Gene Mapping Techniques
Developmental Neurobiology, edited by Philippe Evrard and Alexandre Minkowski. Nestle Nutrition Workshop Series, Vol. 12. Nestec Ltd., Vevey/Raven Press, Ltd., New York © 1989. Gene Mapping Techniques Jean-Louis Guenet Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France Very accurate gene mapping is essential in both man and laboratory mammals (1- 3). Several techniques have been used over the last 50 years to localize mammalian genes on the chromosomes of a given species. This chapter reviews these tech- niques, with special emphasis on the most recent ones that represent a true break- through in formal genetics. CLASSICAL GENE MAPPING TECHNIQUES AND THEIR LIMITATIONS When two genes are linked they have a tendency to cosegregate during successive generations. The closer the linkage, the more absolute is the cosegregation. This is the fundamental principle of gene mapping, which has been successfully applied to all species, including plants, over many years. In mammals such as humans and mice, the continued discovery of marker genes scattered throughout the genome has facilitated the mapping of new genes so that we now possess for these two species, particularly the mouse, linkage maps that are far more detailed than those existing for other mammals. In the mouse, special matings can be set up, with appropriate stocks, to test for possible autosomal linkage after two successive reproductive rounds: In general, cross-back crosses are used, cross-intercrosses being reserved for studies in which the viability or the fertility of the homozygous mutant under study is impaired. In humans investigations concerning linkage are based on pedigree analysis. In other words, for both species it is essential to define as a starting point a situa- tion where two genes are heterozygous and either in repulsion A + / + B or in cou- pling AB/ + +, then to look for changes in this configuration after a reproductive cycle (forms in coupling giving rise to forms in repulsion and vice versa), and fi- nally to count the percentage or frequency of these recombination events.
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