3994 results for "*geneti*"

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• Exome Sequencing to Define the Landscape of Plasma Cells in Systemic Light chain Amyloidosis

  Systemic light chain amyloidosis (AL) is characterized by the deposition of immunoglobulin light chains as amyloid fibrils in different organs, where they form toxic protein aggregates. The underlying disease is a plasma cell disorder, but limited whole exome data are available. We report the findings of an exome sequencing study in AL to define a plasma cell signature and compare this to monoclonal gammopathy of undefined significance (MGUS) and myeloma (MM). Twenty-four samples from unselected newly diagnosed untreated AL patients were analysed. CD138+ cells were isolated from bone marrow cells using MACSorting (Miltenyi Biotech, Bisley, UK). Cells were lysed in RLT+ buffer and DNA/RNA extracted using the AllPrep kit (Qiagen, Manchester, UK). Peripheral blood was isolated from patients, white blood cells purified by Ficoll-Pacque and DNA extracted using the QIAamp DNA mini kit (Qiagen). There were a median of 47 acquired nonsynonymous variants (range 4-253) per patient. Thirty percent of patients yielded a mutation in a myeloma driver gene. These mutations were either clonal or sub-clonal. There was evidence of MAPK activation with NRAS mutations, NF-κB activation and DNA repair pathway alterations. Exome data were used to determine the cytogenetic groups of AL samples and identified hyperdiploidy in 33% of cases and t(11;14) in 33% of cases. All translocations were generated via class switch recombination and breakpoints on chromosome 11 fell into the expected regions. A novel translocation, unlikely to be driving disease progression was identified involving RCC1. Finally, further analysis of the APCS gene encoding for the SAP protein did not show any biased genotype in the AL population in comparison to the general population. We conclude that exome sequencing identifies a genetic make-up of AL that is similar to other plasma cell disorders such as MM and MGUS. This not only includes copy number abnormalities and translocations but also nonsynonymous mutations.

  Study EGAS00001001418

• Genetic and epigenetic characterization of adenoid cystic carcinoma

  Translocation events are frequent in cancer and may create chimeric fusions or regulatory rearrangements that drive oncogene overexpression. Although regulatory rearrangements are increasingly recognized in hematopoietic and even solid tumors, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here we identify super-enhancer translocations that drive overexpression of the oncogenic transcription factor MYB as a unifying theme in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Whole genome sequencing data and chromatin state maps for 13 primary tumors and xenografts reveal distinct chromosomal rearrangements that juxtapose super-enhancer clusters to the MYB locus. Chromosome conformation capture confirms that the translocated enhancers physically interact with the MYB promoter. Remarkably, the MYB product itself binds to the translocated enhancers, thus creating a positive feedback loop that sustains its own expression. MYB also binds a large number of active enhancers that drive opposing regulatory programs in alternate cell lineages in ACC. MYB cooperates with the transcription factor TP63 in the myoepithelial component of the tumors, but promotes a Notch program in the luminal epithelial component. Bromodomain inhibitors, which disrupt enhancer function, slow tumor growth in ACC primagraft models in vivo, but are ineffective against high grade tumors that harbor activating mutations in the Notch pathway. Thus, our study identifies super-enhancer translocations as a unifying feature of ACC, and provides insight into the mechanism by which sustained MYB overexpression drives alternate cell fates in this disease.Processed ChIP-seq data is available on GEO under accession number GSE76465.

  Study EGAS00001001457

• GoT2D: Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes, a study of the the genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes using low pass whole genome sequencing and high density SNP genotyping in 2,657 individuals.

  The Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes Consortium (GoT2D) is a collaboration between the University of Michigan, the Broad Institute and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. The overall aim is to extend upon recent efforts, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and large scale meta-analyses. While they have proved successful at mapping genomic loci that influence human diseases, like type 2 diabetes, much of the heritability remains unexplained. In this study, we use next generation sequencing and genotyping technologies to query for lower frequency variants in the human genome. Thereby, allowing a deeper characterization of the spectrum of alleles associated with type 2 diabetes risk, and a better assessment of the genes that play a role in the etiology of type 2 diabetes development. We studied 1,326 T2D cases and 1,331 normoglycemic controls from Northern and Central Europe (Sweden, Finland, UK, and Germany). To efficiently characterize the entire genome sequence of each individual, we performed low-coverage (~5x) whole-genome sequencing, augmented by deep coverage (~100x) sequencing of the exome, and dense (2.5M) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using the HumanOmni2.5 array. The data deposited in EGA will include all the Swedish, Finnish, UK, and German samples.

  Study EGAS00001001459

• Natural genetic variation of the cardiac transcriptome in non-diseased donors and patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

  Background: Genetic variation is an important determinant of RNA transcription and splicing, which in turn contributes to variation in human traits including cardiovascular diseases.Results: Here we report the first in-depth survey of heart transcriptome variation using RNA-sequencing in 149 (97)* patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and 113 (108)* non-diseased controls. We reveal extensive differences of gene expression and splicing between dilated cardiomyopathy patients and controls, affecting known as well as novel dilated cardiomyopathy genes. Moreover, we show a widespread effect of genetic variation on the regulation of transcription, isoform usage and allele specific expression. Systematic annotation of genome wide association SNPs identifies 60 functional candidate genes for heart phenotypes, representing 20% of all published heart genome wide association loci. Focusing on the dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype we found that eQTL variants are also enriched for dilated cardiomyopathy genome wide association signals in two independent cohorts.Conclusions: RNA transcription, splicing and allele specific expression are each important determinants of the DCM phenotype and are controlled by genetic factors. Our results represent a powerful resource for the field of cardiovascular genetics. (*) numbers in parentheses represent samples that the publication is based on.

  Study EGAS00001002454

• 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

• Genotype and exome data for an Australian Aboriginal population: a reference panel for health-based research

  Genetic analyses, including genome-wide association studies and whole exome sequencing (WES), provide powerful tools for the analysis of complex and rare genetic diseases. To date there are no reference data for Aboriginal Australians to underpin the translation of health-based genomic research. Here we provide a catalog of variants called after sequencing the exomes of 72 Aboriginal individuals to a depth of 20X coverage in 80% of the sequenced nucleotides. We determined 320,976 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and 47,313 insertions/deletions using the Genome Analysis Toolkit. We had previously genotyped a subset of the Aboriginal individuals (70/72) using the Illumina Omni2.5 BeadChip platform and found 99% concordance at overlapping sites, which suggests high quality genotyping. Finally, we compared our SNVs to six publicly available variant databases, such as dbSNP and the Exome Sequencing Project, and 70,115 of our SNVs did not overlap any of the single nucleotide polymorphic sites in all the databases. Our data set provides a useful reference point for genomic studies on Aboriginal Australians.

  Study EGAS00001001585

• Rare SNPs in receptor tyrosine kinases are negative outcome predictors in multiple myeloma

  Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder that is characterized by a great genetic heterogeneity. Recent next generation sequencing studies revealed an accumulation of tumor-associated mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which may also contribute to the activation of survival pathways in MM. To investigate the clinical role of RTK-mutations in MM, we deep-sequenced the coding DNA-sequence of EGFR, EPHA2, ERBB3, IGF1R, NTRK1 and NTRK2 which were previously found to be mutated in MM, in 75 uniformly treated MM patients of the "Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom". Subsequently, we correlated the detected mutations with common cytogenetic alterations and clinical parameters. We identified 11 novel non-synonymous SNVs or rare patient-specific SNPs, not listed in the SNP databases 1000 genomes and dbSNP, in 10 primary MM cases. The mutations predominantly affected the tyrosine-kinase and ligand-binding domains and no correlation with cytogenetic parameters was found. Interestingly, however, patients with RTK-mutations, specifically those with rare patient-specific SNPs, showed a significant lower overall, event-free and progression-free survival. This indicates that RTK SNVs and rare patient-specific RTK SNPs are of prognostic relevance and suggests that MM patients with RTK-mutations could potentially profit from treatment with RTK-inhibitors.

  Study EGAS00001001665

• Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of NSCLC xenograft and primary lung tissues for the identification of epigenetic predictive biomarkers.

  Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and primarily treated with platinum-based drugs like cisplatin and carboplatin, radiation and surgery. The major challenge in the management of NSCLC are intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms with only few published molecular markers which can predict the outcome of the patients. On the other side, changes in DNA methylation are observed in nearly all cancer types making them suitable as biomarker. Here genome-wide methylation profiles from MeDIP-Seq and gene expression profiling data of 22 primary NSCLC, adjacent normal tissue and PDX samples are provided. For each PDX tumor growth rates were measured in absence or presence of chemotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001002479

• H3Africa - Genomic and Environmental Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disease in Africans

  The long-term vision of the AWI-Gen Collaborative Centre (CC) is to build sustainable capacity in Africa for research that leads to an understanding of the interplay between genetic, epigenetic and environmental risk factors for obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) in sub-Saharan Africa. The CC will be consolidated under the auspices of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in Developing Countries (INDEPTH). It will capitalize on the unique strengths of existing longitudinal cohorts, including the urban Soweto and rural Agincourt studies in South Africa (Wits based), and the well established INDEPTH demographic health and surveillance centers in Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso and South Africa. The centers offer established infrastructure, trained fieldworkers, long-standing community engagement, and detailed longitudinal phenotypic data, focusing on obesity and cardiometabolic health. Key strengths are harmonized phenotyping across sites, building on strong existing cohorts, and representation of the geographic and social variability of African populations. We aim to: 1. Build sustainable infrastructure (biobanks and laboratories) and capabilities (well characterized population cohorts, genotyping and bioinformatics) for genomic research on the African continent; 2. Understand the genomic architecture of sub-Saharan populations from west, east and south Africa to guide genomic studies (genome sequencing and high throughput SNP and CNV arrays using unrelated individuals and family trios to improve the accuracy of haplotype analyses) and; 3. Investigate the independent and synergistic genomic contributions to body fat distribution (BMI, hip/waist circumference, subcutaneous and visceral fat) in these populations considering the relevant environmental and social contexts (rural/urban communities, quickly transitioning obesity prevalence, differential HIV, TB, and malaria infection histories). We will investigate the effect of obesity and fat distribution on the risk for CMD in the longitudinal cohorts.

  Study EGAS00001002482

• Genome_Diversity_in_Africa_Project__Benin

  Globally, human populations show structured genetic diversity as a result of geographical dispersion, selection and drift. Understanding this genetic variation can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that shape both human adaptation and variation in disease. Populations from SSA have the highest levels of genetic diversity. This characteristic, in addition to historical genetic admixture, can lead to complexities in the design of studies assessing the genetic determinants of disease and human variation. However, such studies of African populations are also likely to provide new opportunities to discover novel disease susceptibility loci and variants and refine gene–disease association signals. A systematic assessment of genetic diversity within SSA would facilitate genomic epidemiological studies in the region.The Genome Diversity in Africa Project (GDAP) aims to produce a comprehensive catalogue of human genetic variation in SSA, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural variants, and haplotypes. This resource will make a substantial contribution to understanding patterns of genetic diversity within and among populations in SSA, as well as providing a global resource to help design, implement and interpret genomic studies in SSA populations and studies comprising globally diverse populations, complementing existing genomic resources. Specifically, we plan to carry out high depth whole genome sequencing of up to 2000 individuals across Africa (25 individuals from each ethnolinguistic group).Our scientific objectives are to: 1) develop a resource that provides a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variation in populations from SSA accessible to the global scientific community; 2) characterise population genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and admixture across SSA; 3) develop a cost-efficient, next-generation genotype array for diverse populations across SSA; and 4) facilitate whole genome-sequencing association studies of complex traits and diseases by developing a reference panel for imputation and resource for enhancing fine-mapping disease susceptibility loci. These scientific objectives will be supported by cross-cutting operational activities, including network and management of the consortium, research ethics, and research capacity building in statistical genetics and bioinformaticsThis 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 EGAS00001001688

• Congenital Heart Disease in UK Families

  This project aims to identify highly penetrant coding variants increasing the risk of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) performing whole exome sequencing on DNA samples from 23 affected individuals, selected from 10 families with presumed Autosomal Recessive Inheritance. This is a collaboration with Prof. Eamonn Maher and Dr. Chirag Patel from the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, University of Birmingham plans to sequence 23 indexed Agilent whole exome pulldown libraries on 75Bp PE HiSeq (Illumina).

  Study EGAS00001000066

• Investigation of the genetic basis of the rare syndrome Post-Transfusion Purpura (PTP)

  The Post-Transfusion Pupura (PTP) syndrome although rare has severe side effects for 5-10 cases per annum in the UK as a result of transfusion. High quality DNA has been isolated from either whole blood or from cryopreserved mononuclear cells of 4 patients in order to study our postulation that the condition is caused by a loss-of-function mutation in a specific gene.

  Study EGAS00001000053

• Hip OA Functional Genomics

  The aim of this work is to apply an integrated systems approach to understand the biological underpinnings of hip osteoarthritis that culminates in the need for total joint replacement (TJR). This study is a feasibility pilot that integrates functional genomics data from diseased and non-diseased tissues of OA patients who have undergone TJR. For each tissue, we characterised epigenetic marks (methylation), gene transcription (RNASeq) and expression (quantitative proteomics). We also generated genotype data on the HumanCoreExome array for each individual.

  Study EGAS00001002483

• Coding and small non-coding transcriptional landscape of tuberous sclerosis complex cortical tubers: implications for pathophysiology and treatment

  Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder that results from a mutation in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes leading to constitutive activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). TSC is associated with autism, intellectual disability and severe epilepsy. Cortical tubers are believed to represent the neuropathological substrates of these disabling manifestations in TSC. In the presented study we used high-throughput RNA sequencing in combination with systems-based computational approaches to investigate the complexity of the TSC molecular network. Overall we detected 438 differentially expressed genes and 991 differentially expressed small non-coding RNAs in cortical tubers compared to autopsy control brain tissue. We observed increased expression of genes associated with inflammatory, innate and adaptive immune responses. In contrast, we observed a down-regulation of genes associated with neurogenesis and glutamate receptor signaling. MicroRNAs represented the largest class of over-expressed small non-coding RNA species in tubers. In particular, our analysis revealed that the miR-34 family (including miR-34a, miR-34b and miR-34c) was significantly over-expressed. Functional studies demonstrated the ability of miR-34b to modulate neurite outgrowth in mouse primary hippocampal neuronal cultures. This study provides new insights into the TSC transcriptomic network along with the identification of potential new treatment targets.

  Study EGAS00001002485

• Screening_for_human_epigenetic_variation_at_CpG_islands

  Many human characteristics, including susceptibility to disease, are determined genetically. An unexplored alternative to such genetic determination concerns epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. CpG islands (CGIs) are generally constitutively hypomethylated, however there are circumstances in which they become heavily methylated and, when coincident with a gene promoter, this invariably causes transcriptional silencing. CGI methylation occurs in normal tissues during processes such as X-inactivation, but abnormal patterns of methylation have also been implicated in disease. The vast majority of evidence relates to cancer, where silencing of multiple genes in this way appears to be a causal contributor to the cancer state. To address the role and extent of CGI methylation in ‘normal’ and diseased cells we applied MBD-affinity purification in conjunction with next generation sequencing in a panel of human brain autopsy samples. These samples represent a panel of individuals as well as specific brain regions and neurological pathologies.

  Study EGAS00001000074

• Unraveling_the_genetic_basis_of_a_collagen_migration_defect_in_patients_with_a_combined__platelet_dysfunction_and_reduced_bone_density

  In this project we study cases from unrelated pedigrees that present at a young age with a phenotype which inludes hypotonia and hypodensity of bones, a chronic elevation of some liver and muscle enzymes as well as abnormal platelet number and volume. We aim to use exome sequencing to discover the causative variants reponsible for these defects.

  Study EGAS00001000093

• CRLF2_sequencing_project_

  I hope to gain insight into novel genetic aberrations present in these patients that will highlightimportant pathways that are involved in this subtype of leukaemia. It would be interesting to see ifthe mutations and pathways that are activated are consistent between the patients, or differencesare observed dependent upon whether the patient has the translocation or the PAR1 deletion. Ofnote is the high association with either numerical gains of chromosome X or numerical/structuralabnormalities of chromosome 21 (Down syndrome, iAMP21) in patients with CRLF2 deregulation. Ihope to find abnormalities linking chromosomes X and 21 to CRLF2 deregulation in BCP‐ALL. Byincluding the three patients that are normal for CRLF2, but have consistent genetic abnormalitiesfound in the experimental cohort, I expect to find genetic differences between these two groupsthat will help us to identify novel molecular targets specific to CRLF2 deregulation.

  Study EGAS00001000080

• An integrative model of pathway convergence in genetically heterogeneous blast crisis chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

  Targeted therapies against the BCR-ABL1 kinase have revolutionized treatment of chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In contrast, management of blast crisis (BC) CML remains challenging because BC cells acquire complex molecular alterations that confer stemness features to progenitor populations and resistance to BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Comprehensive models of BC transformation have proved elusive because of the rarity and genetic heterogeneity of BC, but are important for developing biomarkers predicting BC progression and effective therapies. To better understand BC, we performed an integrated multiomics analysis of 74 CP and BC samples using whole-genome and exome sequencing, transcriptome and methylome profiling, and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing. Employing pathway-based analysis, we found the BC genome was significantly enriched for mutations affecting components of the polycomb repressive complex (PRC) pathway. While transcriptomically, BC progenitors were enriched and depleted for PRC1- and PRC2-related gene sets respectively. By integrating our data sets, we determined that BC progenitors undergo PRC-driven epigenetic reprogramming toward a convergent transcriptomic state. Specifically, PRC2 directs BC DNA hypermethylation, which in turn silences key genes involved in myeloid differentiation and tumor suppressor function via so-called epigenetic switching, whereas PRC1 represses an overlapping and distinct set of genes, including novel BC tumor suppressors. On the basis of these observations, we developed an integrated model of BC that facilitated the identification of combinatorial therapies capable of reversing BC reprogramming (decitabine+PRC1 inhibitors), novel PRC-silenced tumor suppressor genes (NR4A2), and gene expression signatures predictive of disease progression and drug resistance in CP.

  Study EGAS00001001751

• Targeted next-generation sequencing detects novel gene-phenotype associations and expands the mutational spectrum in cardiomyopathie

  Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of primary diseases of the myocardium,including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), andarrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), with higher morbidity andmortality. These diseases are genetically diverse and associated with rare mutations ina large number of genes, many of which overlap among the phenotypes. To betterinvestigate the genetic overlap between these three phenotypes and to identify newgenotype-phenotype correlations, we designed a custom gene panel consisting of 115genes known to be associated with cardiomyopathic phenotypes and channelopathies.A cohort of 38 unrelated patients, 16 affected by DCM, 14 by HCM and 8 by ARVC,was recruited for the study on the basis of more severe phenotypes and family historyof cardiomyopathy and/or sudden death.

  Study EGAS00001002506

• Genome wide association study on coronary heart disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia

  Mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene cause familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a disorder characterized by coronary heart disease (CHD) at young age. We aimed to apply an extreme sampling method to enhance the statistical power to identify novel genetic risk variants for CHD in individuals with FH. We selected cases and controls with an extreme contrast in CHD risk from 17 000 FH patients from the Netherlands, whose functional LDLR mutation was unequivocally established. The genome-wide association (GWA) study was performed on 249 very young FH cases with CHD and 217 old FH controls without CHD (above 65 years for males and 70 years of age for females) using the Illumina HumanHap 550K chip. In the next stage, two independent samples (one from the Netherlands and one from Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom) of FH patients were used as replication samples. In the initial GWA analysis we identified 29 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with suggestive associations with premature CHD (p<1×10-4). We examined the association of these SNPs with CHD risk in the replication samples. After Bonferroni correction, none of the SNPs either replicated or reached genome-wide significance after combining the discovery and replication samples. Therefore, we conclude that the genetics of CHD risk in FH is complex and even applying an ‘extreme genetics’ approach we did not identify new genetic risk variants. Most likely, this method is not as effective in leveraging effect size as anticipated, and may therefore not lead to significant gains in statistical power. (NB submitten and conditionally accepted at European Journal of Human Genetics-please use abstract only for internal review until submission complete)

  Study EGAS00001000734

• Whole-genome sequencing of two probands with hereditary spastic paraplegia reveals novel splice-donor region mutation and known pathogenic mutation in SPG11

  Hereditary spastic paraplegias (SPG) are a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, which are often presented with overlapping phenotypes such as progressive paraparesis and spasticity. To assist the diagnosis of SPG subtypes, next-generation sequencing is often used to provide supporting evidence. In this study, we report the case of two probands from the same family with SPG symptoms, including bilateral lower limbs weakness, unsteady gait, cognitive decline, dysarthria and slurring of speech since age of 14. Subsequent whole-genome sequencing revealed that the patients are compound heterozygous for mutations in SPG11 gene, including the paternally inherited c.6856C>T (p.Arg2286*) mutation and the novel maternally inherited c.2316+5G>A splice donor region mutation. Mutations in SPG11 are the common cause of autosomal recessive Spastic Paraplegia type 11. According to the ClinVar database, there are already 101 reported pathogenic mutations in SPG11 that are associated with SPG. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SPG11 mutations in our local population. Novel splice mutation identified in this study would enrich the catalog of SPG11 mutations, potentially leading to better genetic diagnosis of SPG.

  Study EGAS00001001849

• Recurrent somatic JAK-STAT mutations within a novel RUNX1-mutated pedigree

  The acquisition of somatic mutations is an emerging field of investigation in familial leukemia. Currently, genetic profiles in familial MDS/AML are considered analogous to sporadic disease, although the patterns of clonal evolution within families are poorly defined. We performed whole exome profiling of tumour samples from a novel RUNX1 mutated family, to determine the stepwise evolution of MDS/AML across 4 young siblings. Three siblings developed monocytic AML/RAEB2 at 5 years of age, with hepatosplenomegaly and somatic mutations upregulating JAK-STAT signalling, the latter are typically detected in <5% of sporadic MDS/AML. Two siblings acquired the canonical JAK2 V617F mutation, while another acquired a unique missense mutation of SH2B3, a negative regulator of JAK2. Notably, 2/3 siblings demonstrated dosage amplification of these mutations due to acquired uniparental disomy of chromosomes 9p and 12q (encompassing JAK2 and SH2B3, respectively). All 4 siblings were heterozygous for the 46/1 JAK2 haplotype associated with predisposition to sporadic V617F myeloproliferative disorders, which likely influenced the acquisition of JAK2 mutations. Our findings provide further evidence that relatives with shared germline mutations may acquire somatic mutations in a non-random manner leading to convergent patterns of disease evolution.

  Study EGAS00001001862

• Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles by MeDIP-seq of cord blood cells and cord blood mononuclear cells obtained from twins conceived through in vitro fertilization and naturally conceived controls

  The study included 47 newborn twins conceived though in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and 60 non-IVF-conceived twins from the Peri/postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study (PETS). Cord blood was collected at birth and used to process mononuclear cells. Whole blood cells (WBCs) from cord blood of 98 twins (40 IVF and 58 non-IVF) and cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) of 82 twins (35 IVF and 47 non-IVF) were subjected to DNA methylation profiling. Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (MeDIP-seq) was applied to generate genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in a total of 180 samples. Single-end reads were mapped onto hg19 using BWA. Methylation levels were quantified using MEDIPS and used to identify IVF-associated differentially methylated regions.

  Study EGAS00001002248

• Exome_sequencing_of_a_Novel_Primary_T_Cell_Immunodeficiency_Kindred

  Primary T cell immunodeficiency disorders are genetically heterogenous. Mutations in genes required for specific stages of T cell development within the thymus can lead to reduced numbers of circulating T cells. On the hand, T cells may not egress from the thymus normally leading to profound T cell lymphopenia. As a result, patients with these disorders succumb to a range of severe opportunisitic infections unless allogeneic transplantation is performed. We wish to whole exome sequence a Caucasian family in which the index case shows features of impaired T cell egress from the thymus. Importantly, known genes implicated in T cell immunodeficiency including CORO1A have been seqeuenced and found to normal in this individual.

  Study EGAS00001000099

• Genomic diversity of the African-descent Makranis of Pakistan

  From the eighth century onward, the Indian Ocean was the scene of extensive trade of sub-Saharan African slaves, via sea routes controlled by Muslim Arab and Swahili traders. Several populations in present-day Pakistan and India are thought to be the descendants of such slaves, yet their genetic ancestries and history of admixture and natural selection remain largely undefined. Here we studied the genome-wide diversity of the African-descent Makranis, residing on the Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan, together with that of four neighboring Pakistani populations, to investigate the genetic legacy, population dynamics and tempo of the Indian Ocean slave trade. We show that the Makranis result from an admixture event between local Baluch tribes and Bantu-speaking populations from eastern/southeastern Africa, which we dated to ~300 years ago during the Omani Empire domination. Levels of inbreeding, measured through cumulative runs of homozygosity, were found to be similar across Pakistani populations, suggesting that the admixed Makranis rapidly adopted the traditional practice of endogamous marriages. Finally, we searched for signatures of post-admixture selection at several traits evolving under positive selection, including skin color, lactase persistence and resistance to malaria. We demonstrate that the African-specific Duffy-null blood group — believed to confer resistance against Plasmodium vivax infection — was recently introduced to Pakistan through the slave trade and evolved under positive selection in this vivax malaria-endemic region. Collectively, our study reconstructs the genetic and adaptive history of a neglected episode of the African Diaspora, and illustrates the impact of recent admixture on the diffusion of adaptive traits across human populations.

  Study EGAS00001002558

• UK10K COHORT TWINSUK

  The UK10K project proposes 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 directly analyse 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 TwinsUK samples will be part of the cohort study and will undergo whole genome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Brent Richards (brent.richards@kcl.ac.uk) or Nicole Soranzo (ns6@sanger.ac.uk).

  Study EGAS00001000108

• Comprehensive molecular profiling identifies novel genetic drivers and subtypes underlying medulloblastoma

  Current therapies for medulloblastoma (MB), a highly malignant childhood brain tumor, impose debilitating effects on the developing child, warranting the development of molecularly targeted treatments with reduced toxicities. Prior studies have failed to disclose the full spectrum of driver genes and molecular processes operative in MB or adequately explain heterogeneity among molecular subgroups. Herein, we detail the somatic landscape across 491 sequenced MBs and molecular heterogeneity amongst 1,256 epigenetically analyzed cases, identifying subgroup-specific mutational signatures, driver genes, and pathway alterations including previously unappreciated actionable therapeutic targets. Integrative approaches for assigning driver genes to subgroups explained >65-70% of Group 3 and Group 4, doubling previous knowledge. Novel subtypes underlying Group 3 and Group 4 were differentially enriched for specific driver events, including hotspot in-frame indels targeting KBTBD4 and ‘enhancer hijacking’ driving activation of PRDM6. Thus, application of integrative genomics to an unprecedented cohort of clinical samples derived from a single childhood cancer entity has disclosed a series of new cancer genes and biologically relevant subtype diversity that represent attractive therapeutic targets for treating MB.

  Study EGAS00001001953

• UK10K_NEURO_ASD_FI

  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.These samples are a subset of a nationwide collection of Finnish autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples. The samples have been collected from Central Hospitals across Finland in collaboration with the University of Helsinki. The samples consist of 93 individuals with a diagnosis of autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome from 36 families with at least two affected individuals. Of these individuals, 16 can be genealogically connected to form two large pedigrees originating from Central Finland, suggesting possible genetic risk factors shared identical by descent within the pedigrees. All diagnoses are based on ICD-10 and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ASDs. Additional phenotypic data is available for a subset of the individuals.For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Aarno Palotie (Aarno.palotie@helsinki.fi).

  Study EGAS00001000110

• UK10K NEURO ASD BIONED

  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 BioNED (Biomarkers for Childhood onset neuropsychiatric disorders) study has been carrying out detailed phenotypic assessments evaluating children with an autism spectrum disorder. These assessments included ADI-R, ADOS, neuropsychology, EEG etc. There are 56 DNA samples from this study (25 extracted from blood). For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Patrick Bolton (patrick.bolton@kcl.ac.uk).

  Study EGAS00001000111

• UK10K NEURO ASD GALLAGHER

  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. This is an Irish sample set of individuals with ASD (approximately 50% with comorbid intellectual disability). Individuals have been diagnosed with ADI/ ADOS, measures of cognition/ adaptive function. They represent a more severe, narrowly defined cohort of ASD subjects. Family histories are available for some with measures of broader phenotype. For further information on this cohort please contact Nadia Bolshakova (bolshakn@tcd.ie).

  Study EGAS00001000112

• RNAseq data of polyA+ RNA from Leukocytes from 624 individuals of the SardiNIA cohort.

  We sequenced the polyA+ of the RNA of the leukocytes from 624 sardinian individuals with RNAseq (Illumina 2000, an average of round 60M reads per sample, 51 + 51 nt). Combining the genotype information of the same individuals (already available from the ProgeNIA project) with the transcriptome data we identified 21,183 independent expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and 6,768 independent splicing quantitative trait loci (sQTLs), including 619 novel QTLs that exhibit population-specific trait associations. Using family relationships, we identified 809 segregating expression outliers and provide a new approach to study large effect regulatory variants and their relevance to traits. Our results provide insight into the effects of regulatory variants and their relationship to population history and individual genetic risk.

  Study EGAS00001002105

• HipSci___Whole_Exome_sequencing___Congenital_hyperinsulinia

  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 whole exome sequencing using Agilent whole exome pulldown method on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with congenital hyperinsulinia

  Study EGAS00001001977

• HipSci___Whole_Exome_sequencing___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 whole exome sequencing using Agilent whole exome pulldown method on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome

  Study EGAS00001001981

• HipSci HumanExome BeadChip analysis - Kabuki syndrome

  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 performed Genotyping analysis using the Infinium HumanExome BeadChip on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome.

  Study EGAS00001002007

• HipSci HumanExome BeadChip analysis - Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxias

  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 performed Genotyping analysis using the Infinium HumanExome BeadChip on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxias.

  Study EGAS00001002005

• The exomic landscape of t(14,18) negative diffuse follicular lymphoma with 1p36 deletion

  t(14,18) negative diffuse follicular lymphoma with 1p36 deletion is a well characterized variant of follicular lymphoma with typical clinical, morphological, immunophenotypical and genetic features. The genetic landscape of this variant is however largely unknown. We performed exome sequencing of six well characterised cases and detected 1642 single nucleotide variations and 641 insertions-deletions not reported in common databases (dbSNP and 1000G). We report several recurrent mutations, among which CREBBP, STAT6, KMT2D, HEATR6, LAMA5 and VPS13B are the most prevalent. Pathway annotation using GSEA showed an enrichment in mutated genes belonging to the MAPK pathway.

  Study EGAS00001002594

• HipSci HumanHT 12 Expression BeadChip analysis - Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

  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 performed Expression analysis using the Illumina HumanHT -12 Expression BeadChip on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.

  Study EGAS00001002021

• Chracterising_cellur_pathways_underlying_CD3_CD28_activation_of_human_CD4__cells

  We devised an approach to disentangle the TCR and CD28 pathways upon stimulation in naive and memory primary human CD4+ T cells (Tcons) in response to defined stimulatory signals. Isolated memory and naïve T cells were activated using anti-CD3, anti-CD28 or both in combination. As a control we cultured cells in the same conditions but without the stimuli. We carried Chipmentation using the H3K27ac antibody on 200,000 cross-linked cells. 1) 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 please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001002599

• 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

• Genetic and Functional Drivers of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

  Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common hematologic malignancy and is characterized by a striking degree of heterogeneity. We enrolled a total of 1001 DLBCL patients and comprehensively defined the landscape of genetic mutations, copy number alterations and expression through whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. We identified 150 genetic drivers of DLBCL including many novel, clinically relevant genes (e.g. SPEN, SETD1B and KLHL14). Genetic drivers were highly enriched among essential genes identified by CRISPR screening in DLBCL cell lines including those of immediate potential therapeutic relevance such as MTOR, SYK, SF3B1 and XPO1. RHOA emerged as a critical driver gene from our genetic analysis and CRISPR screen; we further delineated its functional role in vitro and in vivo models to define its role as an essential oncogene in DLBCL. Our work thus identifies the functional landscape of genetic drivers and their clinical and therapeutic relevance in DLBCL patients.

  Study EGAS00001002606

• UK10K NEURO ASD TAMPERE

  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 Tampere Autism sample set consists of samples from Finnish subjects with ASD (autism spectrum disorders) with IQs over 70 recruited from a clinical centre for the diagnosis and treatment of children with ASD. For further information on this cohort please contact either Terho Lehtimaki (terho.lehtimaki@uta.fi) or Kaija Puura (kaija.puura@pshp.fi).

  Study EGAS00001000115

• Molecular_diagnosis_of_albinism

  Albinism is genetically heterogeneous rare genetic condition affecting 1:17000 in the Western world (but more frequent in Africa) whose main feature is a profound visual impairment, characterised by foveal hypoplasia, abnormal chiasmatic connections, nystagmus and photofobia. All these features result in severly altered visual acuity (<0,1), absent depth perception and poor night vision. People with albinism are primarily visually handicapped. In addition, for some types of albinism, the visual phenotype can be presented with partial or total hypopigmentation, hence resulting in a secondary phenotype which can lead to skin cancer if skin is not adequately protected. Recently a new syndrome has been described, FHONDA, with the same visual abnormalities of albinism but without pigment alteration. The traditional classification differentiates Oculoculatenous albinism (OCA), where hypopigmentation involves hair, skin and eyes versus Ocular Albinism (OA), where hypopigmentation only affects the eyes. These are non-sydrimic types of albinism. Some syndromic forms (Hermansky-Pudlak=HPS, Chediak-Higashi=CHS) affect cells beyond pigment cells, present in the lungs, immune system, platelets and intestines, resulting in more severe phenotypes that can be fatal. Mutations in at least 19 genes are assocaited with the corresponding types of albinism. Most hospitals will only diagnose the most frequent cases using traditional Sanger, MLPA approaches. Some will use CGH arrays. We aim to diagnose all cases of albinism through the Albinochip proposal, which combines a Sequenom first step of known mutations combined with subsequent NGS approaches. In some cases we fail to find a second mutation, these are good candidates for further full exome analyses. 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 EGAS00001002068

• The_genetics_of_thinness_compared_to_obesity

  The variation in weight within a shared environment is largely attributable to genetic factors. Whilst many genes/loci confer susceptibility to obesity, little is known about the genetic architecture of thinness. In this study we performed a genome-wide association study of 1,622 persistently thin healthy individuals (STILTS), 1,985 severe childhood onset obesity cases (SCOOP) and 10,433 population based individuals (UKHLS) used as a common set of controls. All participants were genotyped on the Illumina Core Exome array, including 551,839 markers and imputed to the combined UK10K and 1000G (phase3) reference panel. We contrast the genetic architecture of thinness with that of severe early onset obesity and explore whether the genetic loci influencing thinness are the same as those influencing obesity pr whether there are important genetic differences between them. 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 EGAS00001002624

• Tracing the origin of disseminated tumor cells in breast cancer using single-cell sequencing

  Background Single-cell micro-metastases of solid tumors often occur in the bone marrow. These disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) may resist therapy and lay dormant or progress to cause overt bone and visceral metastases. The molecular nature of DTCs remains elusive, as well as when and from where in the tumor they originate. Here, we apply single-cell sequencing to identify and trace the origin of DTCs in breast cancer. Results We sequence the genomes of 63 single cells isolated from six non-metastatic breast cancer patients. By comparing the cells DNA copy number aberration (CNA) landscapes with those of the primary tumors and lymph node metastasis, we establish that 53% of the single cells morphologically classified as tumor cells are DTCs disseminating from the observed tumor. The remaining cells represent either non-aberrant ‘normal’ cells or aberrant cells of unknown origin that have CNA landscapes discordant from the tumor. Further analyses suggest that the prevalence of aberrant cells of unknown origin is age-dependent, and that at least a subset is hematopoietic in origin. Evolutionary reconstruction analysis of bulk tumor and DTC genomes enables ordering of CNA events in molecular pseudo-time and traced the origin of the DTCs to either the main tumor clone, primary tumor subclones, or subclones in an axillary lymph node metastasis. Conclusions Single-cell sequencing of bone marrow epithelial-like cells, in parallel with intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity profiling from bulk DNA, is a powerful approach to identify and study DTCs, yielding insight into metastatic processes. A heterogeneous population of CNA-positive cells is present in the bone marrow of non-metastatic breast cancer patients, only part of which are derived from the observed tumor lineages.

  Study EGAS00001002102

• PAS Pedigrees: Identification of novel genetic variants contributing to cardiovascular disease in pedigrees with premature atherosclerosis.

  The heritability of CVD has been estimated to be between 40 and 55%. Due to the low MAF, PAS-causing mutations cannot be identified by indirect genotyping because their presence cannot be inferred from common haplotypes, as has been done successfully to uncover common risk variants by GWAS. It has been shown by Ng et al that the causative gene for rare syndromes can be unequivocally identified by sequencing the exomes of only four cases and eight controls. We expect exome sequencing to result in a high number of mutations and non-causitive coding variants.

  Study EGAS00001000052

• UK10K NEURO EDINBURGH

  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. This sample set consists of subjects with schizophrenia recruited from psychiatric in-patient and out-patient facilities in Scotland. All diagnoses are based on standard research procedures and family histories are available. Patients have IQ>70 and the cohort includes the following groups: 100 cases with detailed clinical, cognitive and structural and functional neuroimaging phenotypes; 138 familial cases who are the probands of families where DNA has been collected from other affected members; 162 unrelated individuals. In most cases patients and their families may be re contacted to take part in further studies.For further information on this cohort please contact Andrew McIntosh (andrew.mcintosh@ed.ac.uk).

  Study EGAS00001000117

• Detecting PKD1 variants in Polycystic Kidney Disease patients by single-molecule long-read sequencing

  A genetic diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is challenging. However, long-read single-molecule sequencing has been shown to be a reliable alternative strategy that could overcome PKD1 complexities. Using long-read sequencing to characterize a cohort of 19 patients with ADPKD, we developed an approach that provided high sensitivity in identifying PKD1 pathogenic variants, with a diagnostic yield of 94.7%. Reliable screening of ADPKD patients in a single test without interference of PKD1 homologous sequences is now possible.

  Study EGAS00001002106

• Differential Presence of Exons in Cell-Free DNA Reveals Different Patterns in Colorectal Cancer Between Metastatic and Non-Metastatic Patients

  Tumor genotyping during disease follow-up is gaining an increasing interest for monitoring and clinical management in colorectal cancer (CRC). Growing evidences suggest that single biopsies are inefficient for molecular profiling, due to clonal evolution and intratumoral heterogeneity of primary tumors and/or metastasis. Circulating free DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as an alternative source of genetic material that seems to be representative of the continuously changing tumor molecular features. Thus, the so-called 'liquid biopsy' also offers the additional advantages of accessibility and non-invasiveness for the patient. Novel strategies based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) of cfDNA are being currently developed, with most studies focusing on targeted deep sequencing panels of potential clinically actionable genes. Here we describe an alternative approach, consisting of exome-sequencing in cfDNA at a relatively shallower depth to provide a more general overview of the circulating genome. In this study, two groups of colorectal cancer patients, with either disseminated (M) or localized disease (N), were compared using whole-exome sequencing and a RNA-seq bioinformatics analysis pipeline. Thus, a set of 379 exons present at different levels in cfDNA from both groups were identified, giving rise to a completely new concept in this field, termed as 'Differential Presence of Exons'. Differentially present exons (DPEs) were subsequently used for M and N patients clustering and classification, allowing for the design of a predictive algorithm with encouraging preliminary results in a small subset of patients that could not be initially classified attending to the selection criteria (U group, unassignable).

  Study EGAS00001002687

• RNA-sequencing of six Pilocytic astrocytoma tumors

  Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common pediatric brain tumor. A recurrent feature of PA is deregulation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway most often through KIAA1549-BRAF fusion, but also by other BRAF- or RAF1-gene fusions and point mutations (e.g. BRAFV600E). These features may serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers, and also facilitate development of targeted therapy. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic alterations underlying the development of PA tumor in six cases, and evaluate methods for fusion oncogene detection. Using a combined analysis of RNA sequencing and copy number variation data we identified a new BRAF fusion involving the 5’ gene fusion partner GTF2I (7q11.23), not previously described in PA. The novel GTF2I-BRAF 19-10 fusion was found in one case, while the other five cases harbored the frequent KIAA1549-BRAF 16-9 fusion gene. Comparing fusion detection methods, Fluorescence in situ hybridization with BRAF break apart probe was the most sensitive method for detection of the two different BRAF rearrangements (GTF2I-BRAF and KIAA1549-BRAF). Our finding of a novel BRAF fusion in PA further emphasis the important role of B-Raf in tumorigenesis of these tumor types. Also, the growing list of BRAF/RAF gene fusions suggests these to be informative tumor markers in molecular diagnostics, which could guide future treatment strategies.

  Study EGAS00001002149

• Detection of clinically relevant genetic and transcriptomic landscape in DLBCL uniformly treated by R-CHOP

  Recent studies using next-generation sequencing strategies have described the landscape of genetic alterations in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, little is known about the clinical relevance of recurrent mutations and copy number alterations and their transcriptional footprints. This study examines the frequency, interaction and clinical impact of recurrent genetic aberrations in DLBCL using high-resolution technologies in a large population-based cohort.

  Study EGAS00001002657