In this issue of the Journal, Mefford et al.1 describe an associationbetween a microdeletion at 1q21.1 and a diverse range of impairments:mental retardation associated with microcephaly, cardiac abnormalities,or cataracts. A microdeletion at 16p11.2, causing autism ormental retardation, was reported earlier this year in the Journal.2These discoveries were made possible by a technologic revolutionin human cytogenetics: genomewide assessment of copy-numberalterations (deletions and duplications) by means of high-densityarray technologies, hereafter referred to as cytogenetic arrays.3,4,5
The resultant proliferation of new cytogenetic syndromes isreminiscent of an earlier era in human cytogenetics: "Duringthese . . . [Full Text of this Article]
Source Information
This article (10.1056/NEJMe0806570) was published at www.nejm.org on September 10, 2008.
From the Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta.
This article has been cited by other articles:
van Bon, B W M, Mefford, H C, Menten, B, Koolen, D A, Sharp, A J, Nillesen, W M, Innis, J W, de Ravel, T J L, Mercer, C L, Fichera, M, Stewart, H, Connell, L E, Ounap, K, Lachlan, K, Castle, B, Van der Aa, N, van Ravenswaaij, C, Nobrega, M A, Serra-Juhe, C, Simonic, I, de Leeuw, N, Pfundt, R, Bongers, E M, Baker, C, Finnemore, P, Huang, S, Maloney, V K, Crolla, J A, van Kalmthout, M, Elia, M, Vandeweyer, G, Fryns, J P, Janssens, S, Foulds, N, Reitano, S, Smith, K, Parkel, S, Loeys, B, Woods, C G, Oostra, A, Speleman, F, Pereira, A C, Kurg, A, Willatt, L, Knight, S J L, Vermeesch, J R, Romano, C, Barber, J C, Mortier, G, Perez-Jurado, L A, Kooy, F, Brunner, H G, Eichler, E E, Kleefstra, T, de Vries, B B A
(2009). Further delineation of the 15q13 microdeletion and duplication syndromes: a clinical spectrum varying from non-pathogenic to a severe outcome. J. Med. Genet.
46: 511-523
[Abstract][Full Text]
Tan, T Y, Aftimos, S, Worgan, L, Susman, R, Wilson, M, Ghedia, S, Kirk, E P, Love, D, Ronan, A, Darmanian, A, Slavotinek, A, Hogue, J, Moeschler, J B, Ozmore, J, Widmer, R, Savarirayan, R, Peters, G
(2009). Phenotypic expansion and further characterisation of the 17q21.31 microdeletion syndrome. J. Med. Genet.
46: 480-489
[Abstract][Full Text]