Direct sequencing of the candidate CRYGA-CRYGD gene cluster revealed a c.470G>A transversion in exon 3 of CRYGC, which cosegregated with cataracts in the family and was not observed in 100 normal controls.
Taken together, these results indicate that a novel γC-crystallin p.Gly129Cys mutation impaired the tertiary structure of the protein and caused cataract formation, which provides a new insight into how the mutation may affect the γC-crystallin structure, stability, and function.
This study identified a disease-causing mutation c.471G>A in CRYGC in a Chinese family with cataracts, expanding the mutation spectrum of CRYGC causing congenital cataracts.
Mutational analysis of CRYGD identified a recurrent (p.P24T) mutation in two unrelated families with congenital coralliform cataracts and three novel (p.Q101X, p.E104fsX4 and p.E135X) mutations in three families with congenital nuclear cataracts.
Two mutations (p.Tyr139X and p.Ser166Phe) identified in two unrelated families were associated with their congenital nuclear cataracts and microcornea respectively, which are also reported previously.