The der(11) chromosome contains the critical breakpoint junction in the 4;11, 9;11, and 11;19 translocations in acute leukemia.
Translocations involving 11q23 are recurring abnormalities in human acute leukemia cells of either lymphoid or myeloid lineage. Analysis of 13 variant translocations associated with four of these [t(4;11), t(6;11), t(9;11) and t(11;19)] reveals that the der(11) chromosome is conserved in all of them and therefore contains the critical genetic rearrangement. The MLL gene (myeloid/lymphoid leukemia) is involved in each of these translocations. It is transcribed from centromere to telomere. The present analysis indicates that the 5' region of MLL on the der(11) is juxtaposed to the coding sequences of genes on each of the other translocation partners.
Rowley
J D
JD
Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
D000208:Acute Disease; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11; D002888:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19; D002894:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000235:genetics*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*