Extension and use of a physical map of the Thinopyrum-derived Lr19 translocation.

Twenty-nine deletion mutant lines were used to extend a physical map of the Lr19 translocated chromosome segment. One hundred and forty-four Sse8387I/MseI and 32 EcoRI/MseI primer combinations were used to obtain 95 Thinopyrum-specific AFLP markers. The physical map confirmed that terminal deletions had mostly occurred, however, it appears that intercalary deletions and primer or restriction site mutations were also induced. The markers allowed for grouping of the deletion mutant lines into 19 clusters, with 7 AFLP markers mapping in the same marker bin as Lr19. Primary and secondary Lr19 allosyndetic recombinants were subsequently physically mapped employing AFLP, RFLP, SCAR and microsatellite markers and the data integrated with the deletion map. A further shortened, tertiary Lr19 recombinant was derived following homologous recombination between the proximally shortest secondary recombinant, Lr19-149-299, and distally shortest recombinant, Lr19-149-478. The tertiary recombinant could be confirmed employing the mapped markers and it was possible to identify new markers on this recombinant that can be used to reduce the translocation still further.

A spectrum of ABCC6 mutations is responsible for pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

To better understand the pathogenetics of pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), we performed a mutational analysis of ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 6 (ABCC6) in 122 unrelated patients with PXE, the largest cohort of patients yet studied. Thirty-six mutations were characterized, and, among these, 28 were novel variants (for a total of 43 PXE mutations known to date). Twenty-one alleles were missense variants, six were small insertions or deletions, five were nonsense, two were alleles likely to result in aberrant mRNA splicing, and two were large deletions involving ABCC6. Although most mutations appeared to be unique variants, two disease-causing alleles occurred frequently in apparently unrelated individuals. R1141X was found in our patient cohort at a frequency of 18.8% and was preponderant in European patients. ABCC6del23-29 occurred at a frequency of 12.9% and was prevalent in patients from the United States. These results suggested that R1141X and ABCC6del23-29 might have been derived regionally from founder alleles. Putative disease-causing mutations were identified in approximately 64% of the 244 chromosomes studied, and 85.2% of the 122 patients were found to have at least one disease-causing allele. Our results suggest that a fraction of the undetected mutant alleles could be either genomic rearrangements or mutations occurring in noncoding regions of the ABCC6 gene. The distribution pattern of ABCC6 mutations revealed a cluster of disease-causing variants within exons encoding a large C-terminal cytoplasmic loop and in the C-terminal nucleotide-binding domain (NBD2). We discuss the potential structural and functional significance of this mutation pattern within the context of the complex relationship between the PXE phenotype and the function of ABCC6.

A physical map of the Thinopyrum-derived Lr19 translocation.

Twenty-nine lines with deletions in the Lr19 ('Indis') translocated chromosome segment were used to physically map three Thinopyrum RFLP loci as well as the Sr25 and Sd1 loci. From the data, the relative locations of marker loci on the translocation were determined as: Sd1, Xpsr165, Xpsr105, Xps129, Lr19, Wsp-D1, Sr25/Y. The data confirmed the reported homoeology between the Lr19 segment and chromosome arm 7DL of wheat. Also, it seems that the Lr19 translocation in 'Indis' is very similar to the Lr19 segment in the T4 source and that the former may not derive from Thinopyrum distichum. Key words : deletion mapping, leaf rust resistance.

An apparently new mental retardation syndrome in three elderly sisters.

Three elderly sisters with profound mental retardation in association with the clinical features of microcephaly, short stature, brachydactyly type D, flattened occiput, down-slanting palpebral fissures, low-set large ears, broad prominent nose and kyphoscoliosis have been investigated. Each was more than 60 years of age and their clinical features were strikingly similar. The disorder has several manifestations in common with Rubenstein-Taybi syndrome and appears to be inherited as an autosomal recessive in this family.

The assignment of a Thinopyrum distichum (Thunb.) Löve-derived translocation to the long arm of wheat chromosome 7D using endopeptidase polymorphisms.

Endopeptidase zymograms of the translocation line 'Indis' revealed the presence of several major and minor bands that had differential expression in coleoptile and seed tissues. While 'Indis' lacks Ep-D1a, which is present in the parental cultivar 'Inia 66', it also may not express any of the Th. distichum bands. The 'Indis' zymogram was found to be identical to that of an isogenic line of 'Inia 66' possessing Lr19. Since the absence of an Ep-D1a product appears to be linked to the 7DL translocation, it is possible to use the null condition as a marker for both the Lr19 or 'Indis' translocations. The 'Indis' translocation also did not show recombination with the cn-D1 chlorophyl mutant on 7DL, confirming that a part of 7D was involved. The results of a telocentric mapping experiment involving the 7D telosomes indicated that in 'Indis' a chromosome segment from Th. distichum replaced a large section of 7DL of 'Inia 66'.

Hypercholesterolaemia in a group of senior South African Transport Services employees.

The lipid profiles of 104 volunteer senior South African Transport Service (SATS) personnel showed that all volunteers had some lipid abnormality, which increased their risk for coronary heart disease. All participants received a single counselling interview with a nursing sister on a lipid-lowering lifestyle. Retesting after 3-4 months of 91 participants revealed that this group had lowered their mean total serum cholesterol value significantly. Twenty-one per cent of the participants had normalised their lipid profiles and the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia, defined in a number of ways, was reduced, as was the number of possible familial hypercholesterolaemic patients, by 60%. Participants who complied with the dietary recommendations strictly reduced their cholesterol levels significantly, while those who did not were less successful in lowering their serum cholesterol levels. Screening and a single intervention counselling interview improved the coronary risk factor profile of this group of senior SATS personnel.