Identification of Alu-mediated, large deletion-spanning introns 19-26 in PHKA2 in a patient with X-linked liver glycogenosis (hepatic phosphorylase kinase deficiency).

X-linked liver glycogenosis (XLG) is one of the most common glycogen storage diseases. We present the first case of a large PHKA2 gene deletion from intron 19 to intron 26 in an XLG patient. An aberrant cDNA with skipping of exons 20-26 was detected. Alu element-mediated unequal homologous recombination between an Alu-Jo in intron 19 and another Alu-Sg in intron 26 appears to be responsible for this deletion.