Genomic factors involved in chromosome rearrangements

Approximately 15-20% of children referred for chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) testing have a clinically relevant CNV that in many cases explains their phenotype. The goal of this study is to discover the genomic factors that mediate chromosome rearrangements and the phenotypic effects of chromosome rearrangements. We hypothesize that particular DNA sequences are susceptible to breakage and rearrangement. To this end, we fine-map chromosome breakage sites and analyze the DNA motifs that underlie double-strand breaks (DSBs). Our studies will also capture the genomic structure of breakpoint junctions, which will allow us to determine the mechanisms of DNA repair that shape different types of chromosome rearrangements. We also correlate chromosome rearrangements with clinical features to establish genotype-phenotype correlations. Defining critical regions of deletion or duplication is the first step to identifying candidate genes responsible for particular... (for more see dbGaP study page.)