GCH1

protein-coding

GTP cyclohydrolase 1, the group of MicroRNA protein coding host genes

Gene summary

This gene encodes a member of the GTP cyclohydrolase family. The encoded protein is the first and rate-limiting enzyme in tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) biosynthesis, catalyzing the conversion of GTP into 7,8-dihydroneopterin triphosphate. BH4 is an essential cofactor required by aromatic amino acid hydroxylases as well as nitric oxide synthases. Mutations in this gene are associated with malignant hyperphenylalaninemia and dopa-responsive dystonia. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described; however, not all variants give rise to a functional enzyme. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Previous symbols:
  • GCH
  • DYT5
  • DYT14

MANE transcript

NM_000161.3

Inheritance

AD, SD, AR

ClinVar variants

P:129U:194B:116

Top phenotype

Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-deficient, B; Dystonia, dopa-responsive

gnomAD constraint

pLI —, LoF o/e 0.08

Max pathogenic AF

—

Genomic locus

chr14:54,842,008-54,902,826

External References & Databases

Transcript & Mutation Effects

hg38 • Region Span ~60.8 kb
Loading mutation effect viewer...

GenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations

Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns

dystonia 5DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: G2P

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiencyDEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: SD

Disease ID:MONDO:0100184

Submitter: ClinGen

The relationship between GCH1 and GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency, a disorder of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) synthesis, was evaluated using the ClinGen Clinical Validity Framework as of November 25, 2020. GCH1 encodes GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) which catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of BH4, a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase, trypthophan hydroxylase, and phenylalanine hydroxylase. Lumping and splitting: Monoallelic variants in GCH1 have been associated with dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD, also known as hereditary progressive dystonia with marked diurnal fluctuation, Segawa syndrome, dystonia 5). DRD is characterized by childhood-onset dystonia with marked diurnal fluctuation, and a dramatic and sustained response to relatively low doses of levodopa (Furukawa, 2019, PMID: 20301681). Individuals with monoallelic variants in GCH1 typically have less than 50% GTPCH activity, leading to the suggestion that there may be a dominant negative effect from the altered protein and/or mRNA (Hirano et al, 1988, PMID 9749603; Suzuki et al, 1999, PMID 10582612; Hwu et al, 2000, PMID 11026444; Garavaglia et al, 2004, PMID 15303002). Biallelic variants in GCH1 typically result in severe deficiency of GTPCH activity, and result in hyperphenylalaninemia due to secondary PAH deficiency. This can be identified by newborn screening. However, patients with phenotypes that are intermediate between the classic DRD and severe GTPCH deficiency symptoms have been described, such those with severe DRD and additional neurological features but without hyperphenylalaninemia (for review, see Table in Brüggemann et al 2012, PMID 22473768). Because the mechanism of disease in both the monoallelic and biallelic cases is loss of function of GTPCH, and there is a range of GTPCH activity that can cause disease, the decision was made to curate GCH1 for GTPCH deficiency with semi-dominant inheritance. Note that heterozygous parents of biallelic individuals are usually reported as unaffected, although there are some exceptions (Furukawa et al, 1998, PMID 9667588; Bodzioch et al, 2010, PMID 20842687). Reduced penetrance has been reported for individuals with monoallelic GCH1 variants, with penetrance varying according to age and diagnostic criteria. In addition, some variants (e.g. p.Arg184His and p.Lys224Arg) have been reported in monallelic and biallelic individuals. This data was presented to the ClinGen Lumping and Splitting Working Group on November 3, 2020 and there was agreement that GTPCH deficiency should be curated as a semi-dominant trait, including individuals with monoallelic and biallelic GCH1 variants. Clinical Validity Summary: The relationship between GCH1 and GTPCH deficiency is supported by case-level and experimental evidence. Monoallelic variants in GCH1 were first reported in individuals with DRD in 1994 (Ichinose et al, PMID 7874165) and biallelic variants in 1995 (Blau et al, PMID 7869202). More than 100 variants have been reported to be associated with GTPCH deficiency. In this curation, twenty four unique variants (missense, frameshift, nonsense, splice site) in 22 probands (14 monoallelic, 8 biallelic) from 11 publications were included (Ichinose et al, 1994, PMID 7874165; Blau et al, 1995, PMID 7869202; Ichinose et al, 1005, PMID 7730309; Bandmann et al, 1998, PMID 9778264; Furukawa et al, 1998, PMID 9667588; Hwu et al, 1999, PMID 10987649; Hahn et al, 2001, PMID 11346370; Nardocci et al, 2003, PMID 12552057; Trender-Gerhard et al, 2009, PMID 19332422; Sato et al, 2014, PMID 23660475; Dobričić et al, 2017, PMID 28958832). The data includes a large family demonstrating segregation of a variant with monoallelic DRD (Hahn et al, 2001, PMID 11346370). Further information is available in the literature but the maximum score for genetic evidence (12 points) has been reached. Experimental evidence supporting this gene-disease relationship includes the biochemical function of GTPCH, which is consistent with the biochemical and clinical abnormalities observed in these patients (Burg and Brown, 1968, PMID 4296838; Wijemanne and Jankovic, 2015, PMID 26100751), and various mouse models including a GTPCH null mouse (Douglas et al, 2015, PMID 25557619), ethyl nitroso urea-generated hph-1 mouse (Hyland et al, 2003, PMID 12891653), and a mouse with a knock in missense variant analogous to a variant identified in a human patient (Jiang et al, 2019, PMID 30742839). In summary, GCH1 is definitively associated with GTPCH deficiency. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time. This clinical validity classification was approved by the ClinGen Aminoacidopathy Gene Curation Expert Panel.

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency with hyperphenylalaninemiaSUPPORTIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0100186

Submitter: Orphanet

dystonia 5STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp

dystonia 5DEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: Ambry Genetics

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency with hyperphenylalaninemiaSTRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0100186

Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp

dystonia 5SUPPORTIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: Orphanet

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiencySTRONG

Inheritance Pattern: SD

Disease ID:MONDO:0100184

Submitter: PanelApp Australia

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiencyDEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0100184

Submitter: Illumina

dystonia 5STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency with hyperphenylalaninemiaSTRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0100186

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency with hyperphenylalaninemiaDEFINITIVE

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0100186

Submitter: G2P

dystonia 5STRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AD

Disease ID:MONDO:0007495

Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp

Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)

Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-deficient, B; Dystonia, dopa-responsiveAD/AR

Manifestation: Biochemical; Neurologic

Intervention: Biochemical

Rationale: In Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-deficient, B, medical therapy (eg, BH-4, 5-HT, L-dopa) may be beneficial; In Dopa-responsive dystonia, which may not be easily clinically recognizable early, L-dopa can be effective

Refs: 942621; 945938; 6734669; 3762960; 3822637; 3400489; 3041760; 2296384; 1899474; 8163996; 7874165; 7869202; 7730309; 9667588; 10208576; 10987649; 11113234; 11346370; 12084887; 12552057; 15753436; 16908750; 17111153; 20301681Source: CGD (NHGRI)

ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes

Reported disease conditions connected to GCH1 variants in ClinVar

20 Conditions Cataloged
Dystonia 5Total: 446
GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiencyTotal: 417
not providedTotal: 131
not specifiedTotal: 43
GCH1-related disorderTotal: 26
Inborn genetic diseasesTotal: 23
GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency with hyperphenylalaninemiaTotal: 17
Dystonia, dopa-responsive, with or without hyperphenylalaninemia, autosomal recessiveTotal: 6

ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type

Statistics based on transcript NM_000161.3. Only rare variants are included.

We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.

Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.

EffectPLPVUSLBBSum
synonymous
2
clinvar
112
clinvar
114
missense
12
clinvar
39
clinvar
191
clinvar
3
clinvar
1
clinvar
246
nonsense
17
clinvar
3
clinvar
20
start loss
4
clinvar
1
clinvar
5
frameshift
19
clinvar
13
clinvar
32
splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp)
17
clinvar
4
clinvar
1
clinvar
22
Total69601941151439

Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.0003754349

Loading ClinVar variants...

Transcript Catalog

Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases

Showing 4 of 20 transcripts
Transcript IDSourceProtein IDCoding ExonsMANE Status
NM_000161.3RefSeqNP_000152.16MANE Select
ENST00000491895.7EnsemblENSP00000419045.26MANE Select
NM_001024024.2RefSeqNP_001019195.16Standard
NM_001024070.2RefSeqNP_001019241.16Standard

Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways

Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways

Pathways ConsensusPathDB

  • Folate biosynthesis - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Sepiapterin reductase deficiency
  • Segawa syndrome
  • Pterine Biosynthesis
  • Dopa-responsive dystonia

Biological Process

  • tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthetic process
  • nitric oxide biosynthetic process
  • regulation of blood pressure
  • positive regulation of heart rate
  • regulation of lung blood pressure

Molecular Function

  • GTPase activity
  • GTP cyclohydrolase I activity
  • calcium ion binding
  • protein binding
  • GTP binding

Cellular Component

  • nucleus
  • nucleoplasm
  • cytoplasm
  • cytosol
  • cytoplasmic vesicle

gnomAD Constraint

Source: gnomAD

Gene type
protein_coding
Transcript type
protein_coding
Transcript
ENST00000491895
Coding exons
6
Length
60845
Individuals with no LoFs
124500
Homozygous LoFs
0
Heterozygous LoFs
2
Defined
124502
p
0.00000803
Z-ScoreObservedExpectedObserved/ExpectedMutation RateTotal Possible
Missense1.52861360.6330.000007231623
Missense (PolyPhen)1953.7660.35338617
Synonymous-0.9015950.81.160.00000257487
Loss of Function2.93111.90.08386.90e-7129

Population LoF Frequency

PopulationCAFp-valueStatus
African00.0absent
Latino/Admixed American00.0absent
Ashkenazi Jewish00.0absent
East Asian00.0absent
Finnish00.0absent
European (Non-Finnish)0.0000180.000018rare
South Asian00.0absent
Other00.0absent

dbNSFP Gene Annotations

Source: dbNSFP

Function
FUNCTION: Positively regulates nitric oxide synthesis in umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). May be involved in dopamine synthesis. May modify pain sensitivity and persistence. Isoform GCH-1 is the functional enzyme, the potential function of the enzymatically inactive isoforms remains unknown. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:12176133, ECO:0000269|PubMed:16338639, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17057711, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8068008, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9445252}.;
Disease
DISEASE: Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-deficient, B (HPABH4B) [MIM:233910]: A disease characterized by malignant hyperphenylalaninemia due to tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency, and defective neurotransmission due to depletion of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. The principal symptoms include: psychomotor retardation, tonicity disorders, convulsions, drowsiness, irritability, abnormal movements, hyperthermia, hypersalivation, and difficulty swallowing. Some patients may present a phenotype of intermediate severity between severe hyperphenylalaninemia and mild dystonia. In this intermediate phenotype, there is marked motor delay, but no mental retardation and only minimal, if any, hyperphenylalaninemia. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:7501255, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9667588}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.; DISEASE: Dystonia, dopa-responsive (DRD) [MIM:128230]: A form of dystonia that responds to L-DOPA treatment without side effects. Dystonia is defined by the presence of sustained involuntary muscle contractions, often leading to abnormal postures. DRD typically presents in childhood with walking problems due to dystonia of the lower limbs and worsening of the dystonia towards the evening. It is characterized by postural and motor disturbances showing marked diurnal fluctuation. Torsion of the trunk is unusual. Symptoms are alleviated after sleep and aggravated by fatigue and exercise. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10076897, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10208576, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10582612, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10825351, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10987649, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11113234, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12391354, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17101830, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7501255, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7874165, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8852666, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8957022, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9120469, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9328244, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9778264}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.;

Recessive Scores

pRec
0.757

Intolerance Scores

LoFtool
0.0278
RVIS EVS
-0.1
RVIS percentile EVS
46.2

Essentials

Essential (CRISPR)
N
Essential (CRISPR2)
N
Essential (gene trap)
N
Indispensability pred.
E
Indispensability score
0.824

Gene Damage Prediction

AllRecessiveDominant
MendelianMediumMediumMedium
Primary ImmunodeficiencyMediumMediumMedium
CancerMediumMediumMedium
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