NONINVASIVE DETECTION OF ROBERTSONIAN TRANSLOCATIONS

1 . A method for detecting the presence or absence of a Robertsonian translocation in an individual comprising the steps of:

providing DNA samples from at least five individuals;

selectively amplifying one or more selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of a first chromosome in the samples, wherein the first chromosome is selected from chromosome 13, 14, 15, 21 or 22, and wherein the primers used for selective amplification comprise universal amplification regions;

selectively amplifying one or more selected nucleic acid regions from a region outside the p arm of the first chromosome in the samples, wherein the primers used for selective amplification comprise universal amplification regions;

further amplifying the selected nucleic acid regions from the at least five individual samples in a single universal amplification reaction;

detecting the amplified nucleic acid regions resulting from the single amplification reaction; and

calculating a relative frequency of the selected nucleic acid regions for an individual sample;

comparing the relative frequencies of the selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome and the selected nucleic acid regions from outside the p arm of the first chromosome for an individual sample; and

identifying the presence or absence of a Robertsonian translocation in an individual sample based on the compared relative frequencies.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA samples are from maternal samples.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome is acrocentric conserved sequence.

4 . The method of claim 3 , where a relative frequency of the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome in an individual that is approximately 10% lower than the relative frequency for the one or more selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome in the individual is indicative of a Robertsonian translocation in the individual.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least ten selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least forty-eight selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least ninety-six selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome is a chromosome-specific genomic region.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a relative frequency of approximately 50% for the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome of an individual compared to the relative frequency of the one or more selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm on the first chromosome in that individual is indicative of a Robertsonian translocation.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome is from the q arm of the first chromosome.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome is from a second chromosome.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second chromosome is selected from chromosome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or 23.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected nucleic acid regions are associated with one or more identifying indices.

14 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the frequency of the selected nucleic acid regions is quantified through detection of the associated one or more indices.

15 . The method of claim 1 , where the DNA is selectively amplified in a single vessel.

16 . The method of claim 1 , where the selected nucleic acid regions are each counted an average of at least 250 times.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA samples are from at least twenty-four individuals.

18 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the DNA samples are from at least forty eight individuals.

19 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the DNA samples are from at least ninety-six individuals.

20 . A method for detecting the presence or absence of a Robertsonian translocation in an individual comprising the steps of:

providing DNA samples from at least five individuals;

selectively amplifying one or more selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of a first chromosome in the individual samples, wherein the first chromosome is selected from chromosome 13, 14, 15, 21 or 22;

selectively amplifying one or more selected nucleic acid regions from a region outside the p arm of the first chromosome in the individual samples;

introducing universal amplification sequences to the selectively amplified nucleic acids regions of the individual samples, each comprising a sample-specific index;

pooling the individual samples;

further amplifying the selected nucleic acid regions from the at least five individual samples in a single universal amplification reaction;

detecting the amplified nucleic acid regions resulting from the single amplification reaction; and

calculating a relative frequency of the selected nucleic acid regions for an individual sample;

comparing the relative frequencies of the selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome and the selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome for an individual sample; and

identifying the presence or absence of a Robertsonian translocation in an individual sample based on the compared relative frequencies.

21 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the DNA sample is from a maternal sample.

22 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome is an acrocentric conserved sequence.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least ten selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

24 . The method of claim 25 , wherein at least forty-eight selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

25 . The method of claim 26 , wherein at least ninety-six selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

26 . The method of claim 24 , where a relative frequency of the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome in an individual that is approximately 10% lower than the relative frequency for the one or more selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome in the individual is indicative of a Robertsonian translocation in the individual.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome is a chromosome-specific genomic region.

28 . The method of claim 29 , wherein at least two selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

29 . The method of claim 30 , wherein at least ten selected nucleic acid regions from the p arm of the first chromosome are amplified.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein a relative frequency of the selected nucleic acid region from the p arm of the first chromosome in an individual is approximately 50% than the relative frequency for the one or more selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm on the first chromosome in that individual is indicative of a Robertsonian translocation.

31 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome is from the q arm of the first chromosome.

32 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the selected nucleic acid regions outside the p arm of the first chromosome is from a second chromosome.

33 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least second chromosome is selected from chromosome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or 23.

34 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the selected nucleic acid regions are associated with one or more identifying indices.

35 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the frequency of the selected nucleic acid regions is quantified through detection of the associated one or more indices.

36 . The method of claim 22 , where the selected nucleic acid regions are each counted an average of at least 250 times.