Identification of a novel homozygous UNC80 variant in a child with infantile hypotonia with psychomotor retardation and characteristic facies-2 (IHPRF2).

The UNC80 gene encodes for a large component of the NALCN sodium-leak channel complex that regulates the basal excitability of the nervous system. In this study, we report on a novel homozygous mutation in UNC80 in a Palestinian-Emirati patient suffering infantile hypotonia with psychomotor retardation and characteristic facies. This mutation was detected by whole exome sequencing and confirmed using Sanger sequencing in the patient-parents trio.

Consanguinity and reproductive health among Arabs.

Consanguineous marriages have been practiced since the early existence of modern humans. Until now consanguinity is widely practiced in several global communities with variable rates depending on religion, culture, and geography. Arab populations have a long tradition of consanguinity due to socio-cultural factors.