A point mutation in ε-sarcoglycan induces inherited myoclonus dystonia syndrome in a Chinese family.

Myoclonus dystonia syndrome is a rare movement disorder featured by myoclonic jerks and dystonia. We identified here a point mutation in ε-sarcoglycan gene exon 6 associating with inherited myoclonus dystonia syndrome in a Chinese Han family. The mutation identified induces a stop codon and terminates the transcription of ε-sarcoglycan mRNA. This in turn results in a large truncation of ε-sarcoglycan protein. The further investigation is required to understand physiological and pathological functions of ε-sarcoglycan.