Whole-exome sequencing reveals a novel frameshift mutation in the FAM161A gene causing autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in the Indian population.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogenous group of inherited retinal degenerations caused by mutations in at least 50 genes. To identify genetic mutations underlying autosomal recessive RP (arRP), we performed whole-exome sequencing study on two consanguineous marriage Indian families (RP-252 and RP-182) and 100 sporadic RP patients. Here we reported novel mutation in FAM161A in RP-252 and RP-182 with two patients affected with RP in each family. The FAM161A gene was identified as the causative gene for RP28, an autosomal recessive form of RP. By whole-exome sequencing we identified several homozygous genomic regions, one of which included the recently identified FAM161A gene mutated in RP28-linked arRP. Sequencing analysis revealed the presence of a novel homozygous frameshift mutation p.R592FsX2 in both patients of family RP-252 and family RP-182. In 100 sporadic Indian RP patients, this novel homozygous frameshift mutation p.R592FsX2 was identified in one sporadic patient ARRP-S-I-46 by whole-exome sequencing and validated by Sanger sequencing. Meanwhile, this homozygous frameshift mutation was absent in 1000 ethnicity-matched control samples screened by direct Sanger sequencing. In conclusion, we identified a novel homozygous frameshift mutations of RP28-linked RP gene FAM161A in Indian population.