Study uncovers mutations in Polycomb group gene as underlying cause of novel neurological disorder A multi-institutional study has discovered spontaneous mutations in RNF2 (RING2) gene as the underlying cause of a novel neurological disorder. This Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) study was led by Dr. Shinya Yamamoto, investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, and Dr. Vandana Shashi at Duke University Medical Center. Using a combination of comprehensive clinical tests, trio genome sequencing and functional studies in the fruit flies, and global gene matchmaking efforts, the teams found loss-of-function variants in RNF2 gene disrupt normal neuronal development and function that likely resulted in a wide gamut of symptoms from severe intellectual disabilities, hypotonia, impaired motor skills, epilepsy, growth retardation, seizures and feeding difficulties in two affected individuals. The study appeared in the journal