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Molecular diagnosis of the Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes by detection of parent-of-origin specific DNA methylation in 15q11-13

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Abstract

The Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and the Angelman syndrome (AS) are distinct genetic disorders that are caused by a deletion of chromosome region 15q11-13 or by uniparental disomy for chromosome 15. Whereas PWS results from the absence of a paternal copy of 15q11-13, the absence of a maternal copy of 15q11-13 leads to AS. We have found that an MspI/HpaII restriction site at the D15S63 locus in 15q11-13 is methylated on the maternally derived chromosome, but unmethylated on the paternally derived chromosome. Based on this difference, we have devised a rapid diagnostic test for patients suspected of having PWS and AS.

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Dittrich, B., Robinson, W.P., Knoblauch, H. et al. Molecular diagnosis of the Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes by detection of parent-of-origin specific DNA methylation in 15q11-13. Hum Genet 90, 313–315 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220089

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220089

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