Expanding the Genetic and Phenotypic Spectrum of POLRMT ‐Related Mitochondrial Disease

Mahmoud R. Fassad, Sebastian Valenzuela, Monika Oláhová, Jack J. Collier, Charlotte V. Y. Knowles, Eleni Mavraki, Miriam Elbracht, Nergis Güzel, Thomas Herberhold, Ingo Kurth, Andrea Maier, Larissa Mattern, Carol Saunders, Helen McCullagh, Katrin Õunap, Saskia B. Wortmann, Andre Reis, Lei Zhang, Claes M. Gustafsson, Robert McFarlandRobert W. Taylor*

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Mitochondrial diseases are a complex group of conditions exhibiting significant phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Genomic testing is increasingly used as the first step in the diagnostic pathway for mitochondrial diseases. We used next‐generation sequencing followed by bioinformatic data analysis to identify potentially damaging variants in the POLRMT gene (NM_005035.4) in six new affected individuals. Structural protein analysis predicted the detrimental impact of variants on POLRMT protein structure. Patients show extended phenotypic abnormalities often presenting early in life with features including global developmental delay, cognitive impairment, short stature and muscular hypotonia. This study expands the genetic and phenotypic landscape of mitochondrial disease associated with POLRMT variants.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages9
JournalClinical Genetics
Early online date29 Jun 2025
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 29 Jun 2025

Keywords

  • variant classification
  • mitochondrial disease
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • POLRMT

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