Brain Calcification

Gene: KARS

Green List (high evidence)

KARS (lysyl-tRNA synthetase)
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh38): ENSG00000065427
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh37): ENSG00000065427
OMIM: 601421, ClinGen, DECIPHER
KARS is in 12 panels

1 review

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Green List (high evidence)

Infantile-onset progressive leukoencephalopathy with or without deafness (LEPID) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with onset of symptoms in infancy or early childhood. Most individuals present with sensorineural deafness or hypoacousia and global developmental delay. Affected individuals show episodic regression with progressive motor deterioration resulting in spastic tetraplegia and loss of ambulation, as well as impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech. Additional more variable features may include poor overall growth with microcephaly, seizures, visual loss, microcytic anaemia, and hepatic enlargement or abnormal liver enzymes.

Brain imaging shows deep white matter abnormalities consistent with a progressive leukoencephalopathy.

Calcifications of the brain and spinal cord are a feature.
Created: 6 Dec 2019, 6:42 a.m. | Last Modified: 28 Nov 2025, 5:42 p.m.
Panel Version: 1.468

Mode of inheritance
BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal

Phenotypes
Leukoencephalopathy with or without deafness (LEPID), MIM#619147; Combined mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation deficiency; epilepsy; intellectual disability; microcephaly

Publications

Variants in this GENE are reported as part of current diagnostic practice

History Filter Activity

28 Nov 2025, Gel status: 3

Entity classified by Genomics England curator

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Gene: kars has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).

28 Nov 2025, Gel status: 3

Set Phenotypes

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Phenotypes for gene: KARS were changed from Leukoencephalopathy with or without deafness (LEPID), MIM#619147; Combined mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation deficiency; epilepsy; intellectual disability; microcephaly to Leukoencephalopathy with or without deafness (LEPID), MIM#619147

28 Nov 2025, Gel status: 3

Created, Added New Source, Set mode of inheritance, Set publications, Set Phenotypes

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

gene: KARS was added gene: KARS was added to Brain Calcification. Sources: Expert Review Green,Expert list Mode of inheritance for gene: KARS was set to BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal Publications for gene: KARS were set to 26741492; 31618474; 28887846; 25330800; 29615062; 30252186; 28496994 Phenotypes for gene: KARS were set to Leukoencephalopathy with or without deafness (LEPID), MIM#619147; Combined mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation deficiency; epilepsy; intellectual disability; microcephaly