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Non-allelic homologous recombination between chromosome-specific LCRs is the most common mechanism leading to recurrent microdeletions and duplications. To look for locus-specific differences, we have used microsatellites to determine the parental and chromosomal origins of a large series of patients with de novo deletions of chromosome 7q11.23 (Williams syndrome), 15q11–q13 (Angelman syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome) and 22q11 (Di George syndrome) and duplications of 15q11–q13. Overall the majority of rearrangements were interchromosomal, so arising from unequal meiotic exchange, and there were approximately equal numbers of maternal and paternal deletions. Duplications and deletions of 15q11–q13 appear to be reciprocal products that arise by the same mechanisms. The proportion arising from interchromosomal exchanges varied among deletions with 22q11 the highest and 15q11–q13 the lowest. However, parental and chromosomal origins were not always independent. For 15q11–q13, maternal deletions tended to be interchromosomal while paternal deletions tended to be intrachromosomal; for 22q11 there was a possible excess of maternal cases among intrachromosomal deletions. Several factors are likely to be involved in the formation of recurrent rearrangements and the relative importance of these appear to be locus-specific.European Journal of Human Genetics (2006) 14, 831–837. doi:10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201617; published online 12 April 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The details of all cytogenetic abnormalities diagnosed in the Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory (WRGL) since 1967 to the present day have been recorded in the Salisbury Treasury of Interesting Chromosomes (STOIC). From this resource, we identified 137 patients with constitutional autosomal supernumerary marker chromosomes (SMC) ascertained in four principal groups: (i) 37%with abnormal phenotypes; (ii) 7%couples with reproductive difficulties; (iii) 47%antenatal diagnoses and (iv) 9%miscellaneous. Overall, 81 (59%) SMCs were mosaics and 56 (41%) nonmosaics. Of the 109 cases with known parental origins, 70%were de novo, 19%maternally and 11%paternally inherited. The chromosomal origins of 112/137 (82%) of the SMCs have been determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In all, 36/112 (32%) were derived from nonacrocentric autosomes, and 76/112 (68%) from the acrocentric autosomes 13/21, 14, 15 and 22. Of these acrocentric SMCs, 39 (51%) were derived from chromosome 15, so that SMC(15) constituted 39/112 (35%) of all SMCs with known chromosomal origins. The frequencies with which mosaicism was observed varied considerably according to the chromosomal origin of the SMCs and accounted for 8/39 (20%) SMC(15), 13/37 (35%) SMCs from other acrocentrics and 25/36 (69%) of nonacrocentric SMCs. The data were analysed for parental age effects, and only de novo SMC(15)s were found to be associated with a significantly increased maternal age.European Journal of Human Genetics (2005) 13, 154-160. doi:10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201311 Published online 27 October 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FRAXE full mutations are rare and appear to be associated with mild mental retardation. As part of a screening survey of boys with learning difficulties to determine the frequency of full and premutations, we have collected data on the frequency of instability at FRAXE for about 4000 transmissions and the haplotype for over 7000 chromosomes. The distribution of FRAXE repeats was similar to other English populations but differed from two North American Caucasian series. Observed instability at FRAXE was rare but increased with increasing repeat number, and there were no expansions into the full mutation range, except in pedigrees ascertained through a full mutation. Haplotype analysis suggested division into five groups with each group having a characteristic distribution of FRAXE repeats. Fourteen of the 15 full mutations occurred on a single haplotype and this haplotype also had a significant excess of intermediate-sized alleles, suggesting that full mutations originate from large normal alleles. However, a related haplotype also had a significant excess of intermediates but we observed no full mutations on this haplotype, suggesting either loss or gain of stability determinants on it. We suggest that whilst triplet repeat size is a significant predisposing factor for expansion at FRAXE other genetic determinants are also likely to be important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]