Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation — 170+ genetic subtypes affecting every organ system, where the average diagnostic odyssey lasts years because no single specialist recognizes the full picture.
Whole genome sequencing evaluates all 170+ CDG genes simultaneously — ending multi-year diagnostic odysseys by providing the specific gene diagnosis that unifies seemingly unrelated multisystem symptoms.
Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation
Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a rapidly expanding group of over 170 genetic conditions caused by defects in the glycosylation pathway — the enzymatic process that attaches sugar chains (glycans) to proteins and lipids. Glycosylation is essential for protein folding, cell signaling, immune function, and organ development. Defects in nearly any step of the glycosylation pathway can cause multisystem disease. PMM2-CDG (formerly CDG-Ia), caused by pathogenic variants in PMM2 (phosphomannomutase 2), is the most common subtype, accounting for approximately 70-80% of diagnosed CDG cases.
CDG produces highly variable multisystem disease depending on the affected gene: neurological features (intellectual disability, cerebellar hypoplasia, stroke-like episodes, seizures), hepatic dysfunction (elevated transaminases, protein-losing enteropathy, coagulopathy), skeletal anomalies (inverted nipples, abnormal fat distribution, kyphoscoliosis), hematological abnormalities (coagulopathy from defective glycosylation of clotting factors), ophthalmological findings (retinitis pigmentosa, strabismus), and endocrine dysfunction. The multisystem involvement often leads to fragmented specialist evaluations without unifying diagnosis.
CDG is increasingly recognized as an underdiagnosed condition class — improved awareness and genomic testing have led to exponential growth in identified CDG genes and diagnosed patients. Transferrin isoelectric focusing (TIEF) is the traditional screening test for N-glycosylation CDG, but is normal in most O-glycosylation, GPI-anchor, and lipid glycosylation CDG subtypes. Many CDG subtypes are now only diagnosed through genomic sequencing. Emerging therapies include mannose supplementation (for MPI-CDG, the one CDG with established dietary treatment), acetazolamide (for PMM2-CDG stroke-like episodes), and gene therapy approaches in preclinical development.
MPI-CDG is the one CDG subtype with highly effective dietary treatment — simple oral mannose supplementation. Distinguishing MPI-CDG from PMM2-CDG requires molecular genotyping and has direct treatment implications.
170+ CDG genes cannot be screened by any single biochemical test or gene panel. WGS is the only test that evaluates the complete CDG genetic landscape — including newly described subtypes not yet on any clinical panel.
Average CDG diagnostic delay is 5-7 years — WGS can provide the diagnosis in weeks
CDG patients typically see multiple specialists — neurology, hepatology, hematology, endocrinology — over years before the unifying glycosylation defect is recognized. The multisystem involvement paradoxically delays diagnosis because no single specialist sees the full picture. WGS evaluates all 170+ CDG genes from a single blood sample, potentially providing in weeks the diagnosis that sequential specialist evaluations failed to reach in years. This is precisely the clinical scenario where comprehensive genomic analysis outperforms traditional differential diagnosis approaches.
New CDG genes are discovered annually — only WGS evaluates genes not yet on any clinical panel
The number of known CDG genes has more than doubled in the past decade, with new subtypes described annually. Clinical gene panels are always retrospective — they test genes known at the time the panel was designed, which may be 1-3 years behind current gene discovery. WGS captures the complete genome, enabling reanalysis as new CDG genes are published without requiring additional blood collection or sequencing. Approximately 30% of previously unsolved CDG cases are resolved through WGS-based gene discovery approaches.
Your full DNA (not just a part of it)
Traditional genetic testing looks at narrow sets of genes, missing most parts of your genome. We sequence your full genome — every gene and every region between genes.
Comprehensive insights and specialized reports
Easy to read and with answers you and your doctor can act on. Not a file to interpret — 200+ clinical reports, organized by category.
Your test becomes more valuable every year
Your DNA does not change, but genome science is accelerating. Every month, new variant-disease associations are discovered. We validate these findings and update your reports automatically. Your test becomes more valuable every year.
The results doctors bring to their hardest cases.
Forty years of uncertainty. One test.
A patient had spent decades in the UK healthcare system without a diagnosis. Dante data, accepted by NHS clinical teams at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, identified Noonan Syndrome and a RUNX1 leukemia-associated variant that had gone undetected. After 40 years, they finally had an answer.
A complete read delivers a complete picture.
A patient came to Dante to investigate periodic paralysis. Reading the complete genome identified a concurrent hereditary cardiac finding — Brugada syndrome — that their doctor confirmed with an ECG. The result also explained a family member's unresolved cardiac history. One test. Every answer in it.
Sequenced in 2019. The data worked in 2021.
Jennifer sequenced her genome with Dante two years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When treatment began, Dante's pharmacogenomics data showed her prescribed chemotherapy would cause serious adverse effects. Her doctor selected an alternative — and she started effective treatment from day one.
Every genetic question deserves a complete answer.
Whether you are searching for answers today or protecting your health for tomorrow, a complete read of your entire genome is the only place to start.
It runs in your family. Now you can know if it runs in your genes.
Your genome contains inherited variants associated with medical conditions like cardiac, cancer, and neurological. We read all of them — with the clinical depth to give the result meaning.
Learn more →When traditional lab tests say you're fine. And you know you're not.
Standard diagnostic tests check for a pre-selected set of answers. We sequence your full DNA — including parts that no test was designed to check. If the answer is in your genome, we will help you find it.
Learn more →Your diagnosis may be right. Your treatment plan may be incomplete.
Your genes determine which treatments are most likely to work — and which are not. We give your doctor the tools and insights to inform your treatment plan.
Learn more →You want to know before something forces the question.
Some people don't wait for a diagnosis or a family history to act. Whole genome sequencing gives you the complete genetic picture now — so you and your doctor can make informed decisions before anything becomes urgent.
Learn more →You already took a DNA test. Here's what it couldn't tell you.
Most consumer DNA tests read less than 0.1% of your genome. We read all of it.
Learn more →Clinical-grade results. Chosen by individuals, trusted by doctors for their most complex cases.
Dante Genome Test helped specialists at a UK national acute hospital in the identification of Noonan Syndrome and a rare leukemia-associated genetic variant that had gone undetected. That result changed the medical care of the patient.
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Common questions about whole genome sequencing.
What is the difference between whole genome sequencing and a targeted genetic test?
Targeted genetic tests — including standard hereditary cancer panels — read a pre-defined list of known variants in a specific set of genes. They are designed to find what they already know to look for. Whole genome sequencing reads your entire genome: all 6 billion base pairs, every gene, every region between genes. A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Oncology found that standard testing guidelines missed more than half of patients with inherited cancer mutations. Genome Test does not have a fixed list.
What will I receive when my results are ready?
Your Dante Genome delivers 200+ physician-ready reports organized by clinical category — hereditary cancer, cardiac conditions, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, carrier status, and more. Reports are delivered to your secure Genome Manager and are formatted for direct clinical use. Your genome data is permanently retained and re-analyzed automatically as science advances.
What happens if a clinically significant variant is found?
If a pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant is identified, it will be clearly flagged in your physician-ready report with clinical context, published evidence, and recommended next steps. We recommend sharing any clinically significant finding with your physician or a genetic counselor, who can guide decisions about surveillance, risk reduction, or cascade testing for family members.
How is this different from a consumer DNA test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA?
Consumer DNA tests use genotyping chips that read less than 0.1% of your genome — a tiny pre-selected set of common variants. They are optimized for ancestry and population-level traits, not clinical genetic findings. The Dante Genome Test sequences 100% of your genome at 30X coverage, the same standard used in clinical diagnostic settings. The two tests are not comparable in scope, methodology, or clinical utility.
How long does it take to get results, and how are they delivered?
Your collection kit ships within 48 hours of ordering. Once your sample arrives at our CLIA-certified laboratory, sequencing and analysis takes 6–8 weeks. Results are delivered securely to your Genome Manager, where you can access your reports, share them with your physician, and receive automatic updates as new findings are validated against your genome.
We work with patient advocacy groups worldwide.
Dante Labs works with patient advocacy groups of any size — for Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation and other conditions, rare and common. We support groups in any country, including virtual patient advocacy groups.
We can provide customized reports, group discounts, and packages tailored for your members. Please reach out using the form and we'll be in touch within two business days.
- Custom genomic reports for your members
- Group discounts and tailored packages
- Any country — including virtual groups
- Rare and common conditions covered
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We'll be in touch within 2 business days. To follow up directly: hello@dantelabs.com
One test.
A lifetime of answers.
One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. 200+ physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.
Ships within 48 hours · Results in 6–8 weeks
