GENETIC-MAPPING OF THE MOUSE STROMAL CELL-DERIVED FACTOR GENE (SDF1) TO MOUSE AND RAT CHROMOSOMES

Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1) is a new member of the Cys-X-Cys chemokine family. The chromosomal location of Sdf1, the gene coding mo use SDF1, was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and molecular linkage analysis. The mouse Sdf1 gene was localized to t he R-band-positive F1 band of chromosome 6 by direct R-banding FISH. I nterspecific backcross analysis identified the mouse Sdf1 gene locus a t 0.8 cM terminal to D6Nit55 and 3.0 cM proximal to D6Mit12. With in s itu hybridization using a mouse cDNA clone as a probe, the rat Sdf1 ge ne was localized to the R-band-positive band 4q42.1, where conserved l inkage homology to mouse chromosome 6 has been identified. Although ot her Cys-X-Cys chemokine genes have been mapped on human chromosome 4, the chromosomal segment where the mouse and rat Sdf1 gene reside have no conserved linkage homology to human chromosome 4. This result sugge sts that SDF1 is a new chemokine class.