of a new analytical framework (PDclust) for single-cell DNA methylation datasets that considers heterogeneity of methylation states at single CpG resolution. PDclust identified epigenetically distinct subpopulations within highly purified and functionally defined human stem cell populations. In silico merging of the methylation states from the single cells allowed us to ascribe function to these epigenetically distinct subpopulations on the basis of their epigenetic states.

  Study EGAS00001002789

• T2D-GENES: Exome sequencing

  The Type 2 Diabetes Genetic Exploration by Next-generation sequencing in multi-Ethnic Samples (T2D-GENES) is a large collaboration effort between the University of Michigan, Broad Institute, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Chicago, NIDDK, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, University of North Carolina, Blood Systems Research Institute, and University of Mississippi Medical Center. The goal of this study is to identify genetic variants for type 2 diabetes through multiethnic sequencing studies. In this study, we use next generation sequencing to assess the role of common, low frequency, and rare variants on type 2 diabetes risk. We preformed exome sequencing in 6,546 T2D cases and 6,457 control individuals of multiethnic origin, including individuals of African American, East Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, and European descent.

  Study EGAS00001001460

• PCGP Ph-like ALL

  Background: BCR-ABL1-like, or Ph-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia is characterized by a gene expression profile similar to BCR-ABL1 positive ALL, genetic alterations of lymphoid transcription factor genes, and poor outcome. Sequencing of small numbers of Ph-like ALL cases has identified genetic alterations activating kinase signaling suggesting Ph-like ALL may be amenable to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, the spectrum of genetic alterations in childhood and adult Ph-like ALL is incompletely understood. Methods: We performed genomic profiling of 1736 B-ALL cases and next-generation sequencing for 160 Ph-like cases. We examined the functional effects of chimeric fusion proteins in mouse cell lines. Results: The frequency of Ph-like ALL rose from 11% in children to 26% in young adults, and was associated with very poor outcome. Kinase-activating alterations were identified in 90% of Ph-like cases, most commonly fusions involving 10 kinase or cytokine receptor genes (ABL1, ABL2, CRLF2, CSF1R, EPOR, JAK2, NTRK3, PDGFRB, PTK2B and TYK2), and mutations involving FLT3, IL7R and SH2B3. Expression of ABL1, ABL2, CSF1R and JAK2 fusions resulted in cytokine-independent proliferation of cell lines and activation of pSTAT5. Cells expressing ABL1, ABL2, CSF1R and PDGFRB fusions were sensitive to dasatinib, and JAK2 fusions to ruxolitinib. Conclusions: Ph-like ALL is characterized by a diverse range of genomic alterations that converge on a limited number of kinase signaling pathways amenable to inhibition with currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Trials identifying Ph-like ALL and testing the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy are warranted

  Study EGAS00001000654

• Biallelic DICER1 mutations in sporadic pleuropulmonary blastoma

  Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is an extremely rare pediatric malignancy in the lung, whose pathogenesis is poorly understood, except for recent reports of frequent germline heterozygous DICER1 mutations. To investigate the genetic basis of PPB, we performed whole-exome sequencing in 7 representative PPB cases, followed by targeted deep sequencing in 12 cases with PPB. DICER1 mutations were found in 11/12 cases. Biallelic DICER1 mutations were common in PPB, in which RNase IIIb domain mutations were found in all cases with or without nonsense/frameshift mutations and were somatic in all evaluable cases. A majority of cases had mutated DICER1 alleles in germline with or without an additional somatic mutation in the remaining allele, while other cases had exclusively somatic mutations involving the RNase IIIb domain. TP53 deletions/mutations were detected in 8/12 cases. Our results highlight a unique role of the RNase IIIb domain mutations and TP53 inactivation in PPB pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001000662

• TRAIP promotes DNA damage response during genome replication and is mutated in primordial dwarfism

  DNA lesions encountered by replicative polymerases threaten genome stability and cell cycle progression. Here we report the identification of mutations in TRAIP, encoding an E3 RING ubiquitin ligase, in patients with microcephalic primordial dwarfism/Seckel syndrome. We establish that TRAIP relocalizes to sites of DNA damage where it is required for optimal phosphorylation of H2AX and RPA2 during S-phase in response to UV irradiation, as well as fork progression through UV-induced DNA lesions. TRAIP is necessary for efficient cell cycle progression and mutations in TRAIP therefore limit cellular proliferation, providing a potential mechanism for microcephaly and dwarfism phenotypes. Human genetics thus identifies TRAIP as a novel component of the DNA damage response to replication-blocking DNA lesions.

  Study EGAS00001001501

• Next_gen_seq_of_eye_cancers

  Retinoblastoma (RB), the commonest eye cancer in children was the first cancer for which a genetic cause was identified: the Rb1 gene is a tumour suppressor gene that is mutated in RB. The Rb1 gene defect alone does not predict the clinical outcome. We propose to study other possible mechanisms: 1. Stepwise further mutations occur in RB, increasing its carcinogenesis. We will sequence the whole genome in RB tissue, and relate the different genes expressed to the treatments used. 2. Extracellular matric proteins contribute to a tumour permissive environment for RB to continue to grow. This includes Samll Leucine Rich Proteoglycans (SLRP), a family of 15 secreted extracellular matrix proteins involved in eye development. 3. Cancer stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation of treatment resistant cells, drive RB tumours, and whether these stem cells can be manipulated for new therapies. The aim of this study is to assist finding targeted diagnostic techniques and treatments for RB.

  Study EGAS00001002309

• Triple_Negative_Breast_Cancer_sequencing

  We propose to definitively characterise the somatic genetics of triple-ve breast cancer through generation of comprehensive catalogues of somatic mutations in a number of cases by high coverage genome sequencing coupled with integrated transcriptomic and methylation analyses.

  Study EGAS00001000161

• Whole-exome sequencing of PTC, benign nodule and normal tissues in 28 patients

  In order to comprehensively investigate the genetic relationship between PTC tumors and benign nodules, we totally collected 127 fresh-frozen biopsies samples from 28 patients with concurrent thyroid benign nodule and PTC (n=20) or simple benign nodule (n=8). We carried out whole-exome sequencing on all the 127 biopsies samples and RNA-sequencing in total of 40 samples.

  Study EGAS00001002312

• Genetic_background_for_the_major_psychiatric_disorders_in_the_general_Finnish_population

  Low coverage (4-6x) sequencing on samples from population cohorts (Finrisk, Health2000) will be done at Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) using Illumina HiSeq sequencing technology. We will produce 100bp paired end reads. Variants will be called using the 1000 Genomes Project pipeline. The samples have been selected from a national representative set of 8028 samples from persons of 30 years or older, which were screened for psychotic and bipolar disorders using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, self-reported diagnoses, medical examination, and national registers.

  Study EGAS00001000162

• A targeted gene panel that covers coding, noncoding, and short tandem repeat regions improves the diagnosis of patients with neurodegenerative diseases

  Genetic testing for diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is highly challenging because of genotype heterogeneity and overlapping clinical manifestations. Targeted-gene panels (TGPs), coupled with next-generation sequencing (NGS), can facilitate the profiling of a large repertoire of ND-related genes and help with differential diagnosis. Due to the technical limitations inherent in NGS and TGPs, short tandem repeat (STR) variations are often ignored. However, STR expansions are known to cause such NDs as Huntington’s disease and several types of spinocerebellar ataxias, such as SCA type 3 (SCA3).Here, we studied the clinical utility of a custom-made TGP that targets 199 NDs and 311 ND-associated genes on 118 undiagnosed patients. At least one known pathogenic or likely pathogenic variation was found in 54 (45.8%) patients; 27 (22.9%) of the 118 patients demonstrated clinical profiles that matched the variants. Based on the findings from the TGP, we refined the original diagnosis of 16 patients. A high concordance of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (99.9%) and small insertions and deletions (93.2%) were observed when comparing the results from TGP and whole-exome sequencing of four patients. We tested an in-house STR detection algorithm, and it reached a specificity of 0.88 and a sensitivity of 0.82 in our SCA3 cohort. This study also uncovered a trove of novel and recurrent variants that may enrich the repertoire of ND-related genetic markers. We propose that a combination of comprehensive TGPs and the bioinformatics analysis pipeline can improve the clinical diagnosis and accelerate the diagnosis of NDs.

  Study EGAS00001003737

• SmMIP-tools:a computational toolset for processing and analysis of single-molecule molecular inversion probes derived data

  Single-molecule molecular inversion probes (smMIPs) provides a modular and cost-effective platform for high-multiplex targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). Nevertheless, translating the raw smMIP-derived sequencing data into accurate and meaningful information currently requires proficient computational skills and a large amount of computational work, prohibiting wide-scale adoption of smMIP-based technologies. To enable easy, efficient, and accurate interrogation of smMIP-derived data, we developed SmMIP-tools, a computational toolset that combines the critical analytic steps for smMIP data interpretation into a single computational pipeline. Here, we describe in detail two major components of the software. The first is a read processing tool that performs quality control steps, generates read-smMIP linkages and retrieves molecular tags. The second is an error-aware variant caller capable of detecting single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and short insertions and deletions (indels). Using a cell-line DNA dilution series and a cohort of blood cancer patients, we benchmarked SmMIP-tools and evaluated its performance against clinical sequencing reports. We anticipate that SmMIP-tools will increase accessibility to smMIP-technology, enabling cost-effective genetic research to push personalized medicine forward.

  Study EGAS00001005359

• 20_Matched_Pair_Breast_Cancer_Genomes

  We propose to definitively characterise the somatic genetics of 20 breast cancers through generation of comprehensive catalogues of somatic mutations by high coverage genome sequencing coupled with integrated transcriptomic data.

  Study EGAS00001000170

• BRAF_and_MEK_resistant_cell_line_clones

  The Sanger Institute has the largest collection of genetically-characterised cancer cell lines world-wide (we have collected >1000 human cancer cell lines which are being screened against >400 cancer therapeutics (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/genetics/CGP/translation). These lines have been characterized to the level of gene copy number, gene expression and cancer gene mutation sequence data. This has enabled us to select melanoma lines with varying BRAF mutational status and that show sensitivity to a range of BRAF inhibitors. Sensitive lines are being used to generate resistant clones by serial exposure to increasing concentrations of BRAF and MEK inhibitors and these are being characterised by genome-wide copy number analysis as well as by whole exome sequencing.

  Study EGAS00001000172

• Data from the paper Context-specific Effects of TGFβ/SMAD3 in Cancer Are Modulated by the Epigenome. Tufegdzic et al, Cell Reports 2015

  The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling pathway exerts opposing effects on cancer cells, acting either as a tumor-promoter or as a tumor-suppressor. Here we show these opposing effects are a result of the synergy between SMAD3, a downstream effector of TGFβ signalling, and the distinct epigenomes of breast tumor initiating cells (BTICs). These effects of TGFβ are associated with distinct gene expression programs, but genomic SMAD3 binding patterns are highly similar in the BTIC-promoting and BTIC- suppressing contexts. Our data show cell type-specific epigenetic configurations provide a modulatory layer by determining accessibility of genes to regulation by TGFβ/SMAD3. LBH, one such context-specific target gene, is regulated according to its DNA methylation status, and is crucial for TGFβ-dependent promotion of BTICs. Overall, these results reveal that the epigenome plays a central and previously overlooked role in shaping the context-specific effects of TGFβ in cancer.

  Study EGAS00001001570

• Germline and somatic SMARCA4 mutations characterize small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type.

  Small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is the most common undifferentiated ovarian malignancy in women under 40 years1. We sequenced the exomes of six individuals from three SCCOHT families. After discovering segregating deleterious germline mutations in SMARCA4 in all three families, we tested DNA from a fourth family, which also possessed a segregating SMARCA4 germline mutation. All familial tumors sequenced harboured either a somatic mutation or loss of the wild-type allele. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of these and additional familial and non-familial cases showed loss of the SMARCA4 protein (BRG1) in 38/40 tumors overall. Sequencing of cases with available DNA revealed at least one germline or somatic deleterious SMARCA4 mutation in 30/32 cases. Additionally, the SCCOHT cell line BIN-67 contained bi-allelic deleterious mutations in SMARCA4. Our findings identify alterations in SMARCA4 as the major cause of SCCOHT, which could lead to genetic counseling and new treatment approaches.

  Study EGAS00001000721

• High-throughput Detection of Clinically Relevant Mutations in Archived Tumor Samples By Multiplexed PCR and Next Generation Sequencing

  PURPOSE: Tailoring cancer treatment to tumor molecular characteristics promises to make personalized medicine a reality. However, reliable genetic profiling of archived clinical specimens has been hindered by limited sensitivity and high false positive rates. Here, we describe a novel methodology, MMP-seq, which enables sensitive and specific high-throughput, high content genetic profiling in archived clinical samples. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We first validated MMP-seq’s technical performance in 66 cancer cell lines and a Latin square cross-dilution of known somatic mutations. We next characterized the performance of MMP-seq in 17 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) clinical samples using matched fresh frozen (FF) tissue from the same tumors as benchmarks. To demonstrate the potential clinical utility of our methodology, we profiled FFPE tumor samples from 73 endometrial cancer patients. RESULTS: We demonstrated that MMP-seq enabled rapid and simultaneous profiling of a panel of 88 cancer genes in 48 samples, and detected variants at frequencies as low as 0.4%. We identified DNA degradation and deamination as the main error sources and developed practical and robust strategies for mitigating these issues, and dramatically reduced the false positive rate. Applying MMP-seq to a cohort of endometrial tumor samples identified extensive, potentially actionable alterations in the PI3K and RAS pathways, including novel PIK3R1 hotspot mutations that may disrupt negative regulation of PIK3CA. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-seq provides a robust solution for comprehensive, reliable and high- throughput genetic profiling of clinical tumor samples, paving the way for the incorporation of genomic-based testing into clinical investigation and practice.

  Study EGAS00001000674

• Whole genome bisufite sequencing of smoking and non-smoking mother-child pairsBisufite sequencing, RNA-seq and ChIP-Seq data of whole blood samples from smoking and non-smoking mothers and their children at gestation/birth and follow-up years.

  Whole-blood samples of 16 mother-child pairs with differing maternal smoking behaviour were bisulfite treated and sequenced with deep coverage to identify smoking-associated differentially methylated regions.RNA-sequencing and ChIP-sequencing of 4 chromatin marks complete the data set and allow for integrative analyses, functional region annotation and to study the impact of epigenetic changes on gene expression.Longitudinal data spanning several years provides the means to investigate the stability of observed differences of all data types.

  Study EGAS00001000455

• HipSci_RNASEQ_Kabuki

  The HipSci project brings together diverse constituents in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and clinical genetics to create a UK national iPS cell resource and use it to carry out cellular genetic studies. In this sub-study we perform RNAseq on iPS lines from kabuki patients

  Study EGAS00001001989

• CEHM

  Study of the genetic and epigenetic clonal evolution of blood cancers.

  Study EGAS00001002366

• Epigenetic and metabolomic data from type 2 diabetes adolescents

  Objective: Rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among adolescents are on the rise. Epigenetic changes could be associated with the metabolic alterations in adolescents with T2D. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional integrated analysis of DNA methylation data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells with serum metabolomic data from First Nation adolescents with T2D and controls participating in the Improving Renal Complications in Adolescents with type 2 diabetes through REsearch (iCARE) cohort study, to explore the molecular changes in adolescents with T2D. Results: Our analysis showed that 43 serum metabolites and 36 differentially methylated regions (DMR) were associated with T2D. Several DMRs were located near the transcriptional start site of genes with established roles in metabolic disease and associated with altered serum metabolites (e.g. glucose, leucine, and gamma-glutamylisoleucine). These included the free fatty acid receptor-1 (FFAR1), upstream transcription factor-2 (USF2), and tumor necrosis factor-related protein-9 (C1QTNF9), among others. Conclusions: We identified DMRs and metabolites that merit further investigation to determine their significance in controlling gene expression and metabolism which could define T2D risk in adolescents.

  Study EGAS00001003816

• Whole exome sequencing of 49 tumor-blood pairs and transcriptome sequencing of 44 tumors for adrenocortical tumors

  Adrenal Cushing syndrome, which leads to type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension, is caused by ACTH-independent production of glucocorticoid by adrenocortical tumors. To investigate the genetic origins of cortisol-producing adrenocortical tumors, we performed whole exome sequencing of 49 tumor-blood pairs and transcriptome sequencing of 44 tumors

  Study EGAS00001000712

• Evolutionary origin and methylation status of human intronic CpG islands that are not present in mouse

  Imprinting of the human RB1 gene is due to the presence of a differentially methylated CpG island (CGI) in intron 2, which is part of a retrogene derived from the PPP1R26 gene on chromosome 9. The murine Rb1 gene does not have this retrogene and is not imprinted. We have investigated whether the RB1/Rb1 locus is unique with respect to these differences. For this we have compared the CGIs from human and mouse by in silico analyses and found out that there are at least 2033 human intronic CGIs that are not present in the mouse. Among these CGIs, 104 show sequences similarities elsewhere in the human genome, which suggests that they arose by retrotransposition. We could narrow down the time points when most of these CGIs appeared during evolution. Their methylation status was analysed in two monocyte methylome datasets from whole genome bisulfite sequencing and in 18 published methylomes. Five CGIs appear to be differentially methylated, which suggests that they are subject of genomic imprinting. They are located in introns of the following genes: RB1, ASRGL1, PARP11, PDXDC1 and MYO1D. Four of these CGIs are parts of retrogenes. Our study supports the notion that imprinting builds on host defence mechanisms by which the genome protects itself against retrotransposed and foreign DNA and that the epigenetic fate of the retrotransposed DNA depends on selective forces at the integration site.

  Study EGAS00001000719

• MutWP4__CRUK_Grand_Challenge_Mutographs_of_Cancer__organoid_control_WGS

  The Mutographs project aims to advance our understanding of the causes of cancer through studies of mutational signatures. Led by Mike Stratton, together with Paul Brennan, Ludmil Alexandrov, Allan Balmain, David Phillips and Peter Campbell, this large-scale international research endeavour was awarded a Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge. Different patterns of somatic mutation are generated by the different environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that cause cancer, many of them are still unknown. Within Mutographs, Kings College London will characterise the mutational signatures induced by putative human carcinogens in order to identify the origins of mutational signatures found in human cancers. To achieve this human organoid cell cultures will be exposed to a representative catalogue of known or suspected human carcinogens and mutagens and, using whole genome sequencing, the patterns of mutations induced by them will be determined. Somatic mutational signatures will be subsequently extracted by non-negative matrix factorisation methods and correlated with exposure data. Through an enhanced understanding of cancer aetiology, Mutographs unprecedented effort is anticipated to outline modifiable risk factors, lead to new approaches to prevent cancer, and provide opportunities to empower early detection, refine high-risk groups and contribute to further therapeutic development.

  Study EGAS00001005449

• A genetic compendium of human brains from the UK Medical Research Council brain tissue resource

  Common neurodegenerative diseases have a complex genetic architecture. Highly penetrant diseases alleles are found in a significant minority of cases, and common risk alleles are present in a large proportion. Given the central role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of these disorders, it is critical that mechanistic studies in human subjects and tissue samples are interpreted in an genetically enlightened context. To address this we performed exome sequencing on 1461 human brains accessible through the Medical Research Council (UK) brain banks network. Our findings confirm the complex genetic landscape of neurodegenerative disease. Clinical, pathological and genetic data for the 1461 brains with corresponding exome sequencing data are available within this dataset, enabling the genetic stratification and selection of post-mortem tissue samples for researchers.

  Study EGAS00001001599

• COVID19 Host Genetic Initiative

  The COVID-19 host genetics initiative is a bottom-up collaborative effort that has three main goals: 1. Provide an environment to foster the sharing of resources to facilitate COVID-19 host genetics research (e.g. protocols, questionnaires). 2. Organize analytical activities across studies to identify genetic determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. 3. Provide a platform to share the results from such activities, as well as the individual-level data where possible, to benefit the broader scientific community. Here, we release the harmonized individual-level data for the subset of individuals who participated in COVID-19 HGI. Please refer to this data dictionary: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1whu_MjShXxbdoAJMCYxZ5C-vWOcRivwfWglTcBRNZgQ/edit#gid=470747846 Please cite both Nakanishi, T el al. J Clin Invest 2021 (PMID: 34597274) and COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, Nature 2021 (PMID: 34237774) when you use these data for your publications.

  Study EGAS00001005304

• Paroxysmal_Neurological_Disorders_2

  We are sequencing the exomes of patients with paroxysmal neurological disorders mainly focusing on migraine and epilepsy. Cases are collected from performance sites of members of the International Headache Genetics consortium and EuroEPINOMICS. Most cases have a strong family history. The study sample will include both cases and controls.

  Study EGAS00001000190

• Sequencing_component_for_the_whole_genome_methylation_analysis_in_PBMCs_and_cell_subsets__pilot_study_

  DNA methylation has been shown to play a major role in determining cellular phenotype by regulating gene expression. Moreover, dysregulation of differentially methylated genes has been implicated in disease pathogenesis of various conditions including cancer development as well as autoimmune diseases such as systemic Lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Evidence is rapidly accumulating for a role of DNA methylation in regulating immune responses in health and disease. However, the exact mechanisms remain unknown. The overall aim of the project is to investigate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating immunity and their impact on autoimmune disease pathogenesis.The aim of this pilot study is to perform whole genome methylation analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and cell subsets (CD4, CD8, CD14, CD19, CD16 and whole PBMCs) obtained from 6 healthy volunteers. Whole genome methylation analysis will be performed using two methodological approaches, the Infinium Methylation Bead Array K450 (Illumina) and MeDIP-seq. mRNA expression arrays will also be performed in order to correlate DNA methylation with gene expression as well as genotyping on the Illumina OmniExpress chip

  Study EGAS00001000490

• Breast_Cancer_Somatic_Genetics_Study_

  We propose to definitively characterise the somatic genetics of ER+ve, HER2-ve breast cancer through generation of comprehensive catalogues of somatic mutations in 500 cases by high coverage genome sequencing coupled with integrated transcriptomic and methylation analyses.

  Study EGAS00001000195

• Distinct portrayal of lesions in synchronous multifocal lung adenocarcinoma revealed by genome sequencing

  Distinguishing multiple primary lung cancers in the synchronous multifocal intrapulmonary lesions has important significance on clinical staging and therapeutic decision. To investigate genomic aberration profiles, we applied whole genome and whole exome sequencing, and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization on 15 intrapulmonary tumors derived from six patients with synchronous multifocal lung cancers having similar histological diagnosis. Any pair of intrapulmonary tumors in a single patient, which shared the identical genetic background and environment, showed an extinctive heterogeneity between each other. Phylogenetic relationship analysis indicated an independently branched evolution among all the tumors, suggesting they were multiple primary lung cancers. EGFR or KRAS mutations were found in 7 or 3 out of the 15 tumors, from 3 or 2 patients, respectively. Somatic mutational heterogeneity of these two genes in a single patient was also observed. Our analysis indicates genomic aberration profiling is valuable for identification of multiple primary lung cancer, especially when high histopathological concordance was observed between lesions. We also suggest a thoroughly molecular diagnosis against therapeutic target genes should be taken for each accessible nodule before making a plan for adjuvant therapy.

  Study EGAS00001001572

• Exome sequencing of uterine leiomyosarcomas

  Uterine leiomyosarcomas (ULMSs) are aggressive smooth muscle tumors associated with poor clinical outcome. Despite previous cytogenetic and molecular studies, their molecular background has remained elusive. To examine somatic variation in ULMS, we performed exome sequencing on 19 tumors. Altogether 43 genes were mutated in at least two ULMSs. Most frequently mutated genes included tumor protein P53 (TP53; 6/19; 33%), alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX; 5/19; 26%), and mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12; 4/19; 21%). Unlike ATRX mutations, both TP53 and MED12 alterations have repeatedly been associated with ULMSs. All the observed ATRX alterations were either nonsense or frameshift mutations. ATRX protein levels were reliably analyzed by immunohistochemistry in altogether 44 ULMSs, and the majority of tumors (23/44; 52%) showed clearly reduced expression. Loss of ATRX expression has been associated with alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), and thus the telomere length was analyzed with telomere-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization. The ALT phenotype was confirmed in all ULMSs showing diminished ATRX expression. Exome data also revealed one nonsense mutation in death-domain associated protein (DAXX), another gene previously associated with ALT, and the tumor showed ALT positivity. Aberrant expression of both TP53 and ATRX were associated with poor overall survival. In conclusion, exome sequencing revealed that TP53, ATRX, and MED12 are frequently mutated in ULMSs. ALT phenotype was commonly seen in tumors, indicating that ATR inhibitors, which were recently suggested as possible new drugs for ATRX-deficient tumors, could provide a potential novel therapeutic option for ULMS.

  Study EGAS00001001612

• Targeted-capture sequencing (bam files) of 81 samples of myxofibrosarcoma and 44 matched pairs

  Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a rare subtype of sarcomas in the elderly, whose genetic basis is poorly understood. To elucidate it, the Targeted-capture sequencing was performed.

  Study EGAS00001005443