Expressed copies of the MN7 (D15F37) gene family map close to the common deletion breakpoints in the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndromes.

Approximately 70% of patients with Prader-Willi syndrome or Angelman syndrome have a similar sized de novo deletion of 3-4 Mb in the proximal region of 15q. The distal breakpoints appear to cluster between the P gene (OCA2) and D15S24, whereas two deletion breakpoint clusters have been identified on the proximal side (one centromeric to D15S541 and one between D15S541 and D15S9). Based on the identification of a gene family in 15q11-->q13 (MN7, D15F37), we have previously proposed that the presence of multiple copies of this sequence may be related to the instability of this region. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization and YAC mapping, we have found that at least one D15F37 locus is centromeric to D15S9 and at least two are between OCA2 and D15S24. As determined by cDNA cloning and sequence analysis, each of the individual loci is expressed. The close proximity of the D15F37 loci and the deletion breakpoints suggests that the common deletions arise by unequal crossover events at or near these loci.