A novel Gypsy founder mutation, p.Arg1109X in the CMT4C gene, causes variable peripheral neuropathy phenotypes

Background: Linkage, haplotype and sequencing analysis in a large Spanish Gypsy kindred with multiple members affected by autosomal recessive peripheral neuropathy led to the identification of a novel mutation, p.Arg1109X, in the CMT4C gene. The screening of further unrelated patients, and of a panel of ethnically matched controls, showed that p.Arg1109X is an ancestral mutation which occurs in Gypsy populations across Europe and is the most common cause of autosomal recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in Spanish Gypsies. Objective: To report the identification of a novel Gypsy founder mutation causing autosomal recessive CMT4C disease in a sample of homozygous affected individuals. Results: The mutation was associated with a surprisingly broad spectrum of neuropathy phenotypes, with variation in the age at onset, rate of progression, severity of muscle and sensory involvement, the presence of scoliosis, and cranial nerve involvement. Conclusions: Ascertainment and further studies of CMT4C patients in this population will provide a unique opportunity for characterising the full range of clinical manifestations of the disease in a genetically homogeneous sample.