title: Cloning a selected fragment from a human DNA 'fingerprint': isolation of an extremely polymorphic minisatellite.
abstract: A large hypervariable DNA fragment from a human DNA fingerprint was purified by preparative gel electrophoresis and molecular cloning. The cloned fragment contained a 6.3 kb long minisatellite consisting of multiple copies of a 37 bp repeat unit. Each repeat contained an 11 bp copy of the "core" sequences, a putative recombination signal in human DNA. The cloned minisatellite hybridized to a single locus in the human genome. This locus is extremely polymorphic, with at least 77 different alleles containing 14 to 525 repeat units per allele being resolved in a sample of 79 individuals. All alleles except the shortest are rare and the resulting heterozygosity is very high (approximately 97%). Cloned minisatellites should therefore provide a panel of extremely informative locus-specific probes ideal for linkage analysis in man.
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000235:genetics*; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004276:DNA, Satellite; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin