title: Linkage mapping reveals sex-dimorphic map distances in a passerine bird.
abstract: Linkage maps are lacking for many highly influential model organisms in evolutionary research, including all passerine birds. Consequently, their full potential as research models is severely hampered. Here, we provide a partial linkage map and give novel estimates of sex-specific recombination rates in a passerine bird, the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). Linkage analysis of genotypic data at 51 autosomal microsatellites and seven markers on the Z-chromosome (one of the sex chromosomes) from an extended pedigree resulted in 12 linkage groups with 2-8 loci. A striking feature of the map was the pronounced sex-dimorphism: males had a substantially lower recombination rate than females, which resulted in a suppressed autosomal map in males (sum of linkage groups: 110.2 cM) compared to females (237.2 cM; female/male map ratio: 2.15). The sex-specific recombination rates will facilitate the building of a denser linkage map and cast light on hypotheses about sex-specific recombination rates.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK. bengt.hansson@zooekol.lu.se
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akesson
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slate
authors.forename: Josephine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pemberton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017931:DNA Primers; D005838:Genotype; D008126:Lod Score; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D020308:Songbirds / Q000235:genetics*; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers