Complete NotI restriction map covering the entire long arm of human chromosome 11

Background: Human chromosome 11 is one of the autosomes on which many disease genes have been mapped. Many different types of map, including a radiation hybrid map, a genetic map, and an STS-content YAC map, have been constructed for the chromosome, However, a physical map providing accurate physical distances has not yet been established, A chromosome-wide NotI restriction map was constructed to understand the overall feature of the genome organization and to facilitate the positional cloning of disease genes. Results: A complete NotI restriction map of the entire long arm of human chromosome 11 was constructed using linking-clone mapping. This physical map covers 77.6 Mb, from a pericentromeric NotI site to the terminus, and provides the most accurate ordering and distance estimation to date. We also mapped 138 sequence markers in the q13 region that have been poorly mapped previously. Conclusions: The restriction map of the entire long arm of human chromosome 11 is the longest restriction map of the human genome. This mapping has disclosed unique features regarding the organization of the chromosome, indicating that restriction sites of NotI, a CpG-recognition enzyme, are primarily distributed in R (or T) bands and that genetic distance is considerably longer in R (or T) bands than in G bands. The mapping, as well as the dense concentration of mapped markers within the q13 region, should help with positional cloning of the genes associated with various diseases.