Microsatellite markers and the analysis of genetic disease.

The application of molecular biology is revolutionizing our understanding of the genetic contribution to disease in both man and animals. Candidate genes for a disorder can now be rapidly screened and sequenced. When no candidate gene is available, mutations can be localized to one particular region of a chromosome by positional cloning. This approach has been greatly facilitated by the development of microsatellites--DNA sequences with a simple repeated element that are both abundant and polymorphic. Microsatellites have been used successfully as disease markers and to locate the mutation in genetic disorders. They can also be used in DNA fingerprinting, for paternity testing, and as sequence tagged sites in genome mapping.