DNA is frequently damaged by exogenous influences such as radiation, and endogenous effects such as replication stress. Repair of this damage may lead to chromosomal structural changes that change the number of copies of genes in the cells. Copy number variation is the basis of a series of inherited diseases known as genomic disorders and underlies the initiation, progression and resistance mechanisms of many cancers. Although great progress has been made in describing the detailed structures associated with copy number changes, and we have specific ideas on what mechanisms might generate the changes, we are unable to ascribe specific mechanisms to specific events. Study of the mechanisms of chromosomal change in model organisms has revealed that the repair DNA synthesis and single-strandedness associated with various mechanisms of chromosomal change is of very low fidelity, generating many point mutations. Because the pattern of repair synthesis and single-strandedness is different for different mechanisms of change, we expect that each mechanism will leave a characteristic signature in the DNA in the form of distribution and spectrum of new point mutations. Using a large collection of clinical isolates of germline and constitutive copy number variants, we plan to map these signatures to the regions of chromosomal change for different classes of copy number change to reveal the pattern of associated repair synthesis and hence the mechanism underlying specific events. Preliminary data show that the amount of new point mutation to be expected is well within the limits of detection and readily differentiated from that in chromosomal regions that are not involved in rearrangements.

Public Health Relevance

This project seeks to understand how chromosomes change in structure by studying characteristics of human gene copy number changes. These changes lead to inherited genomic disorders, cancer and cancer progression, and therapy resistance. Study of these mechanisms has the possibility of informing strategies to minimize their effects.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01GM106373-01A1
Application #
8630460
Study Section
Radiation Therapeutics and Biology Study Section (RTB)
Program Officer
Janes, Daniel E
Project Start
2014-09-05
Project End
2018-08-31
Budget Start
2014-09-05
Budget End
2015-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$394,166
Indirect Cost
$144,166
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Genetics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
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Song, Xiaofei; Beck, Christine R; Du, Renqian et al. (2018) Predicting human genes susceptible to genomic instability associated with Alu/Alu-mediated rearrangements. Genome Res 28:1228-1242
Correa, Raul; Thornton, Philip C; Rosenberg, Susan M et al. (2018) Oxygen and RNA in stress-induced mutation. Curr Genet 64:769-776
Grochowski, Christopher M; Gu, Shen; Yuan, Bo et al. (2018) Marker chromosome genomic structure and temporal origin implicate a chromoanasynthesis event in a family with pleiotropic psychiatric phenotypes. Hum Mutat 39:939-946
Gu, Shen; Posey, Jennifer E; Yuan, Bo et al. (2016) Mechanisms for the Generation of Two Quadruplications Associated with Split-Hand Malformation. Hum Mutat 37:160-4
Xia, Jun; Chen, Li-Tzu; Mei, Qian et al. (2016) Holliday junction trap shows how cells use recombination and a junction-guardian role of RecQ helicase. Sci Adv 2:e1601605
Carvalho, Claudia M B; Lupski, James R (2016) Mechanisms underlying structural variant formation in genomic disorders. Nat Rev Genet 17:224-38
Yuan, Bo; Neira, Juanita; Gu, Shen et al. (2016) Nonrecurrent PMP22-RAI1 contiguous gene deletions arise from replication-based mechanisms and result in Smith-Magenis syndrome with evident peripheral neuropathy. Hum Genet 135:1161-74
Lupski, James R (2016) Clinical genomics: from a truly personal genome viewpoint. Hum Genet 135:591-601
Pehlivan, Davut; Beck, Christine R; Okamoto, Yuji et al. (2016) The role of combined SNV and CNV burden in patients with distal symmetric polyneuropathy. Genet Med 18:443-51

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