Cystic fibrosis is caused by defects in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), commonly the deletion of residue Phe-508 (DeltaF508) in the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1), which results in a severe reduction in the population of functional channels at the epithelial cell surface.
A cohort of 31 cystic fibrosis patients showing pancreatic sufficiency and bearing an unidentified mutation on at least one chromosome was analyzed through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the whole coding region of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, including intron-exon boundaries.
A screening approach based on single-strand conformation analysis and direct sequencing of genomic polymerase chain reaction products has allowed us to detect the molecular defects on 95.4% of the CF chromosomes within the coding region and splice sites of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene.
Analysis of the CFTR gene in the Spanish population: SSCP-screening for 60 known mutations and identification of four new mutations (Q30X, A120T, 1812-1 G-->A, and 3667del4).
Detection of five novel mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene in Pakistani patients with cystic fibrosis: Y569D, Q98X, 296+12(T>C), 1161delC and 621+2(T>C).
Detection of three rare frameshift mutations in the cystic fibrosis gene in an African-American (CF444delA), an Italian (CF2522insC), and a Soviet (CF3821delT).
Dysfunctions of the CFTR gene are responsible for the highly variable clinical presentation ranging from severe CF, disseminated bronchiectasis, idiopathic chronic pancreatitis and congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD).