Cloning mammary cell cDNAs from 17q12-q23 using interspecific somatic cell hybrids and subtractive hybridization

We have cloned human genes that are encoded in the region 17q12-q23 and expressed in breast tissue using interspecific somatic cell hybrids and subtractive hybridization. Two mouse microcell hybrids containing fragments of human chromosome 17 with a nonoverlap region at 17q12-q23 were generated by microcell transfer. Radiolabeled cDNA was synthesized from the hybrid cell containing the 17q12-q23 interval and was subtracted with an excess of RNA from the hybrid cell lacking the interval. Resulting cDNA probes enriched for sequences from 17q12-q23 were used to screen a human premenopausal breast cDNA library, and 60 cDNAs were identified. Three of these cDNAs mapped to the hybrid cell nonoverlap region. These cDNAs were expressed in mammary epithelial cell hybrids, although none appeared to be breast-specific. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs revealed that clone 93A represents a previously unidentified gene, clone 98C has homology to an expressed sequence tag from goat mammary tissue, and clone 200A is identical to the human homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster flightless-I gene. These genes map outside a 1-cM region linked to early onset familial breast cancer but may be useful genetic markers in the 17q12-q23 region.