An in-frame deletion at the polymerase active site of POLD1 causes a multisystem disorder with lipodystrophy

DNA polymerase delta, whose catalytic subunit is encoded by POLD1, is responsible for lagging strand DNA synthesis during DNA replication(1). It achieves this with high fidelity due to its intrinsic 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity, which confers proofreading ability. Missense mutations in the exonuclease domain of POLD1 have recently been shown to predispose to colorectal and endometrial cancer(2). Here we report a recurring heterozygous single amino acid deletion at the polymerase active site of POLD1 that abolishes DNA polymerase activity but only mildly impairs 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity. This mutation causes a distinct multisystem disorder that includes subcutaneous lipodystrophy, deafness, mandibular hypoplasia and hypogonadism in males. This suggests that perturbation of function of the ubiquitously expressed POLD1 polymerase has surprisingly tissue-specific effects in man, and argues for an important role for POLD1 function in adipose tissue homeostasis.