Complete cloning of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) cDNA and preliminary genomic organization of the DMD gene in normal and affected individuals.

The human XIST gene: analysis of a 17 kb inactive X-specific RNA that contains conserved repeats and is highly localized within the nucleus.

A mouse-human somatic cell hybrid clone, deficient in hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) and containing a structurally normal inactive human X chromosome, was isolated. The hybrid cells were treated with 5-azacytidine and tested for the reactivation and expression of human X-linked genes. The frequency of HPRT-positives clones after 5-azacytidine treatment was 1000-fold greater than that observed in untreated hybrid cells. Fourteen independent HPRT-positive clones were isolated and analyzed for the expression of human X markers. Isoelectric focusing showed that the HPRT expressed in these clones is human. One of the 14 clones expressed human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and another expressed human phosphoglycerate kinase. Since 5-azacytidine treatment results in hypomethylation of DNA, DNA methylation may be a mechanism of human X chromosome inactivation.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/211/4480/393.full.pdf

Reactivation of an inactive human X chromosome: evidence for X inactivation by DNA methylation

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive genetic disorder for which the biochemical defect is as yet unknown. Recently, two cloned segments of human X-chromosome DNA have been described which detect structural alterations within or near the genetic locus responsible for the disorder. Both of these cloned segments were described as tightly linked to the locus and were capable of detecting deletions in the DNA of boys affected with DMD. In an attempt to determine more precisely the occurrence of these deletions within a large population of DMD patients and the accuracy of one of the segments, DXS164 (pERT87), in determining the inheritance of the DMD X chromosome, the subclones 1, 8 and 15 were made available to many investigators throughout the world. Here we describe the combined results of more than 20 research laboratories with respect to the occurrence of deletions at the DXS164 locus in DNA samples isolated from patients with DMD and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). The results indicate that the DXS164 locus apparently recombines with DMD 5% of the time, but is probably located between independent sites of mutation which yield DMD. The breakpoints of some deletions are delineated within the DXS164 locus, and it is evident that the deletions at the DMD locus are frequent and extremely large.

Analysis of deletions in DNA from patients with Becker and Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Homologous ribosomal protein genes on the human X and Y chromosomes: escape from X inactivation and possible implications for Turner syndrome.

Somatic cell hybrid clones were derived from the fusion of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT; EC 2.4.2.8)-deficient mouse cells and two different human fibroblast strains, each carrying an X chromosome-autosome translocation. One of these had an X/11 translocation [46,X,t(X;11)(p21;q13)] and the other had an X/19 translocation [46,X,t(X;19)(q22;q13)]. The structurally normal human X chromosome is the late-replicating (genetically inactive) chromosome in these two cell strains; the rearranged X chromosome is early replicating (genetically active). One primary hybrid clone carrying both the translocated X chromosome and the structurally normal X chromosome was isolated in hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine medium from each of these two cell fusion experiments. These clones were then selected in medium containing 8-azaguanine to achieve the loss of the active human HPRT locus. Five subclones from the cell hybrid with the X/11 translocation failed to express two known human X-chromosome markers [glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD; EC 1.1.1.49) and phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK; EC 2.7.2.3)] but did express human microsomal steroid sulfatase (STS; sterol-sulfate sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.2). Three of these were cytogenetically analyzed and found to contain a structurally normal human X chromosome but not the X/11 translocation. Two subclones were isolated in 8-azaguanine from the hybrid with the X/19 translocation. Cytogenetic analysis of these two clones showed the presence of a structurally normal human X chromosome; the X/19 translocation was not present. They did not express human G6PD, PGK, or HPRT but did express human STS. These results indicate that human STS is expressed from a locus on the inactive human X chromosome and support our earlier finding that the STS locus escapes X-inactivation in man.

Expression of an X-linked gene from an inactive human X chromosome in mouse-human hybrid cells: further evidence for the noninactivation of the steroid sulfatase locus in man

B. Hellkuhl

Papers

Expression of an X-linked gene from an inactive human X chromosome in mouse-human hybrid cells: further evidence for the noninactivation of the steroid sulfatase locus in man

Report of the committee on the genetic constitution of chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12