title: Construction of a 7-fold BAC library and cytogenetic mapping of 10 genes in the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The giant panda, one of the most primitive carnivores, is an endangered animal. Although it has been the subject of many interesting studies during recent years, little is known about its genome. In order to promote research on this genome, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of the giant panda was constructed in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This BAC library contains 198,844 clones with an average insert size of 108 kb, which represents approximately seven equivalents of the giant panda haploid genome. Screening the library with 15 genes and 8 microsatellite markers demonstrates that it is representative and has good genome coverage. Furthermore, ten BAC clones harbouring AGXT, GHR, FSHR, IRBP, SOX14, TTR, BDNF, NT-4, LH and ZFX1 were mapped to 8 pairs of giant panda chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first large-insert genomic DNA library for the giant panda, and will contribute to understanding this endangered species in the areas of genome sequencing, physical mapping, gene cloning and comparative genomic studies. We also identified the physical locations of ten genes on their relative chromosomes by FISH, providing a preliminary framework for further development of a high resolution cytogenetic map of the giant panda.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Agro-Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China. weiliucn04@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yonghui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhaoliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhengxing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics*; D015723:Gene Library; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D001503:Ursidae / Q000235:genetics*