AMLPIFIED FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM (AFLP) IN HORSES: A POWERFUL TOOL IN GENE MAPPING.

Dr. Van Haeringen Laboratorium b.v., P.O. box 408, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands

The AFLP technology has been used in a number of different plant species, and in few mammalian species. In all species, the technology has proven itself useful, reliable and powerful. In benefit of the horse genome project, the AFLP technology was used to generate codominant AFLP markers. AFLP reactions were performed on the resource families of the horse genome project. Thus, the AFLP markers can be included in the equine genetic map, which is currently based on microsatellites, blood group systems and biochemical markers. Until now, a total of approximately 160 polymorphic markers have been used to initialize the equine genetic map. Using the AFLP markers, it is our goal to add 150 AFLP markers to the map. Results will be presented showing the usefulness of the AFLP technology in horses.