ISSN:
0192-253X
Keywords:
X-chromosome inactivation
;
imprinting
;
retinoblastoma
;
transmission-ratio distortion
;
methylation
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Genetics
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
We have begun a search for heritable variation in X-chromosome inactivation pattern in normal females to determine whether there is a genetic effect on the imprinting of X-chromosome inactivation in humans. We have performed a quantitative analysis of X-chromosome inactivation in lymphocytes from mothers in normal, three-generation families. Eight mothers and 12 grandmothers exhibited evidence of highly skewed patterns of X-chromosome inactivation. We observed that the male offspring of females with skewed X-inactivation patterns were three times more likely to inherit alleles at loci that were located on the inactive X chromosome (Xi) than the active X chromosome (Xa). The region of the X chromosome for which this phenomenon was observed extends from XP11 to -Xq22. We have also examined X-chromosome inactivation patterns in 21 unaffected mothers of male bilateral sporadic retinoblastoma patients. Six of these mothers had skewed patterns of X-chromosome inactivation. In contrast to the tendency for male offspring of skewed mothers from nondisease families to inherit alleles from the inactive X chromosome, five of the six affected males inherited the androgen receptor alleles from the active X chromosome of their mother. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Additional Material:
1 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dvg.1020170304
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