PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Abdallah, Mohammed O.E. AU - Koko, Mahmoud E. AU - Faisal, Shima AU - Newport, Melanie J. AU - Ibrahim, Muntaser E. TI - Recurrent <em>AIPL1</em> c.487C&gt;T truncating variant in Leber Congenital Amaurosis: Support of pathogenicity and regional implications AID - 10.1101/290650 DP - 2018 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 290650 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/03/28/290650.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/03/28/290650.full AB - Background Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous inherited retinal dystrophy characterized by early onset visual impairment caused by mutations in not less than 17 genes. AIPL1 mutations cause LCA type 4, comprising approximately 7% of LCA worldwide. The importance of establishing a genetic diagnosis lies in the promise of gene therapy demonstrated in mouse models.Results we genetically investigated a consanguineous Sudanese family with Leber Congenital Amaurosis. Eight members of the family were affected. Using whole exome sequencing in two siblings and their healthy mother, both inheritance-based and phenotype-based prioritization strategies converged to identify a truncating variant (rs62637009) in AIPL1, consistent with a diagnosis of LCA type 4. AIPL1 c.487C&gt;T is an ultra-rare cause of LCA4 that was seen previously in homozygous state in a single Palestinian family. This recurrent variant seems to have a regional importance with a likely founder effect.Conclusions This report adds evidence to the pathogenicity of AIPL1 c.487C&gt;T meriting its conclusive annotation as a recurrent pathogenic variant. This variant is particularly relevant to the middle-eastern and northeast African regions.