Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a spine deformity of unknown etiology. Family 
studies have suggested that IS may be inherited as a mendelian autosomal 
dominant trait. We have performed linkage analysis on a three-generation IS 
Italian family. A positive LOD score value of 3.20 at theta=0.00 was detected 
with marker D17S799 after a genome-wide scanning. Analysis of six flanking 
microsatellites confirmed the linkage and haplotype inspection defined an 
interval of about 20 cM between D17S947 and D17S798. This is the first locus 
reported for IS. We scored genes mapping in this interval and studied the 
heparan sulfotransferase genes as candidates on the basis of their biochemical 
role. No causative mutation was detected in the affected patients.