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The CpG dinucleotide and human genetic disease

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Summary

Reports of single base-pair mutations within gene coding regions causing human genetic disease were collated. Thirty-five per cent of mutations were found to have occurred within CpG dinucleotides. Over 90% of these mutations were C → T or G → A transitions, which thus occur within coding regions at a frequency 42-fold higher than that predicted from random mutation. These findings are consistent with methylation-induced deamination of 5-methyl cytosine and suggest that methylation of DNA within coding regions may contribute significantly to the incidence of human genetic disease.

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  1. Hagop Youssoufian

    Present address: Hematology-Oncology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cox 6, 02114, Boston, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haematology Department, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, Denmark Hill, SE5 8RX, London, UK

    David N. Cooper

  2. Genetics Unit, Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 21 205, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Hagop Youssoufian

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  1. David N. Cooper
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Cooper, D.N., Youssoufian, H. The CpG dinucleotide and human genetic disease. Hum Genet 78, 151–155 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278187

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278187

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