A somatic cell hybrid panel and DNA probes for physical mapping of human chromosome 7p

To identify by reverse genetics genes on the short arm of human chromosome 7 expected to be involved in the regulation of human craniofacial and limb development, we have set up a human mouse somatic cell hybrid panel that divides 7p into 9 fragments. The breakpoints are defined by deletions or translocations involving one chromosome 7 in the cells of the human cell fusion partners. Particularly densely covered with these cytogenetic anchor points is the proximal area of 7p within and around 7p13. The number of cytogenetic mapping points within proximal 7p could be increased by four, using two diploid human cell lines with small interstitial deletions in this region for dosage studies. We used Southern blots of this panel to assign to 7q or subregions of 7p more than 300 arbitrary DNA probes or genes that provide reference points for physical mapping of 7p. Three reciprocal translocations with one of the breakpoints in 7p13 mark the location of a gene involved in Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome. To define an area in which we could identify candidates for this developmental gene, we established a macrorestriction map using probes flanking the putative gene region. The Greig translocations were found to be located within a 630-kb NotI restriction fragment.