bcr rearrangement: potential false positive secondary to an Eco RI restriction fragment length polymorphism

Molecular studies have demonstrated that the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) translocation characteristic of chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) and 50% of the cases of Ph positive acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) involves a limited 5.8 Kb region on chromosome 22 termed the breakpoint cluster region (bcr). Detection of bcr rearrangement by Southern blot analysis has proven to be a sensitive diagnostic method and can identify this translocation in some cases which appear cytogenetically negative. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) which involve bcr have the potential to be misinterpreted as gene rearrangements since they result in alteration of the DNA fragment size detected by Southern blot hybridization. We have identified a RFLP involving bcr that is detectable with Eco RI digestion but not with Bam HI, BgI II, or Xba I. The polymorphic fragments generated indicate that this RFLP is the result of an Eco RI restriction site sequence polymorphism.