Genetic mapping of the murine gene and 14 related sequences encoding chromosomal protein HMG-14

The high-mobility-group chromosomal protein HMG-14 preferentially binds to nucleosomal core particles of mammalian chromatin and may modulate the chromatin configuration of transcriptionally active genes. The human gene for HMG-14 has been localized to the Down syndrome region of Chromosome (Chr) 21 and may be involved in the etiology of this syndrome. Here we show, by means of genetic linkage analysis of interspecific and intersubspecific backcross mice, that the murine functional gene, Hmg14, is located on the distal end of mouse Chr 16, a region known to have conserved synteny with human Chr 21. In addition to the functional gene for HMG-14, both human and mouse genomes contain many related sequences that are probably processed pseudogenes. Here we map the locations of 14 Hmg14-related sequences in two mouse genomes. The 14 mapped loci are widely dispersed on ten chromosomes (Chrs 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, and X) and can be detected efficiently with a single cDNA probe. Thus, the Hmg14 multigene family is well suited to serve as genetic markers for other linkage studies in mice.