Molecular evidence for true isochromosome 21q.

In one family a duplicated 21q was shown to be a true isochromosome, which segregates from mosaic mother to non-mosaic child with full Down syndrome phenotype. Densitometric analysis of Southern blots, using probe pPW228C for the distal long arm of chromosome 21, indicated that the 21q duplication contains two copies of the allele detected by the probe. Maternal mosaic karyotype of 45,XX,-21/46,XX/46, XX,-21,+21i(21q) also suggested transverse mitotic centromere division as the origin of the 21q isochromosomes. Morphologic analysis of chromosome heteromorphisms strengthened this interpretation because the free 21 missing in the cell line with 45 chromosomes was also missing in cells with the isochromosome. In a second family the cytogenetic data also suggested transmission of an i(21q) from mosaic mother to non-mosaic Down syndrome child but molecular evidence did not prove identity of alleles in the duplicated chromosome 21.