Genetic linkage map of chicken chromosome 1 from a Brazilian resource population

Abstract

A genetic map provides insight into genome organization and chromosomal location of markers and genes, and is important for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. The objective of this study was to use a Brazilian resource population to construct a linkage map for chicken chromosome 1. Eighty microsatellite markers were tested and 26 informative markers were typed in an experimental F2 population developed by two generations of crossbreeding between a broiler sire line and a layer line. A total of 649 F2 individuals from seven full-sib families with about 95 F2 offspring each were genotyped. Multi-locus linkage analysis resulted in a chromosome 1 map of 26 ordered markers. Locus order was in general agreement with other published linkage maps, except for two discrepancies: 1) order of loci MCW10 and MCW208 was reversed in this map relative to the Wageningen linkage map, 2) markers ADL234 and LEI68, that were mapped to the same position in Compton, East Lansing and Wageningen populations, were separated by a distance of 5.9 centimorgans in our population. The higher number of informative meioses from our population could explain these differences. This map is an important first step in our effort to map QTL in the Brazilian chicken resource population, and complements the international consensus map information.