# Investigating supernumerary chromosome biology using the B chromosome model system

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STORRS · 2024 · $402,500

## Abstract

Humans have a defined set of chromosomes that are essential for our normal growth, development, and
reproduction. Carrying too many (or too few) copies of these essential chromosomes is known as aneuploidy,
a condition that has been extensively investigated due to its negative impact on human health. Extra,
nonessential chromosomes that are derived from the essential set of chromosomes have also been associated
with a broad range of serious health issues such as developmental disorders, infertility, and cancer. These
supernumerary chromosomes, however, remain mostly understudied, resulting in a large gap in our
understanding of their etiology and dynamics. A critical barrier to closing this knowledge gap has been the
availability of a robust model system that will allow investigation into the unknown aspects of supernumerary
chromosome biology. The broad objective of the proposed research is to overcome this barrier by exploiting
the newly established B chromosome system in D. melanogaster to model the etiology and dynamics of
supernumerary chromosomes in humans. This work will capitalize on the arsenal of molecular, cellular, and
genetic tools available in D. melanogaster to investigate several unknown aspects of supernumerary
chromosome biology. To understand the genetic environment that permits supernumerary chromosomes to
arise from the essential chromosomes, this study will use ultra-long DNA sequencing technology and advanced
bioinformatic assembly methods to construct a map of the B chromosome and reveal the sequence context of
where it arose from its original chromosome. The proposed research will also reveal how supernumerary
chromosomes affect the stability of the essential chromosomes by applying a combination of cytological and
genetic analyses to directly and indirectly assess chromosome-chromosome interactions. Finally, to
investigate the cellular machinery required to prevent the transmission of supernumerary chromosomes,
classic genetic approaches will be combined with a newly developed assay for imaging chromosome dynamics
during female meiosis. Overall, the newly established B chromosome model system is uniquely positioned to
deliver significant advances in our understanding of supernumerary chromosome biology that will lead to
advances in their prevention and treatment in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10940940
- **Project number:** 1R35GM155057-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STORRS
- **Principal Investigator:** STACEY L HANLON
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $402,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10940940

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10940940, Investigating supernumerary chromosome biology using the B chromosome model system (1R35GM155057-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10940940. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*