Laboratory of Maja Bucan

Functional Genomic Analysis of Mouse Chromosome 5: A major focus of the functional genomics project being conducted in our laboratory involves a wide-ranging assessment of the genetic information contained within a 50 cM region in the proximal portion of mouse Chromosome 5 (the corresponding region in the human genome: 4p16 - 4q12, 2p23.1 - 2p23.3, 7q21 - 22 and 7q36). The elucidation of the functional content of the genome of a model organism, such as the mouse, involves identification of genes and evolutionarily conserved non-transcribed sequences through genome sequencing, analysis of gene expression and analysis of normal and mutant phenotypes. Currently, each one of these efforts is being undertaken on a large scale - whole genome level in several Genome Centers. Using the 50cM/100 Mb region as a model, our laboratory initiated the integration of these functional genomics data. Our aims are to:

1. Identify, characterize and clone a set of novel embryo-lethal mutations within the 50 Mb region covered by the Rw inversion (in collaboration with Dr. John Schimenti, The Jackson Laboratory);
   
   
2. Use essential genes on mouse chromosome 5 to test the hypothesis that embryo lethal mutations may cause dominant behavioral anomalies;
   
   
3. Assemble a gene index for the target region, with an emphasis of genes shown to be involved in developmental processes based on mutant analysis and/or available expression data (Collaboration with Dr. Stoeckert, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Laboratory).

In summary, we use a defined chromosomal region, representing 2% of the mouse genome, and available genetic, genomic and bioinformatics resources to systematically search for and catalog the minimal set of genes necessary for embryonic survival.

Gene lists - Chr 5 (Restricted Access)
Expression Data - Chr 5 (Restricted Access)
Geneome Browser - Chr5

Lethal Genes - Genome-wide