Next-generation sequencing for mutation detection in heritable skin diseases: the paradigm of pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

Next-generation sequencing applied either to the entire genome or to a subset, such as a whole exome, has revolutionized the search for pathogenic mutations in heritable diseases, including genodermatoses. In this issue, Hosen et al. applied whole-exome sequencing to identify potential pathogenic mutations in four candidate genes associated with pseudoxanthoma elasticum, the prototype of ectopic mineralization disorders. The study highlights the advantages of this approach over traditional Sanger sequencing, including expedience and cost, but it also illustrates some of the challenges encountered in implementing this rapidly evolving technology.