Abstract

Multipoint linkage analysis was undertaken with eight Xq cloned DNA sequences which identify one or more restriction fragment length polymorphisms in 26 families. These families comprise seven phase known normal families with three or more males in the third generation, seven families segregating for haemophilia B, one large family with dyskeratosis congenita, and 11 families with the fragile X syndrome. Phase known meioses informative for three or more loci supported the order centromere--DXYS1--DXS107--DXS102, DXS51--F9--FRAXA--DXS15, DXS52, F8--Xqter in each group of families studied. One of the normal families was segregating for protan colour blindness and showed a phase known recombination which would support the order centromere--F9--DXS52--CBP--Xqter. With the exception of DXYS1, all of these sequences have been localised to Xq27----qter by in situ hybridisation or hybridisation to Xq fragment panels, and on this basis should lie within 20 cM of one another. No recombination was observed between the sequences localised to Xq28, namely DXS52, F8, and DXS15 (between DXS15 and DXS52 Z = 12.25 at theta = 0 with confidence limits of 0 to 5 cM). However, an excess of recombination was apparent in the region of FRAXA with maximal lod scores as follows: F9 versus FRAXA (Z = 2.05, theta = 0.19), DXS52 versus FRAXA (Z = 1.85, theta = 0.26), and DXS15 versus FRAXA (Z = 1.33, theta = 0.27). No consistent differences were observed in the frequency of recombination when families with the fragile X syndrome were compared with normal families or families segregating for other X linked conditions. These results are compared with other published work and support the conclusion that although measurable linkage exists between these flanking markers and FRAXA, the intervals as measured by the frequency of meiotic recombination will seriously limit their clinical usefulness.