A new point mutation (G412 to A) at the last nucleotide of exon 3 of hexosaminidase alpha-subunit gene affects splicing.

We report the sixth mutation associated with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease in the Turkish population. The mutation is a single nucleotide transition (G to A) at the last nucleotide of exon 3 of hexosaminidase A (HEX A) alpha-subunit gene. The 14 exons and their flanking sequences of the HEX A gene were amplified and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). Sequencing of exon 3 showed a homozygous mutation. Cultured patient's fibroblasts produced no detectable mRNA for HEX A alpha-subunit gene by Northern blot analysis. We speculate that abnormal mRNA was rapidly degraded following transcription. Our data are consistent with the idea that the severe infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease is associated with a total lack of Hex A activity in the patient. A similar mutation (G to T) had been observed at the 5'-donor splice site of exon 3. It resulted in abnormal splicing and skipping of exon 3. The other acceptor and donor splice site mutations described in the HEX A gene ablate normal mRNA splicing. Identification of multiple mutant HEX A alleles shows molecular heterogeneity of infantile Tay-Sachs disease in our population.