Plant & Animal Genome VI Conference

W32

SEQUENCE-TAGGED SITE MARKERS FOR LOBLOLLY PINE (Pinus taeda L.) REVEALED BY DENATURING GRADIENT GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

1. Institue of Forest Genetics, USDA Forest Service, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
2. Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms, 19449 Riverside Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476-1209, USA

Genetic markers which are easy to use, codominant, and reveal abundant allelic variability have the most genetic utility. We developed DNA markers based on the PCR amplification of genomic DNA templates isolated from different loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) pedigrees, and screening for polymorphism of the PCR fragments using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE polymorphisms were codominant, multiallelic and segregated in Mendelian fashions. Heteroduplex DNA molecules formed during the PCR reactions from heterozygous individuals or by mixing of haploid DNA templates helped in genetic interpretations of the DGGE analysis. The DGGE-based technique offers the possibility of generating very informative genetic markers for genome mapping, tree improvement, or population genetics studies. Since DGGE markers are multiallele polymorphisms, few such markers can be as useful as a large number of less informative markers. Further, as these markers were based on the conserved cDNA sequences, they may also be used to generate useful markers in other related species.