Biallelic variants in the noncoding RNA gene RNU4-2 cause a recessive neurodevelopmental syndrome with distinct white matter changes

Journal article

Genetic variants in RNU4-2, which is transcribed into the U4 small nuclear RNA component of the major spliceosome, were recently shown to cause ReNU syndrome, a prevalent dominant neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). These variants almost exclusively arise de novo and cluster within 18 nucleotides of RNU4-2. Here we describe a new recessive NDD associated with homozygous and compound heterozygous variants in RNU4-2. We identify 38 individuals with biallelic variants outside the 18-nucleotide ReNU syndrome region that cluster within other functionally important elements of U4: Stem II, the k-turn and the Sm protein binding site. We characterize the clinical phenotype in 31 individuals, demonstrating that the recessive disorder is clinically distinct from ReNU syndrome and is associated with distinctive white matter abnormalities, including enlarged perivascular spaces. Finally, we find reduced RNU4-2 transcript levels in individuals with the recessive disorder, suggesting a loss-of-function disease mechanism that is distinct from the mechanism underlying ReNU syndrome. Together, these findings expand the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of RNU4-2-associated NDDs.

Authors: Rius, R; Blakes, AJM; Chen, Y; De Jonghe, J; Lecoquierre, F

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Nature Genetics
• Publication date: 2026-04-08
• Acceptance date: 2026-02-25
• DOI: 10.1038/s41588-026-02554-6
• EISSN: 1546-1718
• ISSN: 1061-4036
• Language: English
• Keywords: RNA; Phenotype; Genotype; Allele; Gene; Mechanism (biology); Compound heterozygosity