What genes are related to Amish lethal microcephaly?
Mutations in the SLC25A19 gene cause Amish lethal microcephaly. The SLC25A19 gene provides instructions for producing a protein that is a member of the solute carrier (SLC) family of proteins. Proteins in the SLC family transport various compounds across the membranes surrounding the cell and its component parts. The protein produced from the SLC25A19 gene transports a molecule called thiamine pyrophosphate into the mitochondria, the energy-producing centers of cells. This compound is involved in the activity of a group of mitochondrial enzymes called the dehydrogenase complexes, one of which is the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. The transport of thiamine pyrophosphate into the mitochondria is believed to be important in brain development. All known individuals with Amish lethal microcephaly have a mutation in which the protein building block (amino acid) alanine is substituted for the amino acid glycine at position 177 of the SLC25A19 protein, written as Gly177Ala or G177A