CDNA selection from 10 Mb of Chromosome 21 DNA: efficiency in transcriptional mapping and reflections of genome organization

Abstract

The technique of cDNA hybridization selection has been applied individually to 16 YAC clones mapping to various regions of the long arm of human chromosome 21. YACs represented ∼10 Mb of non-overlapping DNA, and cDNA sources included fetal brain, whole fetus, and adult testes, thymus, liver and spleen. Sequencing, Northern analysis, RT-PCR and cDNA library screenings have been used to identify and partially characterize a non-redundant set of novel genes. A preliminary analysis strategy of the selected cDNAs has proven rapid and effective for isolation of the more highly represented genes and is suitable for survey transcriptional mapping efforts. By scaling up to screen>1000 cDNA fragments per 100 kb of YAC DNA, more rare transcripts are identified and lead to comprehensive gene maps. Strong regional variations in transcriptional activity were observed, with gene densities ranging from <1/2000 kb to >1/15 kb. This effort has produced a large number of new genes of potential relevance to Down Syndrome.