LOCALIZATION OF THE HUMAN BETA-CATENIN GENE (CTNNB1) TO 3P21 - A REGION IMPLICATED IN TUMOR-DEVELOPMENT

The human beta-catenin locus (CTNNB1) was mapped by in situ fluorescen ce analysis to band p21 on the short arm of chromosome 3, a region fre quently affected by somatic alterations in a variety of tumors. PCR pr imers for the genomic amplification of beta-catenin sequences were sel ected on the basis of homology to exon 4 of the Drosophila armadillo g ene. Analysis of a panel of somatic cell hybrids confirmed the localiz ation of beta-catenin on human chromosome 3. Furthermore, exclusion ma pping of three hybrids carrying defined fragments of the short arm of human chromosome 3 allowed us to determine the position of the CTNNB1 locus close to the marker D3S2 in 3p21. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.