3rd Pig Gene Mapping Workshop

25th ISAG Conference, Tours, France

Monday 22nd July

0900 Introduction

0915 Overview presentations (15 minutes per presentation with 5 - 10 minutes discussion) summarising the state of :

• the cytogenetic map - Martine Yerle / Joel Gellin
• the linkage maps - Gary Rohrer (including the chromosome 7 workshop map)
• QTL mapping - Chris Haley / Leif Andersson

coffee break

 

• major genes - Max Rothschild / Denis Milan
• fine scale physical mapping - Bertram Brening / Marcel Vaiman
• genetic deiversity studies - Louis Ollivier
• informatics - Alan Archibald

1230 Lunch and viewing of pig gene mapping posters, database demonstrations

1400 Poster highlights Joel Gellin

1500 Discussion sessions on

• Comparative mapping the pig perspective
  
• Resource sharing
  
• QTL-mapping - what experiments are in progress?
  
• Feedback on databases - user requests for new features
  
• Nomenclature - arrangements for coordination with human (and mouse) mappers
  

1600 Tea break

1630 A global porcine genome project?

The initial phase of porcine genome mapping has been completed - linkage maps and polymorphic markers are available for first pass QTL mapping. Linkage maps have been assigned to chromosomes. The broad framework of comparative mapping in terms of pigs and humans has been determined. The expertise and reputations of the various pig gene mapping laboratories have been established.

• Can we attempt to hold the various disparate strands of pig genome research together in a global pig gene mapping project?
  
• If yes, what would our objectives be on a two and four year timescale i.e. for the next two ISAG pig gene mapping workshops?
  
• Could we agree targets for GENE mapping in pigs?
  
• Is there any merit in contig / fine scale physical mapping in pigs?
  
• Could we agree a physical mapping target - a chromosome, contig mapped with STS markers?
  
• What resources are available for such an enterprise?
  
• Are the custodians of the resources prepared to share them?
  
• What would the rules for data sharing / release be?

  One can imagine that such an enterprise would be primarily concerned with sustaining the development of shared mapping resources and information that would underpin the efforts of individual laboratories to map QTL for specific traits and to isolate the relevant trait genes. The transition from mapped QTL to the trait gene itself will be very demanding for even the best resourced laboratories if they have to develop all the necessary mapping resources, reagents and information themselves. The numbers of mappers in human and mouse genetics is significantly greater than all the livestock mappers together. Thus, a lab mapping a human disease gene will have access to a broad spectrum of reagents and resources fortuitously generated by others. One can envisage that a global pig genome project would provide a context and a justification for continued development of maps and mapping resources.