Progressive fine mapping in experimental populations: an improved strategy toward positional cloning.
Genetic mapping is one of the key steps in positional cloning. The traditional mapping strategies typically require to genotype a set of markers that are nearly evenly or randomly distributed across the genome or a region of interest. Such "grid" strategies work with low efficiency. We propose an improved mapping strategy by integrating the principle of one-dimensional optimization and information on physical map into the standard mapping procedure used in experimental populations. Computer simulations based on a set of empirical data suggest that our new procedure can reduce the number of markers required for genotyping to less than one-fourth of that of the standard procedure. An illustrative application also demonstrates a pronounced reduction of the burden in genotyping. The proposed strategy offers a quick and cost-effective access to the target gene for positional cloning without any extra expense except for making use of genomic sequence data. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, for performing easy calculations described in this article, is available on request from the authors.
IAEA-Zhejiang University Collaborating Center and National Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
Xiao-Fei
XF
Chi
Xiang-Yang
XY
Lou
Qing-Yao
QY
Shu
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005819:Genetic Markers; D016678:Genome; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020161:Physical Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*
D005819:Genetic Markers