Complex Genomic Rearrangements at the PLP1 Locus Include Triplication and Quadruplication

Inverted repeats (IRs) can facilitate structural variation as crucibles of genomic rearrangement. Complex DUP-TRP/INV-DUP rearrangements that contain breakpoint junctions within IRs have been recently associated with both MECP2 duplication syndrome (MIM#300260) and Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD, MIM#312080). We investigated 17 unrelated PMD subjects with copy number gains at the PLP1 locus including triplication and quadruplication of specific genomic intervals – 16/17 were found to have a DUP-TRP/INV-DUP rearrangement product. An IR distal to PLP1 facilitates DUP-TRP/INV-DUP formation as well as an inversion structural variation found frequently amongst normal individuals. We show that a homology—or homeology—driven replicative mechanism of DNA repair can apparently mediate template switches within stretches of microhomology. Moreover, we provide evidence that quadruplication, and potentially higher order amplification of a genomic interval, can occur in a manner consistent with rolling circle amplification as predicted by the microhomology mediated break induced replication (MMBIR) model. To determine size, genomic extent and gene content for each rearrangement, we used a customized tiling-path oligonucleotide microarray spanning the Xq22 chromosomal region to query the genomic DNA of 7 males with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, and 5 unaffected or carrier/unaffected family members. A 4x44k Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, CA) microarray was designed using the Agilent e-array website targeting the region of the genome encompassing the dosage-sensitive PLP1 gene.