Novel multi-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human genome characterized by whole genome and exome sequencing

Genomic sequence comparisons between individuals are usually restricted to the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). While the interrogation of SNPs is efficient, they are not the only form of divergence between genomes. In this report, we expand the scope of polymorphism detection by investigating the occurrence of double nucleotide polymorphisms (DNPs) and triple nucleotide polymorphisms (TNPs), in which two or three consecutive nucleotides are altered compared to the reference sequence. We have found such DNPs and TNPs throughout two complete genomes and eight exomes. Within exons, these novel polymorphisms are over-represented amongst protein-altering variants; nearly all DNPs and TNPs result in a change in amino acid sequence and, in some cases, two adjacent amino acids are changed. DNPs and TNPs represent a potentially important new source of genetic variation which may underlie human disease and they should be included in future medical genetics studies. As a confirmation of the damaging nature of xNPs, we have identified changes in the exome of a glioblastoma cell line that are important in glioblastoma pathogenesis. We have found a TNP causing a single amino acid change in LAMC2 and a TNP causing a truncation of HUWE1.