: Small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) combine with specific proteins to generate small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), the building blocks of the spliceosome. U4 snRNA forms a duplex with U6 and, together with U5, contributes to the tri-snRNP spliceosomal complex. Variants in RNU4-2, which encodes U4, have recently been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that heterozygous inherited and de novo variants in RNU4-2 and in four RNU6 paralogs (RNU6-1, RNU6-2, RNU6-8 and RNU6-9), which encode U6, recur in individuals with nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a genetic disorder causing progressive blindness. These variants cluster within the three-way junction of the U4/U6 duplex, a site that interacts with tri-snRNP splicing factors also known to cause RP (PRPF3, PRPF8, PRPF31), and seem to affect snRNP biogenesis. Based on our cohort, deleterious variants in RNU4-2 and RNU6 paralogs may explain up to ~1.4% of otherwise undiagnosed RP cases. This study highlights the contribution of noncoding RNA genes to Mendelian disease and reveals pleiotropy in RNU4-2, where distinct variants underlie neurodevelopmental disorder and retinal degeneration.

De novo and inherited dominant variants in U4 and U6 snRNA genes cause retinitis pigmentosa / Quinodoz, M.; Rodenburg, K.; Cvackova, Z.; Kaminska, K.; De Bruijn, S. E.; Iglesias-Romero, A. B.; Boonen, E. G. M.; Ullah, M.; Zomer, N.; Folcher, M.; Bijon, J.; Holtes, L. K.; Tsang, S. H.; Corradi, Z.; Freund, K. B.; Shliaga, S.; Panneman, D. M.; Hitti-Malin, R. J.; Ali, M.; Altalbishi, A.; Andréasson, S.; Ansari, G.; Arno, G.; Astuti, G. D. N.; Ayuso, C.; Ayyagari, R.; Banfi, S.; Banin, E.; Barakat, T. S.; Barboni, M. T. S.; Bauwens, M.; Ben-Yosef, T.; Bernard, V.; Birch, D. G.; Biswas, P.; Blanco-Kelly, F.; Bocquet, B.; Boon, C. J. F.; Branham, K.; Bremond-Gignac, D.; Britten-Jones, A. C.; Bujakowska, K. M.; Burin Des Roziers, C.; Cadena, E. L.; Calzetti, G.; Cancellieri, F.; Cattaneo, L.; Chadderton, N.; Charbel Issa, P.; Coutinho-Santos, L.; Daiger, S. P.; De Baere, E.; De Bruyne, M.; De La Cerda, B.; De Roach, J. N.; De Zaeytijd, J.; Derks, R.; Dhaenens, C. M.; Dudakova, L.; Duncan, J. L.; Farrar, G. J.; Feltgen, N.; Fenner, B. J.; Fernández-Caballero, L.; Ferraz Sallum, J. M.; Gana, S.; Garanto, A.; Gardner, J. C.; Gilissen, C.; Gonzàlez-Duarte, R.; Goto, K.; Griffiths-Jones, S.; Haack, T. B.; Haer-Wigman, L.; Hardcastle, A. J.; Hayashi, T.; Héon, E.; Hoefsloot, L. H.; Hoischen, A.; Holtan, J. P.; Hoyng, C. B.; Ibanez, M. B. B.; Inglehearn, C. F.; Iwata, T.; Jensson, B. O.; Jones, K.; Kalatzis, V.; Kamakari, S.; Karali, M.; Kellner, U.; Klaver, C. C. W.; Knézy, K.; Koenekoop, R. K.; Kohl, S.; Kominami, T.; Kühlewein, L.; Lamey, T. M.; Leibu, R.; Leroy, B. P.; Liskova, P.. - In: NATURE GENETICS. - ISSN 1061-4036. - 58:1(2026), pp. 169-179. [10.1038/s41588-025-02451-4]

De novo and inherited dominant variants in U4 and U6 snRNA genes cause retinitis pigmentosa

Calzetti G.;
2026-01-01

Abstract

: Small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) combine with specific proteins to generate small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), the building blocks of the spliceosome. U4 snRNA forms a duplex with U6 and, together with U5, contributes to the tri-snRNP spliceosomal complex. Variants in RNU4-2, which encodes U4, have recently been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that heterozygous inherited and de novo variants in RNU4-2 and in four RNU6 paralogs (RNU6-1, RNU6-2, RNU6-8 and RNU6-9), which encode U6, recur in individuals with nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a genetic disorder causing progressive blindness. These variants cluster within the three-way junction of the U4/U6 duplex, a site that interacts with tri-snRNP splicing factors also known to cause RP (PRPF3, PRPF8, PRPF31), and seem to affect snRNP biogenesis. Based on our cohort, deleterious variants in RNU4-2 and RNU6 paralogs may explain up to ~1.4% of otherwise undiagnosed RP cases. This study highlights the contribution of noncoding RNA genes to Mendelian disease and reveals pleiotropy in RNU4-2, where distinct variants underlie neurodevelopmental disorder and retinal degeneration.
2026
De novo and inherited dominant variants in U4 and U6 snRNA genes cause retinitis pigmentosa / Quinodoz, M.; Rodenburg, K.; Cvackova, Z.; Kaminska, K.; De Bruijn, S. E.; Iglesias-Romero, A. B.; Boonen, E. G. M.; Ullah, M.; Zomer, N.; Folcher, M.; Bijon, J.; Holtes, L. K.; Tsang, S. H.; Corradi, Z.; Freund, K. B.; Shliaga, S.; Panneman, D. M.; Hitti-Malin, R. J.; Ali, M.; Altalbishi, A.; Andréasson, S.; Ansari, G.; Arno, G.; Astuti, G. D. N.; Ayuso, C.; Ayyagari, R.; Banfi, S.; Banin, E.; Barakat, T. S.; Barboni, M. T. S.; Bauwens, M.; Ben-Yosef, T.; Bernard, V.; Birch, D. G.; Biswas, P.; Blanco-Kelly, F.; Bocquet, B.; Boon, C. J. F.; Branham, K.; Bremond-Gignac, D.; Britten-Jones, A. C.; Bujakowska, K. M.; Burin Des Roziers, C.; Cadena, E. L.; Calzetti, G.; Cancellieri, F.; Cattaneo, L.; Chadderton, N.; Charbel Issa, P.; Coutinho-Santos, L.; Daiger, S. P.; De Baere, E.; De Bruyne, M.; De La Cerda, B.; De Roach, J. N.; De Zaeytijd, J.; Derks, R.; Dhaenens, C. M.; Dudakova, L.; Duncan, J. L.; Farrar, G. J.; Feltgen, N.; Fenner, B. J.; Fernández-Caballero, L.; Ferraz Sallum, J. M.; Gana, S.; Garanto, A.; Gardner, J. C.; Gilissen, C.; Gonzàlez-Duarte, R.; Goto, K.; Griffiths-Jones, S.; Haack, T. B.; Haer-Wigman, L.; Hardcastle, A. J.; Hayashi, T.; Héon, E.; Hoefsloot, L. H.; Hoischen, A.; Holtan, J. P.; Hoyng, C. B.; Ibanez, M. B. B.; Inglehearn, C. F.; Iwata, T.; Jensson, B. O.; Jones, K.; Kalatzis, V.; Kamakari, S.; Karali, M.; Kellner, U.; Klaver, C. C. W.; Knézy, K.; Koenekoop, R. K.; Kohl, S.; Kominami, T.; Kühlewein, L.; Lamey, T. M.; Leibu, R.; Leroy, B. P.; Liskova, P.. - In: NATURE GENETICS. - ISSN 1061-4036. - 58:1(2026), pp. 169-179. [10.1038/s41588-025-02451-4]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/3047441
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