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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 80:1283-1285 doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.166512
  • Short report

TARDBP in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: identification of a novel variant but absence of copy number variation

  1. D Bäumer1,2,
  2. N Parkinson1,
  3. K Talbot1,2
  1. 1
    University of Oxford, MRC Functional Genetics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Oxford, UK
  2. 2
    Department of Clinical Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr K Talbot, MRC Functional Genetics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK; kevin.talbot{at}clneuro.ox.ac.uk
  • Received 28 October 2008
  • Revised 26 November 2008
  • Accepted 26 November 2008

Abstract

Background: Mutations in the gene encoding TDP-43 have been identified in both familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: A mutation screen and copy number analysis in a motor neuron disease clinic cohort was conducted to characterise the genetic contribution of TARDBP.

Results: A novel missense mutation in a highly conserved region of TDP-43 was identified in a patient with sporadic ALS. The mutation is in close vicinity to previously identified changes. Copy number variation abnormalities were not detected.

Conclusions: The findings stress the importance of TDP-43 in the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS.

Footnotes

  • Funding Work in our laboratory is supported by grants from the Motor Neuron Disease Association, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Trust and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

  • Competing interests None.

  • Ethics approval Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Oxfordshire Research Ethics Committee, Oxford, UK.