Novel MSX1 frameshift mutation in a Japanese family with nonsyndromic oligodontia

Congenital tooth agenesis is a common anomaly in humans. We investigated the etiology of human tooth agenesis by exome analysis in Japanese patients, and found a previously undescribed heterozygous deletion (NM_002448.3(MSX1_v001):c.433_449del) in the first exon of the MSX1 gene. The deletion leads to a frameshift and generates a premature termination codon. The truncated form of MSX1, namely, p.(Trp145Leufs*24) lacks the homeodomain, which is crucial for transcription factor function.