A Chromosome 21 Critical Region Does Not Cause Specific Down Syndrome Phenotypes

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1098992
• Publication Date: 2004-10-21T20:53:03Z
• Authors: L. E. Olson; J. T. Richtsmeier; J. Leszl; R. H. Reeves
• Keywords: Male; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21; Genetic Vectors; Gene Dosage; Mandible; Chromosomes, Mammalian; Craniofacial Abnormalities; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; Monosomy; Gene Duplication; Karyotyping; Gene Targeting; Animals; Humans; Female; Chromosome Deletion; Down Syndrome; Crosses, Genetic

The “Down syndrome critical region” (DSCR) is a chromosome 21 segment purported to contain genes responsible for many features of Down syndrome (DS), including craniofacial dysmorphology. We used chromosome engineering to create mice that were trisomic or monosomic for only the mouse chromosome segment orthologous to the DSCR and assessed dysmorphologies of the craniofacial skeleton that show direct parallels with DS in mice with a larger segmental trisomy. The DSCR genes were not sufficient and were largely not necessary to produce the facial phenotype. These results refute specific predictions of the prevailing hypothesis of gene action in DS.