SYNERGENE - A NEW TOOL FOR COMPARATIVE GENOMICS

¹ Department of Plant Breeding, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA

² GENEFLOW, 503 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301 USA

SynerGene is a Windows-based software application that is being designed to facilitate the visual comparison and analysis of multiple genetic maps, both within a single species as well as across multiple species. The program will provide a sophisticated graphical user interface for viewing and analyzing data in an underlying relational database. SynerGene currently allows the user to view the positions of molecular markers across a set of user-selected genetic maps in order to determine and compare regions of synteny between them. Additionally, the user can choose to identify common markers across selected maps or linkage groups from multiple species, and create an 'integrated' chromosome based on the putative synteny between the selected groups. Users can use this comparative mapping tool and display in conjunction with existing QTL data from the same or related species to identify regions that may contain undetected QTL. Future plans for development include support for sequence comparisons and physical mapping data.