The USH1C 216G→A splice-site mutation results in a 35-base-pair deletion

Usher syndrome is characterized by profound hearing loss and retinal degeneration. A splice-site mutation, 216G→A, in exon 3 of USH1C is associated with Acadian Usher type IC. This mutation was reported to create an in-frame deletion of 39 base pairs (bp), resulting in an unstable transcript. By RT-PCR analysis of 216A and 216G constructs transfected into HeLa cells and also of patient cell lines, we have demonstrated a frame-shift deletion of 35 bp, not 39 bp. Thus, the instability of the USH1C mRNA is explained by the 216G→A out-of-frame splice site mutation.