Examination of the SLITRK1 gene in Caucasian patients with Tourette syndrome

Objective - To determine whether variants in the Slit and Trk-like 1 gene (SLITRK1) are present in American Caucasian population of patients with Tourette syndrome (TS). Methods - We sequenced the 3′-untranslated region for var321 and the whole coding region in the SLITRK1 gene in 82 Caucasian patients with TS from North America. Results - None of the 82 samples from patients with TS showed the non-coding sequence variant (var321). Only one patient with familial TS was heterozygous for a novel 708C > T (Ile236Ile) nucleotide variant. Conclusions - The var321 and mutation(s) in the coding region of the SLITRK1 gene probably are a rare cause of TS in a Caucasian population; therefore, genetic heterogeneity of TS should be considered. Tests designed to detect variant(s) in the SLITRK1 gene probably will not have a diagnostic utility in clinical practice.