The lariat branch point sequence (BPS) is crucial for splicing of human nuclear pre-mRNA yet BPS mutations have infrequently been reported to cause human disease. Using an inverse RT-PCR technique we mapped two BPS to the adenosine residues at positions -4 and -24 in intron 3 of the human XPC DNA repair gene. We identified homozygous mutations in each of these BPS in two newly diagnosed Turkish families with the autosomal recessive disorder xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Cells from two severely affected children in family A harbor a homozygous point mutation in XPC intron 3 (-9 T to A), located within the downstream BPS. Using a real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) assay, these cells expressed no detectable (<0.1%) normal XPC message. Instead they expressed an XPC mRNA isoform with deletion of exon 4 that has no DNA repair activity in a host cell reactivation (HCR) assay. In contrast, in cells from three mildly affected siblings in family B, the BPS adenosine located at the -24 position in XPC intron 3 is mutated to a G. Real-time QRT-PCR revealed 3-5% of normal XPC message. These cells from family B had a higher level of HCR than cells from the severely affected siblings in family A, who had multiple skin cancers. Mutations identified in two BPS of the XPC intron 3 resulted in alternative splicing that impaired DNA repair function, thus implicating both of these BPS as essential for normal pre-mRNA splicing. However, a small amount of normal XPC mRNA can provide partial protection against skin cancers.

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In this commentary, we analyze two problematic overgeneralizations in their article. First, we discuss their alternative hypothesis that ''the employment test is an accurate assessment of subgroup differences in job-related attributes.'' Second, we address their conclusion that the probability of closing the achievement gap is low. We are primarily concerned by inferences readers may draw from McDaniel et al.'s article, and we provide theory and evidence to suggest that these issues are more complicated than they initially appear. Implicit Assumptions and Alternative HypothesesIn their article, McDaniel et al. suggested that ''an implicit assumption of the Uniform

Big data is becoming a buzzword in today's corporate language and lay discussions. From individually targeting advertising based on previous consumer behavior or Internet searches to debates by Congress concerning National Security Agency (NSA) access to phone metadata, the era of big data has arrived. Thus, the Guzzo, Fink, King, Tonidandel, and Landis (2015) discussion of the challenges (e.g., confidentiality, informed consent) that big data projects present to industrial and organizational (I-O) psychologists is timely. If the hype associated with these techniques is warranted, then our field has a clear imperative to debate the ethics and best practices surrounding use of these techniques. We believe that Guzzo et al. have done our field a service by starting this discussion.