The small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN) gene is regarded as one of the candidates for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). We describe two sibs with typical PWS presenting deletion of SNRPN detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Neither a cytogenetically detectable 15q12 deletion nor a deletion for the D15S11, D15S10, and GABRB3 cosmid probes were found in either patient. This implies a smaller deletion limited to the PWS critical region. FISH with a SNRPN probe will permit analysis of PWS patients with limited deletions not detectable with other probes.