Improvement of Diagnostic Yield by an Additional Amplicon Module to Hybridization-Based Next-Generation Sequencing Panels.

Many approaches aimed at improving next-generation sequencing output for clinical purposes exist. However, sequencing gaps or misalignments for regions that are difficult to cover because of their low complexity or high homology still exist. Our aim was to improve the yield of sequencing data.

Bilineal inheritance of pathogenic PKD1 and PKD2 variants in a Czech family with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease - a case report.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary renal disorder, leading to end stage renal failure and kidney transplantation in its most serious form. The severity of the disease's manifestation depends on the genetic determination of ADPKD. The huge variability of different phenotypes (even within a single family) is not only modulated by the two main ADPKD genes (PKD1 and PKD2) but also by modifier genes and the whole genetic background.

Molecular genetic analysis of PKHD1 by next-generation sequencing in Czech families with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is an early-onset form of polycystic kidney disease that often leads to devastating outcomes for patients. ARPKD is caused by mutations in the PKHD1 gene, an extensive gene that encodes for the ciliary protein fibrocystin/polyductin. Next-generation sequencing is presently the best option for molecular diagnosis of ARPKD.

Novel mutations of PKD genes in the Czech population with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary renal disorder caused by mutation in either one of two genes, PKD1 and PKD2. High structural and sequence complexity of PKD genes makes the mutational diagnostics of ADPKD challenging. The present study is the first detailed analysis of both PKD genes in a cohort of Czech patients with ADPKD using High Resolution Melting analysis (HRM) and Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA).

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in a family with mosaicism and hypomorphic allele.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common form of inherited kidney disease that results in renal failure. ADPKD is a systemic disorder with cysts and connective tissue abnormalities involving many organs. ADPKD caused by mutations in PKD1 gene is significantly more severe than the cases caused by PKD2 gene mutations.

Metabolic engineering of the L-valine biosynthesis pathway in Corynebacterium glutamicum using promoter activity modulation.

The previously constructed strain Corynebacterium glutamicumilvNM13 with acetohydroxy acid synthase, resistant to inhibition by all three branched-chain amino acids (L-valine, L-isoleucine and L-leucine), was used as a basis to develop a new type of valine producer by genetic engineering. The main strategy was to modulate expression of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids. The activity of the promoters P-ilvD (dihydroxyacid dehydratase) and P-ilvE (transaminase) was up-modulated and the activity of the promoters P-ilvA (threonine deaminase) and P-leuA (isopropylmalate synthase) was down-modulated by site-directed mutagenesis.

Biotransformation of heterocyclic dinitriles by Rhodococcus erythropolis and fungal nitrilases.

2,6-Pyridinedicarbonitrile (1a) and 2,4-pyridinedicarbonitrile (2a) were hydrated by Rhodococcus erythropolis A4 to 6-cyanopyridine-2-carboxamide (1b; 83% yield) and 2-cyanopyridine-4-carboxamide (2b; 97% yield), respectively, after 10 min. After 118 h, the intermediates 1b or 2b were transformed into 2,6-pyridinedicarboxamide (1c; 35% yield) and 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (1d; 60% yield) or 2-cyanopyridine-4-carboxylic acid (2c; 64% yield), respectively. The nitrilase from Fusarium solani afforded cyanocarboxylic acids 1e and 2c after 118 h (yields 95 and 62%, respectively).

Rational design of a Corynebacterium glutamicum pantothenate production strain and its characterization by metabolic flux analysis and genome-wide transcriptional profiling.

A "second-generation" production strain was derived from a Corynebacterium glutamicum pantothenate producer by rational design to assess its potential to synthesize and accumulate the vitamin pantothenate by batch cultivation. The new pantothenate production strain carries a deletion of the ilvA gene to abolish isoleucine synthesis, the promoter down-mutation P-ilvEM3 to attenuate ilvE gene expression and thereby increase ketoisovalerate availability, and two compatible plasmids to overexpress the ilvBNCD genes and duplicated copies of the panBC operon. Production assays in shake flasks revealed that the P-ilvEM3 mutation and the duplication of the panBC operon had cumulative effects on pantothenate production.

Feedback-resistant acetohydroxy acid synthase increases valine production in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHAS), which catalyzes the key reactions in the biosynthesis pathways of branched-chain amino acids (valine, isoleucine, and leucine), is regulated by the end products of these pathways. The whole Corynebacterium glutamicum ilvBNC operon, coding for acetohydroxy acid synthase (ilvBN) and aceto hydroxy acid isomeroreductase (ilvC), was cloned in the newly constructed Escherichia coli-C. glutamicum shuttle vector pECKA (5.