Chromosome 5 represents 5% of the human genome or approximately 150 megabases of DNA. In just the past two years, six disease genes have been mapped to chromosome 5 including the genes responsible for: spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Treacher Collins syndrome (TCOF1), diastrophic dysplasia (DTD), hyperekplexia (STHE), autosomal dominant limb-girdle muscular atrophy (LGMD1) and late onset hereditary deafness. As a result of these disease gene related studies, a number of investigators who previously had little interest in chromosome 5 are now actively pursuing genetic and physical mapping studies on this chromosome. In addition, chromosome 5 contains an extraordinary number of genes encoding growth factors, growth factor receptors and hormone/neurotransmitter receptors, which has prompted investigators in these areas to develop a particular interest in chromosomes. With so many groups interested in specific regions of chromosome 5, a large amount of physical and genetic linkage mapping is being done by different laboratories.The purpose of this workshop is to consolidate the data from different groups, identify resources developed by one or more groups which may be useful to others and to produce consensus physical and genetic maps. The results of the workshops will establish which loci can be unequivocally ordered on both types of maps, identify regions of overlap between different groups and point out regions of inconsistency which need to be addressed. In addition, an exhaustive list of clone coordinates for publicly available YAC libraries and the chromosome 5 flow-sorted cosmid library will be compiled so that everyone will have access to all known cloned segments of chromosome 5. The meeting will consist of a summary of the current state of the physical and linkage maps of chromosome 5 by the chromosome 5 committee co-chairs, short reports by each participating laboratory (including handouts of all data presented) and will finish with an intense half-day working session in which individuals will break down into smaller groups to produce consensus physical and genetic maps of different regions and to resolve discrepancies in maps produced by different groups.The end result will be consensus physical and linkage maps which span chromosome 5.
