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Review
. 2021 Jan 7;108(1):8-15.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.11.013.

A dyadic approach to the delineation of diagnostic entities in clinical genomics

Affiliations
Review

A dyadic approach to the delineation of diagnostic entities in clinical genomics

Leslie G Biesecker et al. Am J Hum Genet. .

Abstract

The delineation of disease entities is complex, yet recent advances in the molecular characterization of diseases provide opportunities to designate diseases in a biologically valid manner. Here, we have formalized an approach to the delineation of Mendelian genetic disorders that encompasses two distinct but inter-related concepts: (1) the gene that is mutated and (2) the phenotypic descriptor, preferably a recognizably distinct phenotype. We assert that only by a combinatorial or dyadic approach taking both of these attributes into account can a unitary, distinct genetic disorder be designated. We propose that all Mendelian disorders should be designated as "GENE-related phenotype descriptor" (e.g., "CFTR-related cystic fibrosis"). This approach to delineating and naming disorders reconciles the complexity of gene-to-phenotype relationships in a simple and clear manner yet communicates the complexity and nuance of these relationships.

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Conflict of interest statement

L.G.B. receives in-kind research support from ArQule (now a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck) and Pfizer and receives honoraria from Cold Spring Harbor Press. K.W.G. is Chief Medical Officer for FDN (Face to DNA). K.R. is an employee of GeneDx, a subsidiary of Opko Health, and a shareholder of Opko Health. The other authors declare no competing interests.

Comment in

  • Response to Biesecker et al.
    Hamosh A, Amberger JS, Bocchini CA, Bodurtha J, Bult CJ, Chute CG, Cutting GR, Dietz HC, Firth HV, Gibbs RA, Grody WW, Haendel MA, Lupski JR, Posey JE, Robinson PN, Schriml LM, Scott AF, Sobreira NL, Valle D, Wu N, Rasmussen SA. Hamosh A, et al. Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Sep 2;108(9):1807-1808. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.07.004. Am J Hum Genet. 2021. PMID: 34478655 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Response to Hamosh et al.
    Biesecker LG, Adam MP, Alkuraya FS, Amemiya AR, Bamshad MJ, Beck AE, Bennett JT, Bird LM, Carey JC, Chung B, Clark RD, Cox TC, Curry C, Dinulos MBP, Dobyns WB, Giampietro PF, Girisha KM, Glass IA, Graham JM Jr, Gripp KW, Haldeman-Englert CR, Hall BD, Innes AM, Kalish JM, Keppler-Noreuil KM, Kosaki K, Kozel BA, Mirzaa GM, Mulvihill JJ, Nowaczyk MJM, Pagon RA, Retterer K, Rope AF, Sanchez-Lara PA, Seaver LH, Shieh JT, Slavotinek AM, Sobering AK, Stevens CA, Stevenson DA, Tan TY, Tan WH, Tsai AC, Weaver DD, Williams MS, Zackai E, Zarate YA. Biesecker LG, et al. Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Sep 2;108(9):1809-1810. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.07.006. Am J Hum Genet. 2021. PMID: 34478656 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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