Regional mapping of 22 microclones around the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) locus on chromosome 5q

Loss of heterozygosity in cervical carcinoma: subchromosomal localization of a putative tumor-suppressor gene to chromosome 11q22-q24

Infection of cervical epithelial cells with so-called "aggressive" subtypes of human papilloma virus (HPV) appears to be an important factor in the etiology of cervical carcinoma. However, mounting evidence suggests that additional genetic changes are required for progression to an invasive carcinoma. Functional studies have shown that human chromosome 11 contains a gene or genes capable of suppressing tumorigenicity in cell lines derived from different histopathological types of cervical carcinoma, suggesting that aberration of this gene(s) may represent at least one of the additional changes required for tumorigenic progression. To identify the likely chromosomal position of this gene(s), we have carried out a systematic genetic analysis of chromosome 11 in the primary tumors of 32 patients with cervical carcinoma. Sixteen highly polymorphic markers, 10 of which were based on simple sequence repeats typed by PCR, were used to compare matched DNA samples from noninvolved tissue and portions of tumor tissue highly enriched for neoplastic cells by the cryostat-sectioning technique. Of the 32 patients examined, 14 (44%) demonstrated clonal genetic alterations resulting in loss of heterozygosity for one or more markers. Seven of the clonal genetic alterations on chromosome 11 were specific to the long arm, and the overlap between these and other allelic deletions suggests that a suppressor gene(s) relevant to cervical carcinoma maps to chromosome 11q22-q24.

A region-specific microdissection library for human chromosome 2p23-p25 and the analysis of an interstitial deletion of 2p23.3-p25.1

A region-specific library for human chromosome 2p23-p25 was constructed using microdissection and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated microcloning techniques. This library is large, comprising 300,000 recombinant microclones. The insert sizes range between 50-600 base pairs (bp) with a mean of 200 bp. About 50%-60% of the clones contain unique or very low copy number sequence inserts as determined by their weak or no hybridization to total human DNA. A subset of 48 microclones that did not hybridize to total human DNA after colony hybridization was analyzed, and 26 (54%) clones were shown to contain single-copy inserts and hybridize to human chromosome 2 DNAs, indicating that they are human chromosome 2 specific. The human genomic fragments identified by these clones after cleavage with HindIII have also been characterized. The single-copy microclones were used to analyze an interstitial deletion in the 2p23.3-p25.1 region--46,XY, del(2) (pter-->p25.1::p23.3-->qter)--previously reported in a patient with severe growth and mental retardation and multiple anomalies. Of the 26 microclones analyzed, 14 clones were mapped to the deletion region. The availability of the 2p23-p25 region-specific library and the probes derived from the library should be valuable for fine structure physical mapping analysis and the cloning of disease-related genes localized to the region. These studies also demonstrate the efficiency with which useful probes can be quickly generated for genome studies and for positional cloning.

Identification of an alternative 5' untranslated region of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene

cDNA clones, representing transcripts expressed in human fetal brain, have been isolated that specify the 5' end of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. Sequence analyses have revealed an alternative 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of the APC gene; this region is comprised of at least 103 basepairs. A comparison of this alternative UTR with the published sequence of the APC-gene indicates that these two 5'UTR sequences diverge beyond nucleotide position -20 with respect to the A of the authentic translational initiation codon. These data suggest that two APC-specific promoter elements exist, giving rise to two different untranslated regions. Within the alternative UTR, we have identified 3 additional AUG codons, located 5' to the intrinsic APC initiation site. Two of these AUG codons are located in a nucleotide context that favours initiation of truncated translation products. The relevance of these additional AUG codons to a regulatory mechanism acting at the post-transcriptional level of APC gene expression is discussed.

Yeast artificial chromosomes for the molecular analysis of the familial polyposis APC gene region

Two yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) spanning a total distance of 1.1 megabase pairs of DNA around the MCC (for mutated in colorectal carcinoma) and APC (for adenomatous polyposis coli) genes at 5q21 have been isolated and characterized. Starting from the MCC gene, a strategy was undertaken to identify constitutional submicroscopic deletions in familial adenomatous polyposis patients that might considerably narrow down the position of the APC gene. To this end, YACs identified by the MCC gene were screened across a chromosome 5-specific cosmid library to provide a source of DNA probes for genomic scanning. The cosmids isolated from these experiments were used to screen a panel of somatic cell hybrids containing chromosome 5 segregated from patients suspected to carry putative interstitial deletions. This screening approach led to the confirmation of a small heterozygous deletion in a polyposis patient that overlaps one of the two isolated YACs. This YAC has been shown to contain the entire APC gene, in addition to a significant portion of DNA flanking the 5' end of the gene, and should therefore prove a valuable resource for functional studies by transfer to colorectal tumor-derived cell lines.