Three chromosomes' (7;9;22) rearrangement and the origin of the Philadelphia chromosome.

A woman with chronic myelocytic leukemia had the Philadelphia chromosome and a complex four-break--three-chromosome rearrangement. The q32 leads to q34 portion of chromosome 9 is translocated to band q22 of chromosome 7, and at the end of this segment is attached the deleted q11 leads to qter portion of chromosome 22. A review of 12 cases of the Philadelphia chromosome originating by the rearrangement of three or more chromosomes reveals that chromosomes 9 and 22 are always involved, while the third chromosome is a different one in each case. We discuss the hypothesis that the 22q segment is always specifically attached to band 9q34 wherever this portion of 9q is transposed.