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Linkage maps in studies of genetic variation - examples from Beta vulgaris

Kraft, Thomas LU (1999)
Abstract
Today, most studies of genetic variation utilise molecular markers, making it possible to detect variation at the DNA level. This has greatly facilitated studies of genetic variation in population and evolutionary genetics, systematics and transmission genetics. By studying the inheritance of molecular markers in crosses, it is possible to map the markers, i.e. to determine their genomic positions. Utilising mapped markers can make studies of genetic variation much more efficient. The present thesis explores several different applications of molecular markers requiring that the genomic positions be known, using beet (Beta vulgaris) as a model.



Marker maps are often the basis for mapping genes of interest. Gene mapping... (More)
Today, most studies of genetic variation utilise molecular markers, making it possible to detect variation at the DNA level. This has greatly facilitated studies of genetic variation in population and evolutionary genetics, systematics and transmission genetics. By studying the inheritance of molecular markers in crosses, it is possible to map the markers, i.e. to determine their genomic positions. Utilising mapped markers can make studies of genetic variation much more efficient. The present thesis explores several different applications of molecular markers requiring that the genomic positions be known, using beet (Beta vulgaris) as a model.



Marker maps are often the basis for mapping genes of interest. Gene mapping studies usually focus on qualitative variation in traits determined by a single gene. Such genes are fairly easy to map in crosses segregating for the trait, although the resolution for the map position may be poor unless very large samples are studied. One method to increase the resolution is to use linkage disequilibrium mapping, which has been successfully employed in mapping several human disease genes. I have explored the possibility of using this method in plants as well, taking the gene for annuality in beets as an example. Mapping the genes responsible for variation in quantitative traits is much more complicated, since the genotypes in the genes cannot be observed directly. An example of the mapping of a quantitative trait, namely Cercospora resistance in beet, is included in the thesis. Utilising a high-density AFLP map, five genes were detected and mapped.



Two different topics in population genetics that require mapped markers are presented. First, the distribution of linkage disequilibrium in both wild and cultivated beets is investigated. It is shown that linkage disequilibrium is only present between markers that are tightly linked. This result has important implications for an understanding both of the genetics underlying evolution and of how to conduct linkage disequilibrium mapping in beets. Secondly, I have studied the relation between levels of genetic variation and of recombination in natural populations of sea beets. The neutral theory predicts that genomic regions of high and low recombination should be equally variable. Results of empirical investigations in Drosophila are not in line with this prediction. Several non-neutral explanations have been invoked. Our study is one of the first on this topic in any other organism than Drosophila. The results show that the same positive correlation between levels of genetic variation and of recombination as in Drosophila is found in beets. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Christiansen, Freddy, Aarhus University, Denmark
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cytogenetics, Genetics, Beta vulgaris, Linkage maps, genetic variation, Genetik, cytogenetik
pages
120 pages
publisher
Department of Genetics, Lund University
defense location
Department of Genetics, Lund
defense date
1999-06-04 10:15:00
external identifiers
  • other:ISRN: LUNBDS/NBGE 1035/001-120 (1999)
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Genetics (Closed 2011) (011005100)
id
4e1427b6-0b3b-4512-8ddd-0be9396c3912 (old id 39689)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:00:32
date last changed
2023-05-05 11:39:28
@phdthesis{4e1427b6-0b3b-4512-8ddd-0be9396c3912,
  abstract     = {{Today, most studies of genetic variation utilise molecular markers, making it possible to detect variation at the DNA level. This has greatly facilitated studies of genetic variation in population and evolutionary genetics, systematics and transmission genetics. By studying the inheritance of molecular markers in crosses, it is possible to map the markers, i.e. to determine their genomic positions. Utilising mapped markers can make studies of genetic variation much more efficient. The present thesis explores several different applications of molecular markers requiring that the genomic positions be known, using beet (Beta vulgaris) as a model.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Marker maps are often the basis for mapping genes of interest. Gene mapping studies usually focus on qualitative variation in traits determined by a single gene. Such genes are fairly easy to map in crosses segregating for the trait, although the resolution for the map position may be poor unless very large samples are studied. One method to increase the resolution is to use linkage disequilibrium mapping, which has been successfully employed in mapping several human disease genes. I have explored the possibility of using this method in plants as well, taking the gene for annuality in beets as an example. Mapping the genes responsible for variation in quantitative traits is much more complicated, since the genotypes in the genes cannot be observed directly. An example of the mapping of a quantitative trait, namely Cercospora resistance in beet, is included in the thesis. Utilising a high-density AFLP map, five genes were detected and mapped.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Two different topics in population genetics that require mapped markers are presented. First, the distribution of linkage disequilibrium in both wild and cultivated beets is investigated. It is shown that linkage disequilibrium is only present between markers that are tightly linked. This result has important implications for an understanding both of the genetics underlying evolution and of how to conduct linkage disequilibrium mapping in beets. Secondly, I have studied the relation between levels of genetic variation and of recombination in natural populations of sea beets. The neutral theory predicts that genomic regions of high and low recombination should be equally variable. Results of empirical investigations in Drosophila are not in line with this prediction. Several non-neutral explanations have been invoked. Our study is one of the first on this topic in any other organism than Drosophila. The results show that the same positive correlation between levels of genetic variation and of recombination as in Drosophila is found in beets.}},
  author       = {{Kraft, Thomas}},
  keywords     = {{cytogenetics; Genetics; Beta vulgaris; Linkage maps; genetic variation; Genetik; cytogenetik}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Department of Genetics, Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Linkage maps in studies of genetic variation - examples from Beta vulgaris}},
  year         = {{1999}},
}