T included a total of 135 patients and 100 control healthy individuals. The distribution of valvular CHDs among patients was as follows: tricuspid atresia (19 patients), pulmonary stenosis (63 patients, 9 of which are strictly valvular),Figure 3. Effects of the two Title Loaded From File missense SNPs on the structure of the Title Loaded From File NFATC1 protein. A- The missense SNPs lead to a P66L substitution at the N-terminal region of the protein near the calcineurin-docking site (Cln binding), and to a I701L substitution at the C-terminal region downstream of the Rel Homolgy Domain (RHD). The schematic represents isoform A, the most abundant NFATC1 protein with 717 amino acids, a transactivation domain (TAD) at the N-terminus, and a DNA binding domain at the C-terminus. (NLS = nuclear localization signal, NES = nuclear export signal, and SP = Serine-Proline). B- The NFATC1 secondary structures were predicted and visualized by the Discovery Studio program (Acclerys Inc.). The results demonstrate the formation of a new beta-sheet in the P66L mutant and a deletion of a beta-sheet in the I701L mutant as compared to the wild type protein. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049532.gNFATC1 and Tricuspid AtresiaTable 2. Frequency of the NFATC1 mutations according to the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP).rsID rs148104245 rsAlleles T/C C/AEA Allele# T=0 C = 8598 C = 10 A =AA Allele# T=3 C = 4403 C = 12 A =All Allele# T=3 C = 13001 C = 22 A =MAF( ) (EA/AA/All) 0.0/0.0681/0.0231 0.1163/0.2725/0.Amino Acid Position LEU,PRO 66/7171 LEU,ILE 701/Polyphen Prediction Probably Damaging Unknownrs ID dbSNP reference SNP identifier. EA Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in European American population. (delimited by /). AA Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in African American population. (delimited by /). Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in all populations. (delimited by /). MAF ( ) (EA/AA/All): the minor-allele frequency in percent listed in the order of European American (EA), African American(AA) and all populations (All). (delimited by /). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049532.taortic stenosis (5 patiens), pulmonary atresia (9 patients), and mitral atresia (4 patients). In addition, 21 cases of ventricular septal defect and 14 cases of coarctation of the aorta (14 patients) were included (Table 1).Heterozygous SNPs in exon 2 and 8 of NFATC1 in one patient with TAWe screened all 8 coding exons of the NFATC1 gene for the 135 patients. Only one patient (#120) suffering from Tricuspid AtresiaFigure 4. Effect of the NFATC1 missense SNPs on the cellular localization of the protein. A- Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells transfected with plasmids encoding for the Wt NFATC1 and NFATC1 Mutants (P66L, I701L, P66L/I701L). The localization of NFATC1 was visualized using an antiFlag antibody. Nuclei of cells were visualized using the Hoechst dye (blue color). Wt and NFATC1 mutants localized to the cytoplasm in the absence of PPP3CA (red color). (Magnification 640). B- Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells transfected with plasmids encoding for the Wt NFATC1 and NFATC1 Mutants (P66L, I701L, P66L/I701L) co-transfected with PP3CA. The localization of NFATC1 was visualized using an anti-Flag antibody (red color) while PP3CA was visualized using anti-HA antibody (green color). Nuclei of cells were visualized using Hoechst dye (blue color). Most of the cells cotransfected with the double NFATC1 mutant were retained in the cytoplasm around the nuclear m.T included a total of 135 patients and 100 control healthy individuals. The distribution of valvular CHDs among patients was as follows: tricuspid atresia (19 patients), pulmonary stenosis (63 patients, 9 of which are strictly valvular),Figure 3. Effects of the two missense SNPs on the structure of the NFATC1 protein. A- The missense SNPs lead to a P66L substitution at the N-terminal region of the protein near the calcineurin-docking site (Cln binding), and to a I701L substitution at the C-terminal region downstream of the Rel Homolgy Domain (RHD). The schematic represents isoform A, the most abundant NFATC1 protein with 717 amino acids, a transactivation domain (TAD) at the N-terminus, and a DNA binding domain at the C-terminus. (NLS = nuclear localization signal, NES = nuclear export signal, and SP = Serine-Proline). B- The NFATC1 secondary structures were predicted and visualized by the Discovery Studio program (Acclerys Inc.). The results demonstrate the formation of a new beta-sheet in the P66L mutant and a deletion of a beta-sheet in the I701L mutant as compared to the wild type protein. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049532.gNFATC1 and Tricuspid AtresiaTable 2. Frequency of the NFATC1 mutations according to the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP).rsID rs148104245 rsAlleles T/C C/AEA Allele# T=0 C = 8598 C = 10 A =AA Allele# T=3 C = 4403 C = 12 A =All Allele# T=3 C = 13001 C = 22 A =MAF( ) (EA/AA/All) 0.0/0.0681/0.0231 0.1163/0.2725/0.Amino Acid Position LEU,PRO 66/7171 LEU,ILE 701/Polyphen Prediction Probably Damaging Unknownrs ID dbSNP reference SNP identifier. EA Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in European American population. (delimited by /). AA Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in African American population. (delimited by /). Allele Count The observed allele counts for the listed alleles in all populations. (delimited by /). MAF ( ) (EA/AA/All): the minor-allele frequency in percent listed in the order of European American (EA), African American(AA) and all populations (All). (delimited by /). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049532.taortic stenosis (5 patiens), pulmonary atresia (9 patients), and mitral atresia (4 patients). In addition, 21 cases of ventricular septal defect and 14 cases of coarctation of the aorta (14 patients) were included (Table 1).Heterozygous SNPs in exon 2 and 8 of NFATC1 in one patient with TAWe screened all 8 coding exons of the NFATC1 gene for the 135 patients. Only one patient (#120) suffering from Tricuspid AtresiaFigure 4. Effect of the NFATC1 missense SNPs on the cellular localization of the protein. A- Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells transfected with plasmids encoding for the Wt NFATC1 and NFATC1 Mutants (P66L, I701L, P66L/I701L). The localization of NFATC1 was visualized using an antiFlag antibody. Nuclei of cells were visualized using the Hoechst dye (blue color). Wt and NFATC1 mutants localized to the cytoplasm in the absence of PPP3CA (red color). (Magnification 640). B- Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells transfected with plasmids encoding for the Wt NFATC1 and NFATC1 Mutants (P66L, I701L, P66L/I701L) co-transfected with PP3CA. The localization of NFATC1 was visualized using an anti-Flag antibody (red color) while PP3CA was visualized using anti-HA antibody (green color). Nuclei of cells were visualized using Hoechst dye (blue color). Most of the cells cotransfected with the double NFATC1 mutant were retained in the cytoplasm around the nuclear m.