Our report of two missense variants affecting the normal localization of NLGN3 in a total of five affected individuals reinforces the involvement of the NLGN3 gene in a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by ID and ASD.
Frameshift and missense mutations in the X-linked neuroligin 4 (NLGN4, MIM# 300427) and neuroligin 3 (NLGN3, MIM# 300336) genes have been identified in patients with autism, Asperger syndrome and mental retardation.
The phenotypes of genes causing syndromic and non-syndromic mental retardation (NLGN3, NLGN4, RPS6KA3(RSK2), OPHN1, ATRX, SLC6A8, ARX, SYN1, AGTR2, MECP2, PQBP1, SMCX, and SLC16A2) are first discussed, as these may be the focus of more targeted mutation analysis.