skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Molecular analysis of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)

Journal Article · · American Journal of Human Genetics
OSTI ID:134347
; ;  [1]
  1. Institute of Medical Genetics, Cardiff (United Kingdom); and others

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness. The disease locus maps to 4q35 and is associated with a de novo DNA rearrangement, detected by a probe p13E-11 (D4F104S1) which maps proximal to the disease locus. An informative distal flanking marker for this condition is still required. Using p13E-11, we have analyzed 35 FSHD families in which the disease is apparently associated with a new mutation. Twenty three of these cases were found to have a smaller rearranged DNA fragment which was not present in either of the parents. Pulsed-field gel analysis of 5 of these families also revealed evidence of DNA deletion. During the course of this study, we identified one case with a DNA rearrangement which was also present in the unaffected mother, but at very low intensity. This finding has been confirmed by pulsed-field gel analysis, and indicates that the mother is probably a gonosomal mosaic. In order to saturate the FSHD region with new DNA markers, a laser microdissection and microcloning technique was used to construct a genomic library from the distal end of chromosome 4. Of the 72 microclones analyzed, 42 mapped into the relevant 4q35 region. 4 sequences were conserved and may be considered potential candidate genes for FSHD. The microclones mapping to 4q35 are under study to identify additional polymorphic markers for the FSHD region.

OSTI ID:
134347
Report Number(s):
CONF-941009-; ISSN 0002-9297; TRN: 95:005313-1080
Journal Information:
American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 55, Issue Suppl.3; Conference: 44. annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Montreal (Canada), 18-22 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English