RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 RPGR ORF15 genotype and clinical variability of retinal degeneration in an Australian population JF British Journal of Ophthalmology JO Br J Ophthalmol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. SP 1151 OP 1154 DO 10.1136/bjo.2008.153908 VO 93 IS 9 A1 Ruddle, J B A1 Ebenezer, N D A1 Kearns, L S A1 Mulhall, L E A1 Mackey, D A A1 Hardcastle, A J YR 2009 UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/93/9/1151.abstract AB Background: Mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator gene (RPGR) are estimated to cause up to 20% of all Caucasian retinitis pigmentosa and up to 75% of cases of X-Linked RP (XLRP). Exon open reading frame 15 (ORF15) is a purine-rich mutation hotspot. Mutations in RPGR ORF15 have also been documented to cause X linked cone–rod dystrophy (XLCORD) and atrophic macular degeneration at an unknown frequency.Methods: From a hospital clinic population, probands with probable XLRP and XLCORD were screened for RPGR ORF15 mutations and fully phenotyped.Results: Four different RPGR ORF15 mutations were found in four probands. All mutations in the ORF15 exon resulted in premature truncation of the RPGR protein. Three were nonsense mutations: c.507G>T (p.E169stop), c.867G>T (p.G289stop), c.897G>T (p.E299stop) and the fourth a single nucleotide insertion c.1558–1559insA (p.S522fs 525stop). One family exhibited typical XLRP, two XLCORD and one a combination of the phenotypes.Conclusion: RPGR ORF15 mutations produce intrafamilial and interfamilial clinical variability with varying degrees of cone degeneration. In an Australian clinic population RPGR ORF15 mutations cause XLCORD in addition to XLRP.