Researchers find high rates of copy number mutations in non-heritable forms of autism

http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/52940/



Most of the mutations seen in the autistic children overall were deletions.


who said that human bodies are "less tolerant" of deletions. "When you're down to only your back-up copy for a gene, you're at greater risk for whatever minor defects may exist in that that gene." said Jonathan Sebat


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Increased paternal age and deletions are connected in the area of genetics known as point mutations.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Copy number linked to autismResearchers find high rates of copy number mutations in non-heritable forms of autism

[Published 15th March 2007 06:02 PM GMT]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copy number variation could be an important factor in autism, according to a new study published in Science today (March 15).

The largest percentage of copy number mutations occurred in families with one autistic child, the so-called sporadic, or spontaneously occurring cases -- not in families with multiple autistic children, indicating genetic inheritance.