"Painted" human chromosomes showing translocations.

A quick and easy way to identify abnormalities in chromosomes, which contain genes, was developed in the early 1990s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Scientists there designed probes with fluorescent labels, or "paints," that are specific to individual human and mouse chromosomes and can be used to stain them different colors. The paints, consisting of 10,000 to 100,000 fragments of DNA per chromosome, attach to the appropriate places in solution and then "light up." This powerful tool enables researchers to identify particular genes, chromosomes, or chromosome fragments in a sample of DNA through a microscope. Abnormalities, such as a part of one chromosome embedded in another, are apparent even to the untrained eye. In each of the many forms of leukemia, for example, cancerous cells display a different type of defective DNA that can be identified by staining. By using chromosome paints to accurately pinpoint flawed genes, researchers hope to improve both the design of targeted therapies and analyses of treatment effectiveness.

Scientific Impact: This technology enables researchers to identify some types of genetic defects-such as radiation damage and leukemia cells—faster, more accurately, and at less cost than they could before. It also opened the door to automation, which was virtually impossible in traditional chromosome analysis.

Social Impact: Many people are expected to benefit from greatly improved tests used in diagnosing, predicting, and better understanding many types of cancer and genetic disease. The technology has been licensed to a small company, and the resulting product is being used at well-known medical centers and colleges of medicine.

Reference: Breneman, J.W., Ramsey, M.J., Lee, D.A., Eveleth, G.G., Minkler, J.L., and Tucker, J.D. (1993) "The development of chromosome-specific composite DNA probes for the mouse and their application to chromosome painting," Chromosoma 102:591-598.

Christian, A.T., Garcia, H.E., and Tucker, J.D. (1999) "PCR In situ followed by microdissection allows whole chromosome painting probes to be made from single microdissected chromosomes," Mammalian Genome 10:628-631.

R. Antonacci, R. Marzella, P. Finelli, A. Lonoce, A. Forabosco, N. Archidiacono, M. Rocchi, "A panel of subchromosomal painting libraries representing over 300 regions of the human genome," Cytogenet Cell Genet 68 25-32 (1995).

N.P. Carter, "Cytogenetic analysis by chromosome painting," Cytometry 18 (1994) 10-Feb.

X.Y. Guan, P.S. Meltzer, J.M. Trent, "Rapid generation of whole chromosome painting probes (WCPs) by chromosome microdissection," Genomics 22 101-107 (1994).

Technical Contact: Dr. Marvin Stodolsky, Life Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, 301-903-4742

Press Contact: Jeff Sherwood, DOE Office of Public Affairs, 202-586-5806

SC-Funding Office: Office of Biological and Environmental Research