Molecular basis of cystic fibrosis in the Republic of Macedonia.

Eighty-three cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and their families, belonging to various ethnic groups living in the Republic of Macedonia were studied for molecular defects in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, and for the associated extragenic marker loci XV-2c and KM19. The DNA methodology used included characterization of CFTR mutations in 19 exons (and flanking sequences) of the gene and analysis of distribution of the XV-2c/KM19 haplotypes among normal (N) and CF chromosomes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by dot blot hybridization, restriction digestion, single-strand conformational polymorphism, constant denaturing gel electrophoresis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and sequencing. We identified 58.4% (97/166) of the CF chromosomes. Nine different CFTR gene mutations, including three novel ones, were found. Eight known and one new CFTR intragene polymorphisms were also characterized. The haplotype analysis of the XV-2c/TaqI and KM19/PstI polymorphic loci have shown that haplotype C is the most frequently found haplotype among the non-deltaF508 CF chromosomes from Macedonia (36.5%). The results demonstrate the broad heterogeneity of CF origin in this part of the Balkan Peninsula.