Construction, arraying, and high-density screening of large insert libraries of human chromosomes X and 21: their potential use as reference libraries

Adrenoleukodystrophy: a complex chromosomal rearrangement in the Xq28 red/green-color-pigment gene region indicates two possible gene localizations

We have characterized a complex chromosomal rearrangement in band Xq28, in an adrenoleukodystrophy patient who also has blue-cone monochromacy. A 130-kb region upstream from the color-vision pigment genes was isolated as yeast artificial chromosome or cosmid clones. Another Xq28 sequence, not included in the above region, was obtained by cloning a deletion breakpoint from the patient. Using probes derived from the cloned sequences, we have shown that the rearrangement affects the color-pigment genes and includes two deletions, most likely separated by a large (greater than 110-kb) inversion. One deletion encompasses part of the pigment gene cluster and 33 kb of upstream sequences and accounts for the patient's blue-cone monochromacy. If this rearrangement also caused ALD, the disease gene would be expected to lie within or close to one of the deletions. However, deletions were not detected in a 50-kb region upstream of the red-color-pigment gene in 81 other ALD patients. Two CpG islands were mapped, at 46 and 115 kb upstream from the pigment genes.

W (A or T) sequences as probes and primers suitable for genomic mapping and fingerprinting

A limitation to the use of oligonucleotide probes as tools for genetic and physical mapping has been the low hybridization positive frequency obtained by oligonucleotides of sufficient length to hybridize preferentially to cloned insert DNA (and not host E. coli genomic DNA). Both computer and experimental results now indicate that oligonucleotide probes composed of W (A or T) sequence are preferentially found in eukaryotic DNA, and can be used to provide high frequency, discriminative hybridization. Such W sequences may be useful as either probes or PCR primers in molecular diagnostic applications as well as in genetic and physical mapping.

Mapping irradiation hybrids to cosmid and yeast artificial chromosome libraries by direct hybridization of Alu-PCR products

A direct hybridization protocol is described for screening cosmid and yeast artificial chromosome libraries with pools of Alu-PCR products from somatic cell or irradiation hybrids. This method eliminates purification, cloning and analysis of each individual Alu-PCR product before library screening. A series of human X chromosome irradiation hybrids were mapped by this method, using a cosmid reference library for comparisons between overlapping hybrids to identify interesting clones for further analysis.