A novel mutation of a leucine residue in coil 1A of keratin 9 in epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma

Keratin 9 mutation was examined in a Japanese kindred of epidermoIytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK), which is a dominantly inherited autosomal disorder of keratinization characterized by diffuse thickening of the palms and soles and by epidermolytic hyperkeratosis histologically. We report herein a novel mutation, a C --> G transversion at nucleotide position 541 that converts a leucine residue (CTC) to a valine (GTC) at codon 159, As in all other reported cases of keratin 9 mutation in EPPK, this mutation lies within the highly conserved coil 1A of the rod domain, which is considered to play a role in the correct alignment of the coiled-coil molecules.