title: Mapping human X-linked genes in the phalangerid marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula.
abstract: We mapped 15 human X-chromosome markers in the common brush-tailed possum, Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr), which represents the Australian marsupial family Phalangeridae. In situ hybridization was used to localize highly conserved human X-linked genes to chromosomes of T. vulpecula diploid lines. Ten genes located on the long arm of the human X (human Xq genes) all mapped to the possum X chromosome. However, all five genes located on the short arm of the human X (human Xp genes) mapped to autosomes. These findings confirm our previous work, which showed that the X chromosome in macropodid and dasyurid marsupials bears all the human Xq genes but none of the human Xp genes studied. This suggests that the marsupial X is highly conserved, but its gene content reflects that of only part of the eutherian X, a result consistent with our hypothesis that an autosomal region was added to the X early in eutherian divergence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Human Variation, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Vic, Australia.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D015342:DNA Probes; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums / Q000235:genetics*; D014960:X Chromosome
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D005819:Genetic Markers