Heterogeneity of the molecular defect in human dihydropteridine reductase deficiency

Radioimmunoassay, immunoprecipitation, affinity chromatography and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were used to test cultured cells from three families with dihydropteridine reductase deficiency for a catalytically incompetent product of the mutant gene. No mutant enzyme was detected in one dihydropteridine reductase-deficient homozygote or in her parents. A second homozygote and both her parents had easily detectable concentrations of inactive mutant enzyme. In a third family one parent fitted into each of these categories.