Confirmation of the synteny between human chromosome 22 and mouse chromosome 11

Comparative mapping based on the existence of conserved synteny between human and mouse chromosomes is a useful strategy in determining the chromosomal location of a gene. Using recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice derived from AKR/J and DBA/2J cross (AKXD), we confirmed the existence of a small area of synteny between the chromosome 22 segment carrying the gene for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and the most proximal region of mouse chromosome 11 containing its homologue (Nf2). By analyzing the allele distribution pattern of 24 AKXD RI mice using a novel polymorphic dinucleotide (CT){sub n} repeat (D11Mcg1) in the 3{prime} untranslated region of the mouse Nf2 gene and PCR-based simple sequence repeat markers (Research Genetics), we established the chromosomal position of Nf23 on mouse chromosome 11. Minimizing the number of double recombinants in the RI strains analyzed suggests tight linkage of Nf2 to D11Mit1 and D11Mit72 which map to a region containing the genes for leukemia inhibitory factor (Lif) and neurofilament heavy chain polypeptide (Nfh). This region is syntenic to the segment carrying the genes LIF, NF2 and NEFH on human chromosome 22q. We show that D11Mcg1 will be useful for mapping of genes and closely linked loci on the proximalmore » region of mouse chromosome 11. Our data demonstrate the predictive value of comparative mapping and confirm that human chromosome 22q12 is syntenic to the most proximal region of mouse chromosome 11.« less