Plant & Animal Genome VI Conference

W5,P312

STATUS OF POULTRY GENOME MAPPING IN THE NAGRP

1. Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
2. USDA-ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, 3606 E. Mt. Hope Road, East Lansing, MI 48823

Coordination of poultry genome mapping occurs as part of the National Animal Genome Research Program, as directed by and in support of members of the Poultry Species Subcommittee. There are two internationally accepted chicken reference map populations, the East Lansing (EL) panel, which we distribute, and the Compton panel distributed by Dr. N. Bumstead. At present, the EL panel has been typed for 811 markers of which 784 are resolved into 43 linkage groups (3 small linkage groups, at least, appear to correspond to terminal regions of macrochromosomes; 40 linkage groups are expected from cytogenetic studies, 38 autosomes, Z and W). Map coverage is over 3,200 cM, about the predicted size of the chicken genome. There are 388 microsatellite markers and 152 Type I genes on the latest map. A consensus map has been developed for both reference populations, and it is in the process of being updated. EL linkage groups have now been assigned to all macrochromosomes (autosomes 1 to 8, and sex chromosomes Z and W). The EL map and supporting database are available through our Homepage, along with lists of published microsatellites, descriptions of available resources, the cytogenetic map, and links to many relevant sites. Four kits of fluorescent microsatellite primer pairs are now available, containing primers for a total of 519 markers covering most of the chicken genome.