Isolation and characterization of an alpha-satellite repeated sequence from human chromosome 22

We constructed a library in lambda L47.1 with DNA isolated from flow-sorted human chromosome 22. Over 50% of the recombinants contained the same highly repetitive sequence. When this sequence was used to probe Southern blots of EcoRI-digested genomic DNA, a ladder of bands with increments of about 170 bp was observed. This sequence comigrates with satellite III in Ag+/Cs2SO4 gradients and may account for at least part of the 170 bp Hae III ladder seen in isolated satellite III DNA. Partial sequence analysis revealed homology to the 171 bp monomeric repeat unit of alpha-R1-DNA and the X specific alpha-satellite consensus sequence. After low stringency in situ hybridization, silver grains were found over the centromeres of a number of chromosomes. Under high stringency conditions, however, the labeling was concentrated over the centromeric region of chromosome 22. This localization was confirmed using DNA from a panel of human/hamster cell lines which showed that the homologous 2.1 and 2.8 kb EcoR1 restriction fragments were chromosome 22 specific. These clones therefore contain chromosome 22 derived alpha-satellite sequences analogous to other chromosome-specific satellite sequences described previously.