CHARACTERIZATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HORSE RADIATION HYBRID PANEL

Department of Animal Science and Animal Health, Division of Animal Genetics, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Grønnegårdsvej 3, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark

During recent years, analysis of whole genome and chromosome specific radiation hybrid (RH) cell panels has emerged as an important tool to rapidly generate high-resolution physical and genetic maps in several species. Significance of the approach lies in the simple fact that all PCR-able markers can be readily mapped and physically ordered. Last year, the Royal V&A University, Denmark and the Texas A&M University, USA made joint efforts to construct a RH panel in the horse. Horse fibroblast cells irradiated with 5000 rad of Gamma rays were fused with a Chinese hamster TK- fibroblast line A23, providing about 150 hybrid lines. The lines were randomly tested by fluorescent in situ hybridization for the presence of equine element. Further, DNA extracted from these lines was PCR analysed for markers randomly chosen from individual equine chromosomes. After discarding some lines, large scale cultures were carried out and an average of 3 mg DNA was recently obtained from each of the retained lines. Currently, analysis is being carried out with chosen sets of markers to get a preliminary idea about the power of the panel. An update of the analysis will be presented and, based on the outcome, likely use of the panel as an international resource for horse gene mapping will be discussed.