Large terminal fragments of human chromosomes 2p, 6p, 8q, 12q, and 18q were cloned using yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). RecA-assisted restriction endonuclease (RARE) cleavage analysis of genomic DNA samples from II unrelated individuals using YAC-derived probes confirmed the telomeric localizations of the half-YACs studied. The cloned fragments provide telomeric closure of maps for the respective chromosome arms and will supply the reagents needed for analyzing and sequencing these distal subtelomeric regions.Close

A YAC library enriched for telomere clones was constructed and screened for the human telomere-specific repeat sequence (TTAGGG). Altogether 196 TYAC library clones were studied: 189 new TYAC clones were isolated, 149 STSs were developed for 132 different TY-ACs, and 39 P1 clones were identified using 19 STSs from 16 of the TYACs. A combination of mapping methods including fluorescence in situ hybridization, somatic cell hybrid panels, clamped homogeneous electric fields, meiotic linkage, and BLASTN sequence analysis was utilized to characterize the resource. Forty-five of the TYACs map to 31 specific telomere regions. Twenty-four linkage markers were developed and mapped within 14 proterminal regions (12 telomeres and 2 terminal bands). The polymorphic markers include 12 microsatellites for 10 telomeres (1q, 2p, 6q, 7q, 10p, 10q, 13q, 14q, 18p, 22q) and the terminal bands of 11q and 12p. Twelve RFLP markers were identified and meiotically mapped to the telomeres of 2q, 7q, 8p, and 14q. Chromosome-specific STSs for 27 telomeres were identified from the 196 TYACs. More than 30,000 nucleotides derived from the TYAC vector-insert junction regions or from regions flanking TYAC microsatellites were compared to reported sequences using BLASTN. In addition to identifying homology with previously reported telomere sequences and human repeat elements, gene sequences and a number of ESTs were found to be highly homologous to the TYAC sequences. These genes include human coagulation factor V (F5), Weel protein tyrosine kinase (WEE1), neurotropic protein tyrosine kinase type 2 (NTRE2), glutathione S-transferase (GST1), and beta tubulin (TUBB). The TYAC/P1 resource, derivative STSs, and polymorphisms constitute an enabling resource to further studies of telomere structure and function and a means for physical and genetic map integration and closure.Close

We report on a 5-year-old boy with minor anomalies, growth retardation, and developmental delay carrying an extra chromatin material on the terminal band of the long arm of chromosome 6. To determine the origin of this extra material, whole chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used initially. Results showed fully painted 6qs, excluding the possibility of a derivative. However, maternal cytogenetic investigation suggested the presence of a possible half-cryptic balanced translocation that was further assessed using specific subtelomeric FISH probes of chromosome 6. Results showed that the 6q subtelomeric region was translocated on an A-group chromosome that was ultimately characterized, using FISH, as chromosome 2. This illustrates the use of specific subtelomeric regions and the limitations of whole chromosome FISH to identify the origin of a subtle chromosomal abnormality.Close

The prenatal and postnatal findings of a fetus with partial deletion of 3p25 -> pter and duplication of 2p25.3 -> pter are described. The proband postnatally displayed mental and growth retardation, psychomotor delay, microcephaly, ptosis, micrognathia, a narrow palate, and cryptorchidism. All of these anomalies were consistent with those described in 3p- and partial trisomy 2p syndromes, and also frequently seen in patients with other chromosomal disorders. However, the prenatal sonograms revealed unusual shortening of the long bones, a single umbilical artery, and normal development of the skull. Our case suggests that skeletal growth retardation of the long bones may occur earlier than that of the skull in fetuses associated with chromosomal aberrations such as del(3p)/dup(2p). Shortening of the long bones and a single umbilical artery together with other abnormalities detected by prenatal ultrasound thus warrant a fetal cytogenetic study.Close

Human chromosomes terminate with specialized telomeric structures including the simple tandem repeat (TTAGGG)n and additional complex subtelomeric repeats. Unique sequence DNA for each telomere is located 100-300 kilobases (kb) from the end of most chromosomes. A high concentration of genes and a number of candidate genes for recognizable syndromes are known to be present in telomeric regions. The human telomeric regions represent a major diagnostic challenge in clinical cytogenetics, because most of the terminal bands are G negative, and cryptic deletions and translocations in the telomeric regions are therefore difficult to detect by conventional cytogenetic methods. In fact, several submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities in patients with undiagnosed mental retardation or multiple congenital anomalies have been identified by other molecular methods such as DNA polymorphism analysis. To improve the sensitivity for deletion detection and to determine whether such cryptic rearrangements represent a significant source of human pathology that has not been previously appreciated, it would be valuable to have specific FISH probes for all human telomeres. We report here the isolation and characterization of a complete set of specific FISH probes representing each human telomere. As most of these clones are at a known distance of within 100-300 kb from the end of the chromosome arm, this provides a 10-fold improvement in deletion detection sensitivity compared with high-resolution cytogenetics (2-3 Mb resolution). While testing these probes, we serendipitously identified a family with multiple members carrying a cryptic 1q;11p rearrangement in the balanced or unbalanced state.Close

We have previously described a fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) assay for the simultaneous analysis of all human subtelomeric regions using a single microscope slide. Here we report the use of this multiprobe FISH assay in the study of a patient whose karyotype was reported by G banding analysis as 46,XX,del(18)(p11.2). Although the proband had some features suggestive of a chromosomal abnormality, relatively few of the specific features of del(18p) were present. She was a 37 year old female with mild distal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), arthritis of the hands, an abnormal chest shape (pectus excavatum), and an unusual skin condition (keratosis pilaris). Reverse chromosome painting with degenerate oligonucleotide primer-polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) amplified del(18p) chromosomes as a probe confirmed the abnormality as del(18p), with no evidence of any other chromosome involvement. Subsequently, the multiprobe FISH assay confirmed deletion of 18p subtelomeric sequence. However, the assay also showed that sequences corresponding to the 2p subtelomeric probe were present on the tip of the shortened 18p. The patient is therefore monosomic for 18p11.2-pter and trisomic for 2p25-pter, and the revised karyotype is 46,XX,der(18)t(2;18)(p25; p11.2). We believe that a proportion of all cases reported as telomeric deletions may be cryptic translocations involving other chromosome subtelomeric regions. Further studies such as this are necessary to define accurately the clinical characteristics associated with pure monosomy in chromosomal deletion syndromes.Close

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Telomere-specific clones are a valuable resource for the characterization of chromosomal rearrangements. We previously reported a first-generation set of human telomere probes consisting of 34 genomic clones, which were a known distance from the end of the chromosome ( approximately 300 kb), and 7 clones corresponding to the most distal markers on the integrated genetic/physical map (1p, 5p, 6p, 9p, 12p, 15q, and 20q). Subsequently, this resource has been optimized and completed: the size of the genomic clones has been expanded to a target size of 100-200 kb, which is optimal for use in genome-scanning methodologies, and additional probes for the remaining seven telomeres have been identified. For each clone we give an associated mapped sequence-tagged site and provide distances from the telomere estimated using a combination of fiberFISH, interphase FISH, sequence analysis, and radiation-hybrid mapping. This updated set of telomeric clones is an invaluable resource for clinical diagnosis and represents an important contribution to genetic and physical mapping efforts aimed at telomeric regions.Close

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Large terminal fragments of human chromosomes 2p, 6p, 8q, 12q, and 18q were cloned using yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). RecA-assisted restriction endonuclease (RARE) cleavage analysis of genomic DNA samples from II unrelated individuals using YAC-derived probes confirmed the telomeric localizations of the half-YACs studied. The cloned fragments provide telomeric closure of maps for the respective chromosome arms and will supply the reagents needed for analyzing and sequencing these distal subtelomeric regions.Close

We report a 3-year-old girl with trisomy 2p24.3-pter who presented with marked psychomotor delay and dysmorphic features. This patient represents the only known case of trisomy 2p24.3-2pter that does not involve an associated functional monosomy. In contrast to recent reports highlighting the fatal or serious complications in patients described as having partial trisomy 2p, this patient does not have significant birth defects or life threatening medical problems. Notably, this patient does not have a neural tube defect (NTD), which has been attributed to a putative locus at 2p24 in other patients with a partial trisomy 2p.Close

A YAC library enriched for telomere clones was constructed and screened for the human telomere-specific repeat sequence (TTAGGG). Altogether 196 TYAC library clones were studied: 189 new TYAC clones were isolated, 149 STSs were developed for 132 different TY-ACs, and 39 P1 clones were identified using 19 STSs from 16 of the TYACs. A combination of mapping methods including fluorescence in situ hybridization, somatic cell hybrid panels, clamped homogeneous electric fields, meiotic linkage, and BLASTN sequence analysis was utilized to characterize the resource. Forty-five of the TYACs map to 31 specific telomere regions. Twenty-four linkage markers were developed and mapped within 14 proterminal regions (12 telomeres and 2 terminal bands). The polymorphic markers include 12 microsatellites for 10 telomeres (1q, 2p, 6q, 7q, 10p, 10q, 13q, 14q, 18p, 22q) and the terminal bands of 11q and 12p. Twelve RFLP markers were identified and meiotically mapped to the telomeres of 2q, 7q, 8p, and 14q. Chromosome-specific STSs for 27 telomeres were identified from the 196 TYACs. More than 30,000 nucleotides derived from the TYAC vector-insert junction regions or from regions flanking TYAC microsatellites were compared to reported sequences using BLASTN. In addition to identifying homology with previously reported telomere sequences and human repeat elements, gene sequences and a number of ESTs were found to be highly homologous to the TYAC sequences. These genes include human coagulation factor V (F5), Weel protein tyrosine kinase (WEE1), neurotropic protein tyrosine kinase type 2 (NTRE2), glutathione S-transferase (GST1), and beta tubulin (TUBB). The TYAC/P1 resource, derivative STSs, and polymorphisms constitute an enabling resource to further studies of telomere structure and function and a means for physical and genetic map integration and closure.Close

A woman carrying a balanced reciprocal translocation, 46,XX,t(2;5)(p23;p15)pat, was ascertained following the delivery of an anencephalic fetus whose karyotype was 46,XY,5p+. She subsequently had two pregnancies with a similar unbalanced karyotype (trisomy 2p23-2pter and monosomy 5p15-5pter), one of which was also anencephalic. She has three living children, two of whom are balanced translocation carriers. This history raises questions regarding the necessity of cytogenetic assessment of cases identified by ultrasound with 'isolated' neural tube defects. The observation of duplication of the 2p23-2pter region in conjunction with anencephaly also adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting an association of this region and neural tube development.Close