THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHROMOSOME STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION AT A HUMANTELOMERIC REGION

We have sequenced a contiguous 284,495-bp segment of DNA extending fro m the terminal (TTAGGC)(n) repeats of the short arm of chromosome 16, providing a full description of the transition from telomeric through subtelomeric DNA to sequences that are unique to the chromosome. To co mplement and extend analysis of the primary sequence, we have characte rized mRNA transcripts, patterns of DNA methylation and DNase I sensit ivity. Together with previous data these studies describe in detail th e structural and functional organization of a human telomeric region.