So, what's ChickMaP all about then?

Contents of this page

Introduction
Aims
Rules for Gene Nomenclature
References

Introduction

The first linkage map of the chicken was published in 1936 by Hutt[1]; this was also the first linkage map reported for any domestic farm animal species. Since this first report, updates of this classical map have been published periodically with the most recent being that of Bitgood and Somes in 1993[2]. The small size of the chicken genome (~1.2 x 10^9 bp)[3] and the ability to isolate DNA from nucleated red blood cells (note: red blood cells in mammals lack nuclei) make it well suited for genetic mapping. Despite these advantages and a 58 year history of linkage mapping, international collaborative efforts have only been established in the last three years to produce a map of the chicken genome[4][5][6].

Aims

The aims of this collaboration are

to construct an integrated genetic and physical map of the chicken genome
to provide a public genome database
to co-ordinate genome mapping activities in poultry.

The ultimate goal is to develop the tools and resources to map and identify genes that control traits of agricultural and biological interest. These goals and the means by which they will be achieved are described in the Recommendations of the IPGM Workshop (1992)

Rules for Gene Nomenclature

An international standard for gene nomenclature in poultry was previously developed at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Poultry Science Association[7]. Rapid advances in avian molecular genetics and the urgency to develop databases has prompted a review of this nomenclature by the ISAG Poultry Gene Nomenclature Committee where a system based on the human locus and allele nomenclature[8] has been accepted. A detailed description of the current system may be found in the associated document, ChickMap Nomenclature Rules

References

Hutt, F.B. (1936) in Genetics of the Fowl. VI. Neue Forschungen in Tierzucht und Abstammungslebre (Duerst Festschrif), pp. 105-112
Bitgood, J.J. and Somes, R.G. Jr. (1993) in Genetic Maps (O'Brien SJ, ed), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, pp. 4.332-4.342
Bloom, S.E., Delany, M.E. and Muscarella, D.E. (1993) in Manipulation of the Avian Genome (Etches, R.J. and Gibbins, A.M.V., eds), pp. 39-59, CRC Press
Bumstead, N. and Palyga, J. (1992) Genomics 13, 690-697
Crittenden, L.B. et al. (1993) Poultry Sci. 72, 334-348
Levin, I. et al. (1994) J. Hered. 85, 79-85
Somes, R.G. Jr. (1980) J. Hered. 71, 168-174
Shows, T.B. et al. (1987) Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 46, 11-28

This page was last modified on December 14th 1998
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