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L C Tsui

Publications and source records attributed to L C Tsui.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PMS2-related genes flank the rearrangement breakpoints associated with Williams syndrome and other diseases on human chromosome 7.

The human PMS2 mismatch repair gene and a family of at least 17 other related genes (named human PMSR or PMS2L genes) have been localized to human chromosome 7. Human PMS2 has been mapped previously to 7p22 and shown to be causative in hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), but the human PMS2L genes have not been positioned in the context of the physical or genetic map of chromosome 7. In this study we have used various mapping methodologies to determine the precise location of the human PMS2L genes at 7q11.22, 7q11.23, and 7q22. Within 7q11.23, human PMS2L genes were found to be present at at least three sites as part of duplicated genomic segments that flank the most common rearrangement breakpoints in Williams syndrome.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Gene structure of the human MET proto-oncogene.

By direct sequencing of cosmids using primers designed from the known cDNA sequence, we identified 19 exons in the human MET proto-oncogene, and sequenced the corresponding 5' and 3' exon-intron junctions. By homology search in the database of the Washington University Genome Sequence Center (GSC), we identified one additional exon. These 20 exons, together with a previously reported exon, bring the total exon number of MET to 21. Oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify each exon and adjacent intronic sequences to permit examination of each exon for mutations. By restriction mapping, we assembled a 110 kb genomic contig that covered almost the entire MET proto-oncogene. This information is relevant for the screening of recently reported mutations of the MET gene which cause hereditary papillary renal carcinomas and for the search for additional mutations of the same gene which may play a role in the pathogenesis of common human carcinomas including carcinomas of the breast, ovary and pancreas.

Base Sequence↗

The human metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 (GRM8) gene: a disproportionately large gene located at 7q31.3-q32.1.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (GRMs), which constitute a family of genes, are neurotransmitter receptors that respond to glutamate stimulations by activating GTP-binding proteins and modulating second-messenger cascades. Pharmacological and expression studies of the rodent Grm8 gene suggest it could be a presynaptic receptor modulating glutamate release at the axon terminals. To study human GRM8, we have determined its nucleotide sequence and genomic organization. While the coding region of the gene spans only 2.3 kb, the gene encompasses approximately 1000 kb of DNA at the boundary of the q31.3-q32.1 bands of chromosome 7. This observation is relevant to the study of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and an autosomal dominant form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP10), since they map to the same region.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression analysis and chromosomal assignment of the human SFRS5/SRp40 gene.

Alternative splicing plays a major role in the regulation of gene expression. SFRS5/SRp40 is a member of the serine/arginine (SR) protein family of regulators of alternative pre-mRNA splicing. We cloned the human SFRS5 cDNA and observed two major SFRS5 transcripts, an approximately 1.8-kb short form and an approximately 3.3-kb long form, in both human and rat tissues. Both transcripts were detected in all human tissues examined, but there were notable tissue-specific differences in their relative abundance, the short form being most abundant in retina. Affinity-purified SFRS5 antisera recognized a single 40-kDa polypeptide in human and mouse retinal lysates. The abundant retinal expression of SFRS5 was not restricted to any specific cell type, since immunofluorescent labeling of human retinal sections identified the SFRS5 protein in nuclei of all three nuclear layers of the retina. The human SFRS5 gene was localized to human chromosome 14q24 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and PCR analysis of a human/hamster somatic cell hybrid panel.

Alternative Splicing↗

Identification of a 1300 kilobase deletion unit on chromosome 7q31.3 in invasive epithelial ovarian carcinomas.

We have used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of tandem repeats to study the pattern of allelic loss on chromosome 7q31 in invasive epithelial ovarian carcinomas and borderline ovarian tumors. Using 13 primer sets spanning loci from 7q31 to 7q32, 16 borderline and 54 invasive ovarian tumor tissue, together with their corresponding normal tissue, were analysed. Invasive epithelial ovarian tumors demonstrated loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at one or more loci on 7q in 32 of 54 cases (59%). The invasive epithelial ovarian tumors demonstrated the highest percentage of LOH at the loci D7S643 (20 of 40 informative cases, 50%) and GATA44F09 (18 of 42 informative cases, 43%). In contrary, only one borderline ovarian tumor showed LOH at one locus (GATA44F09, one of 14 informative cases, 7%). Our results display a sharp contrast in the pattern of LOH between invasive and borderline ovarian tumors suggesting that allelic loss at chromosome 7q31.3 may be involved in the development and progression of invasive epithelial ovarian tumors but not borderline ovarian tumors. Further analysis of the deletion map for the invasive epithelial ovarian tumors showed two regions likely to harbor ovarian tumor suppressor genes including a novel 1300 kilobase common loss region flanked by GATA44F09 and D7S643.

Alleles↗

Genotype and phenotype in cystic fibrosis.

Questions about the function of the disease-related gene are still not fully answered, but correlations are emerging between specific mutations and a patient's clinical condition. The strongest link is for pancreatic failure. A second involves azoospermia. Indeed, mutations are being found in males with infertility as the sole sign of disease. Improved knowledge of such patterns may suggest novel approaches to severe cystic fibrosis.

Blood Proteins↗

Loss of heterozygosity and reduced expression of the CUTL1 gene in uterine leiomyomas.

Cytogenetic analyses has revealed deletions and/or rearrangments at several chromosomal positions in approximately half of uterine leiomyomas. The most frequent genetic alteration, deletion of 7q22, was found in approximately 35% of studied cases with cytogenetic abnormalities (128/366=35%). The same chromosomal band was also found to be deleted in a fraction of acute myeloid leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. The frequent deletion of 7q22 in some tumors suggest that a tumor suppressor gene may be located in this region. The human Cut-like homeobox gene, CUTL1, is one of the genes localized to 7q22 and it was shown previously to encode a transcriptional repressor that down-modulates the expression of c-Myc. Activation of the c-Myc oncogenic potential has been shown in many cancers to result from alterations in one or the other of its several mechanisms of regulation. These observations led us to hypothesize that CUTL1 could act as a tumor suppressor gene. In the present study, we have identified polymorphic markers within and directly adjacent to CUTL1 at 7q22 and demonstrated that these markers are present in a commonly deleted region in seven out of 50 uterine leiomyomas samples examined. Furthermore, Northern blot analysis revealed that CUTL1 mRNA levels were reduced in eight tumors out of 13. These results suggest that CUTL1 may act as a tumor suppressor gene whose inactivation could be of pathological importance in the etiology of uterine leiomyomas.

Alternative Splicing↗

The XRCC2 DNA repair gene: identification of a positional candidate.

The human XRCC2 gene, complementing a hamster cell line (irs1) hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents, was previously mapped to chromosome 7q36.1. Following radiation reduction of human/hamster hybrids, the gene was found to be associated with the marker D7S483. Yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) carrying D7S483 were fused to the irs1 cell line to identify a YAC that complemented the sensitivity defect. Transcribed sequences were isolated by direct cDNA selection using the complementing YAC, and these were mapped back to the YAC and hybrids to define a 400-kb region carrying XRCC2. Sequencing of cDNAs led to the identification of both known and novel gene sequences, including a candidate for XRCC2 with homology to the yeast RAD51 gene involved in the recombinational repair of DNA damage. Strong support for the candidacy of this gene was obtained from its refined map position and by the full complementation of irs1 sensitivity with a 40-kb cosmid carrying the gene.

Animals↗

Molecular cytogenetic delineation of deletions and translocations involving chromosome band 7q22 in myeloid leukemias.

Loss of chromosome 7 (-7) or deletion of its long arm (7q-) are recurring chromosome abnormalities in myeloid disorders, especially in therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML). The association of -7/7q- with myeloid leukemia suggests that these regions contain a novel tumor suppressor gene(s) whose loss of function contributes to leukemic transformation or tumor progression. Based on chromosome banding analysis, two critical regions have been identified: one in band 7q22 and a second in bands 7q32-q35. We analyzed bone marrow and blood samples from 21 patients with myeloid leukemia (chronic myeloid leukemia, n = 2; de novo MDS, n = 4; de novo AML, n = 13; t-AML, n = 2) that on chromosome banding analysis exhibited deletions (n = 19) or reciprocal translocations (n = 2) of band 7q22 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. As probes, we used Alu-polymerase chain reaction products from 22 yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones that span chromosome bands 7q21.1-q32, including representative clones from a panel of YACs recognizing a contiguous genomic DNA fragment of 5 to 6 Mb in band 7q22. In the 19 cases with deletions, we identified two distinct commonly deleted regions: one region within band 7q22 was defined by the two CML cases; the second region encompassed a distal part of band 7q22 and the entire band 7q31 and was defined by the MDS/AML cases. The breakpoint of one of the reciprocal translocations was mapped to 7q21.3, which is centromeric to both of the commonly deleted regions. The breakpoint of the second translocation, which was present in unstimulated bone marrow and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated blood of an MDS patient, was localized to a 400-kb genomic segment in 7q22 within the deletion cluster of the MDS/AML cases. In conclusion, our data show marked heterogeneity of 7q22 deletion and translocation breakpoints in myeloid leukemias, suggesting the existence of more than one pathogenetically relevant gene.

Acute Disease↗

Linkage study of the dopamine D5 receptor gene and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

A defect in the dopamine system has been hypothesized as the etiological defect in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS). In this report, we test the hypothesis that the dopamine D5 receptor locus (DRD5) is linked to the genetic susceptibility to TS in five families studied in Canada. We tested for linkage to the dopamine D5 receptor gene using a microsatellite polymorphism located in the same cosmid clone. Using an autosomal dominant model with reduced penetrance, we were able to exclude linkage in four of the five families for the TS and chronic multiple tics (CMT) phenotype. Also, no evidence for linkage was found using nonparametric methods in all five families.

Canada↗

Physical mapping of the chromosome 7 breakpoint region in an SLOS patient with t(7;20) (q32.1;q13.2).

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by multiple congenital anomalies and mental retardation. SLOS has an associated defect in cholesterol biosynthesis, but the molecular genetic basis of this condition has not yet been elucidated. Previously our group reported a patient with a de novo balanced translocation [t(7;20)(q32.1;q13.2)] fitting the clinical and biochemical profile of SLOS. Employing fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a 1.8 Mb chromosome 7-specific yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) was identified which spanned the translocation breakpoint in the reported patient. The following is an update of the on-going pursuit to physically and genetically map the region further, as well as the establishment of candidate genes in the 7q32.1 breakpoint region.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Cytogenetic rearrangements involving the loss of the Sonic Hedgehog gene at 7q36 cause holoprosencephaly.

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder that affects the midline development of the forebrain and midface in humans. As a step toward identifying one of the HPE genes, we have set out to refine the HPE3 critical region on human chromosome 7q36 by analyzing 34 cell lines from families with cytogenetic abnormalities involving 7q, 24 of which are associated with HPE. Genomic clones surrounding the DNA marker D7S104, which has previously been shown to be in the HPE3 critical region, have been examined by fluorescent in situ hybridization and microsatellite analysis of our panel of patient cell lines. We report the analysis of a cluster of four translocation breakpoints within a 300-kb region of 7q36 that serves to define the minimal critical region for HPE3 and that has directed the search for candidate genes. The human Sonic Hedgehog (hSHH) gene maps to this region and has been shown to be HPE3 on the basis of mutations within the coding region of the gene. We present evidence that cytogenetic deletions and/or rearrangements of this region of chromosome 7q containing Sonic Hedgehog, and translocations that may suppress Sonic Hedgehog gene expression through a position effect are common mechanisms leading to HPE.

Body Patterning↗