A Gene for Recessive Nonsyndromic Sensorineural Deafness (DFNB18) Maps to the Chromosomal Region 11p14–p15.1 Containing the Usher Syndrome Type 1C Gene

Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic sensorineural deafness segregating in a large consanguineous Indian family was mapped to chromosome 11p14–p15.1 defining a new locus,DFNB18.A maximum lod score of 4.4 at θ = 0 was obtained for the polymorphic microsatellite markerD11S1888.Haplotype analysis localizes this gene between markersD11S1307andD11S2368,which is approximately 1.6 cM and encompasses the region of Usher syndrome type 1C (USH1C). We postulate thatDFNB18andUSH1Care allelic variants of the same gene.