A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosomal abnormality. Although polygenic disorders are the most common, the term is mostly used when discussing disorders with a single genetic cause, either in a gene or chromosome. The mutation responsible can occur spontaneously before embryonic development, or it can be inherited from two parents who are carriers of a faulty gene or from a parent with the disorder. When the genetic disorder is inherited from one or both parents, it is also classified as a hereditary disease. Some disorders are caused by a mutation on the X chromosome and have X-linked inheritance. Very few disorders are inherited on the Y chromosome or mitochondrial DNA.
A congenital disorder of glycosylation is one of several rare inborn errors of metabolism in which glycosylation of a variety of tissue proteins and/or lipids is deficient or defective. Congenital disorders of glycosylation are sometimes known as CDG syndromes. They often cause serious, sometimes fatal, malfunction of several different organ systems in affected infants. The most common sub-type is PMM2-CDG where the genetic defect leads to the loss of phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2), the enzyme responsible for the conversion of mannose-6-phosphate into mannose-1-phosphate.
Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder that may present with mildly unusual facial features, short height, congenital heart disease, bleeding problems, and skeletal malformations. Facial features include widely spaced eyes, light-colored eyes, low-set ears, a short neck, and a small lower jaw. Heart problems may include pulmonary valve stenosis. The breast bone may either protrude or be sunken, while the spine may be abnormally curved. Intelligence is often normal. Complications of NS can include leukemia.
Alpha-mannosidosis is a lysosomal storage disorder, first described by Swedish physician Okerman in 1967. In humans it is known to be caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation in the gene MAN2B1, located on chromosome 19, affecting the production of the enzyme alpha-D-mannosidase, resulting in its deficiency. Consequently, if both parents are carriers, there will be a 25% chance with each pregnancy that the defective gene from both parents will be inherited, and the child will develop the disease. There is a two in three chance that unaffected siblings will be carriers. In livestock alpha-mannosidosis is caused by chronic poisoning with swainsonine from locoweed.
Congenital hyperinsulinism is a medical term referring to a variety of congenital disorders in which hypoglycemia is caused by excessive insulin secretion. Congenital forms of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia can be transient or persistent, mild or severe. These conditions are present at birth and most become apparent in early infancy. Mild cases can be treated by frequent feedings, more severe cases can be controlled by medications that reduce insulin secretion or effects.
Congenital muscular dystrophies are autosomal recessively-inherited muscle diseases. They are a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by muscle weakness which is present at birth and the different changes on muscle biopsy that ranges from myopathic to overtly dystrophic due to the age at which the biopsy takes place.
Mannose-6 phosphate isomerase (MPI), alternately phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) is an enzyme which facilitates the interconversion of fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) and mannose-6-phosphate (M6P). Mannose-6-phosphate isomerase may also enable the synthesis of GDP-mannose in eukaryotic organisms. M6P can be converted to F6P by mannose-6-phosphate isomerase and subsequently utilized in several metabolic pathways including glycolysis and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis. PMI is monomeric and metallodependent on zinc as a cofactor ligand. PMI is inhibited by erythrose 4-phosphate, mannitol 1-phosphate, and to a lesser extent, the alpha anomer of M6P.
Phosphomannomutase 2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PMM2 gene.
Dolichol-phosphate mannosyltransferase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the DPM1 gene.
Dolichyl-P-Man:Man(7)GlcNAc(2)-PP-dolichyl-alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ALG12 gene.
Dolichyl-P-Man:Man(5)GlcNAc(2)-PP-dolichyl mannosyltransferase is an enzyme that, in humans, is encoded by the ALG3 gene.
Wrinkly skin syndrome(WSS) is a rare genetic condition characterized by sagging, wrinkled skin, low skin elasticity, and delayed fontanel (soft spot) closure along with a range of other symptoms. The disorder exhibits an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern with mutations in the ATP6V0A2 gene, leading to abnormal glycosylation events. There are only about 30 known cases of WSS as of 2010. Given its rarity and symptom overlap to other dermatological conditions, reaching an accurate diagnosis is difficult and requires specialized dermatological testing. Limited treatment options are available but long-term prognosis is variable from patient-to-patient, on the basis of individual case studies. Some skin symptoms recede with increasing age while progressive neurological advancement of the disorder causes seizures and mental deterioration later in life for some patients.
Glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD) is an X-linked recessive enzyme defect that is heterozygous in nature. Three clinically distinct forms of this deficiency have been proposed, namely infantile, juvenile, and adult. National Institutes of Health and its Office of Rare Diseases Research branch classifies GKD as a rare disease, known to affect fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. The responsible gene lies in a region containing genes in which deletions can cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy and adrenal hypoplasia congenita. Combinations of these three genetic defects including GKD are addressed medically as Complex GKD.
Factor I deficiency, also known as fibrinogen deficiency, is a rare inherited bleeding disorder related to fibrinogen function in the blood coagulation cascade. It is typically subclassified into four distinct fibrinogen disorders: afibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, and hypodysfibrinogenemia.
NGLY1 deficiency is a very rare genetic disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in NGLY1. It is an autosomal recessive disorder. Errors in deglycosylation are responsible for the symptoms of this condition. Clinically, most affected individuals display developmental delay, lack of tears, elevated liver transaminases and a movement disorder. NGLY1 deficiency is difficult to diagnose, and most individuals have been identified by exome sequencing.
PMM2 deficiency or PMM2-CDG is a very rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in PMM2. It is an autosomal recessive disorder. A defective copy of the PMM2 gene is the most common cause of a disease called “congenital disorders of glycosylation” or “PMM2-CDG”. PMM2-CDG is the most common of a growing family of more than 130 extremely rare inherited metabolic disorders. Only about 1000 children and adults have been reported worldwide.
Muscle–eye–brain (MEB) disease, also known as muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy congenital with brain and eye anomalies A3 (MDDGA3), is a kind of rare congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), largely characterized by hypotonia at birth. Patients have muscular dystrophy, central nervous system abnormalities and ocular abnormalities. The condition is degenerative.
ALG1-CDG is an autosomal recessive congenital disorder of glycosylation caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in ALG1. The first cases of ALG1-CDG were described in 2004, and the causative gene was identified at the same time. This disorder was originally designated CDG-IK, under earlier nomenclature for congenital disorders of glycosylation. Clinically, individuals with ALG1-CDG have developmental delay, hypotonia, seizures and microcephaly. Fewer than 60 cases of ALG1-CDG have been confirmed in published literature. ALG1-CDG can be suspected based on clinical findings, and abnormal serum transferrin glycosylation test results. Confirmation of the diagnosis can be performed based on sequence analysis of ALG1. The analysis of ALG1 is complicated by the presence of a pseudogene. There are no specific treatments for ALG1-CDG, and most care consists of managing symptoms.
SRD5A3-CDG is a rare, non X-linked congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG) due to a mutation in the steroid 5 alpha reductase type 3 gene. It is one of over 150 documented types of Congenital disorders of Glycosylation. Like many other CDGs, SRD5A3 is ultra-rare, with around 38 documented cases in the world.
SLC35A1-CDG is a rare inherited disorder that mainly affects the vascular systems of the body. It forms part of a large group of disorders called congenital disorders of glycosylation. It is caused by mutations in the SLC35A1 gene, located in the sixth chromosome.
