Asian Journal of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

Molecular Genetics of Gucy2d Gene among Patients with Leber Congenital Amaurosis Attending National Eye Center Kaduna

Farida Sagir Yaro *

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria.

Yahaya Abdullahi Umar

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Deborah Madi Dibal

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Nkechi E. Egbe

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria.

Zahra’u Umar

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria.

Firdausi Aliyu

Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria.

Samuel Adavba

Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medical Sciences, Kaduna State University, Nigeria.

Muhammad I. Tahir

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Aliyu Adamu

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kaduna State University, Nigeria.

Zakiya Mahmood

Department of Opthalmology, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

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Abstract

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease that presents with the autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. There are about 19 genes responsible for the pathogenic cause of the disease, with mutations in a few of the genes recorded. The study aims to identify the GUCy2d gene in patients with Leber Congenital Amaurosis attending the National Eye Center Kaduna, Nigeria. In this purposive sampling method made up of patients of all ages and sexes diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis or retinal dystrophy, DNA was extracted from the whole blood according to the manufacturer’s guide (Bioneer USA). DNA was PCR-multiplexed by using primers designed as microsatellite markers to identify the GUCY2D gene, gel electrophoresed and sequenced to identify mutations. Multiple sequence alignment was carried out on the DNA sequence which was translated to protein sequence using MegaX software. The PCR products' band sizes correlated with the amplicon size of the genetic marker. After sequencing the Gucy2d gene, it was aligned with the reference gene obtained from the gene bank and mutations were identified in some positions. Gucy2d gene harbouring mutations were identified in the diseased patients, which resulted in the change in the translation of some of the Amino acid sequences.

Keywords: Heterogenous disease, autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance, Gucy2d gene, mutations

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