Familial dup(5)(q15q21) associated with normal and abnormal phenotypes.

We studied a familial dup(5q) present in a phenotypically normal father and his monozygotic twin daughters with different abnormal phenotypes. High-resolution chromosome analysis suggested that the duplicated segment was of region q15-21, which seems to be the smallest dup(5q) reported thus far. This dup(5q) was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization with a chromosome 5 painting library and 5q cosmid clones. The presence of the dup(5q) in a normal father suggested that the duplication itself may be harmless. The anomalies in the twins may be due to processes other than this chromosome change.

Cytogenetic and molecular studies of a familial paracentric inversion of Y chromosome present in a patient with ambiguous genitalia.

Here we describe the first reported case of a patient with a familial paracentric inversion in the long arm of the Y chromosome and ambiguous genitalia. FISH analyses with Y chromosome YACs demonstrated that the inversion breakpoints of the patients and the father's Ys appear to be the same and lie within interval 5B of the Y chromosome. PCR and sequence analysis indicated that our patient carries a normal SRY gene. For an additional comparison of the patient's inv(Y) with the father, two other Y chromosome sequences were examined. Molecular studies of this familial inverted Y chromosome showed no differences in the ZFY and TSPY genes between the father and the patient suggesting that the short arm of our patient's inv(Y) is identical to that of the patient's father. Southern analysis using a probe of the DAX-1 gene indicated that a single copy of DSS (dosage sensitive sex reversal) locus was present in the patient. Our results suggest that the abnormal sexual development in our patient is likely attributable to (an)other mechanism(s) than mutation in the SRY gene and dosage alteration of the DAX-1 gene.

A complex chromosome rearrangement with at least five breakpoints studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

A newborn infant with multiple congenital anomalies was diagnosed with an unbalanced translocation of chromosomes 1 and 5. Studies of parental chromosomes revealed a complex rearrangement in the patient's mother involving the exchange of terminal long arms between chromosomes 1 and 5 and the insertion of an interstitial segment from the same chromosome 5q into chromosome 2q by high-resolution G-banding. Further study of the mother's chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) detected an additional insertion between the rearranged chromosomes 2 and 5, which was not revealed by G-banding. This led to the identification of a complex translocation-insertion between 3 chromosomes with at least 5 breaks [t(1;5;2)(1pter--> 1q42.3::5q23.2-->5qter;5pter-->5q21.2:: 2q33--> 2q35::1q42.3-->1qter;2pter-->2q33::5q21 .2--> 5q23.2::2q35-->2qter)] and illustrates the value of FISH as an adjunct to standard cytogenetics, particularly in cases of complex rearrangements.

Frequent spontaneous deletions at a shuttle vector locus in transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice carrying multiple copies of a recoverable lambda phage shuttle vector (lambda supF) were constructed for the purpose of studying mutagenesis in a whole animal. Spontaneous mutations in rescued supF target genes from several different lines of transgenic mice were analyzed. One mouse line, 1139, was identified in which the frequency of spontaneous mutations was unusually high (3.15 x 10(-4)), 20-fold higher than in other transgenic mice carrying a similar number of copies of the lambda transgene (approximately 100). Over 75% of the spontaneous mutations from 1139 mice were found to be deletions, whereas mostly point mutations were recovered from the other mice. In 1139 no significant variation among adult tissues has been detected. However, embryonic tissue yielded a 3- to 4-fold lower frequency of mutations, most of which were point mutations rather than deletions. The frequency of mutations at another locus, the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase gene, was not elevated in fibroblast lines established in culture from the 1139 mice. Overall, these results suggest that the deletion mutagenesis affecting the transgene sequences in 1139 mice is a locus-specific effect occurring during growth and development. The increased mutagenesis could not be explained by the degree of methylation of the transgene sequences, since hypermethylation was seen in both 1139 mice and other mice with a low frequency of shuttle vector mutations. The integrated lambda vector DNA in 1139 mice was mapped to a single site on chromosome 7, but no mechanism for the mutagenesis was suggested by this localization. It is proposed that the lambda DNA may have either integrated into an unstable genomic site or created a newly unstable locus in the process of integration.

Molecular characterization of the human gene encoding an abundant 61 kDa protein specific to the retinal pigment epithelium.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of the eye expresses an abundant 61 kDa protein (RPE65), that is developmentally regulated and tissue-specific. In our efforts toward understanding the specialized functions and development of the RPE, and the origins of inherited retinal degenerations, we have characterized the human gene encoding the 61 kDa protein. This is the first structural characterization of a gene transcribed specifically in the RPE. The gene maps to human chromosome 1p31. The sequence encoding the transcript spans over 20 kb, and is interrupted by 13 introns. A putative transcription start site lies 54 bp upstream of the initiation codon. A single transcript of approximately 2.9 kb is present in human RPE, and is not detected in other tissues. The deduced 533 amino acid sequence of the human protein is 98.7% identical to the bovine, but shows no significant similarity to any other entry in the databases. Expression of the 61 kDa protein appears to depend on the presence of environmental cues, since the corresponding transcripts are rapidly lost from RPE cells established in culture. Down regulation may occur post-transcriptionally, since AU-rich elements proposed to target RNA for rapid degradation are present throughout the 3'-untranslated region. The tissue-specific expression, high abundance, evolutionary conservation, developmental regulation, and sequence of the 3'-untranslated region suggest that the 61 kDa protein is the product of a functionally important gene whose expression is tightly regulated.

Deletion of chromosome 2q24-q31 causes characteristic digital anomalies: case report and review.

We describe a newborn boy with multiple anomalies, including bilateral split foot and an interstitial deletion of chromosome 2 (q24.2-q31.1). Four additional cases in 2 families involving similar deletions have been reported. Bilateral digital anomalies of hands and feet were seen in all 5 cases, including a wide cleft between the first and second toes, wide halluces, brachysyndactyly of the toes, and camptodactyly of the fingers. Other common manifestations have included postnatal growth and mental retardation, microcephaly, down-slanting palpebral fissures, micrognathia, and apparently low-set ears. Bilateral digital anomalies were reported in 22 of 24 cases with deletions including at least part of region 2q24-q31. Digital anomalies were not prevalent in 18 patients with deletions of chromosome 2q not overlapping 2q24-q31. 2q31.1 appears to be the common deleted segment in all cases with significant digital anomalies, which implies the existence of one or more genes involved in distal limb morphogenesis in this region. HOXD13 and EVX2, located in the proximity of 2q31, were not deleted in our patient by Southern analysis. Bilateral digital malformations of the hands and feet associated with other anomalies should be evaluated by chromosome analysis focused at the 2q24-q31 region.

Molecular definition of a chromosome 9p21 germ-line deletion in a woman with multiple melanomas and a plexiform neurofibroma: implications for 9p tumor-suppressor gene(s).

Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is often familial, but the mode of inheritance and the chromosomal location of melanoma susceptibility locus are controversial. Identification of a 34-year-old woman with eight primary malignant melanomas, multiple atypical moles, and a de novo constitutional cytogenetic rearrangement involving chromosomes 5p and 9p suggested the presence of a melanoma predisposition gene at one of these locations. A high-resolution karyotype showed a partial deletion of a dark-staining Giemsa band, either 5p14 or 9p21. The patient was heterozygous for five 5p14 RFLPs. In situ hybridization with D9S3 indicated that this 9p21 marker was deleted. Gene dosage studies demonstrated the deletion of two more distal 9p21 markers, D9S126 and IFNA. In addition, she was hemizygous for the more proximal 9p21 short tandem-repeat polymorphism at D9S104. D9S18, D9S19, and D9S33 were retained, localizing the deletion to 9p21 between D9S19 on the proximal side and D9S33 on the distal side. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with D9S19 and D9S33 did not reveal any junction fragments in the patient's DNA. This germ-line deletion suggests that mutations in a 9p21 gene may initiate melanoma tumorigenesis.

Mosaic dup (9p) diagnosed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

We describe a girl with some manifestations of the dup (9p) syndrome. High-resolution Giemsa-banded karyotype of her lymphocytes documented that she was mosaic with 80% of cells being 46,XX, and 20% 46,XX,-20, + der(20;?) (p13;?). The additional material on 20p could not be defined clearly by high-resolution Giemsa banding, as the banding pattern appeared consistent with either distal 9p or distal 13q. In order to make a definitive cytogenetic diagnosis, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a chromosome 9 specific DNA library to establish that the origin of the additional chromosomal material on chromosome 20 was from 9p. FISH used in this situation enabled us to counsel the family specifically regarding the prognosis and manifestations of distal 9p duplication.

Smallest terminal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 2 in a mildly affected boy.

We describe a male twin with the smallest terminal deletion of chromosome 2q [46,XY,del(2)(q37.2)] reported to date. His deletion was confirmed by a fluorescence in situ hybridization study using a probe from the deleted region. Only 3 other cases with larger deletions including 2q37.2-->qter have been reported. Clinical manifestations our patient has in common with them include frontal bossing, long eyelashes, micrognathia, infantile hypotonia and developmental delay. His twin brother is physically and developmentally normal and chromosomes of the parents were normal. The mildness of the phenotype in this patient supports less stringent criteria for cytogenetic study of developmentally impaired individuals.