Pig Genome Update No. 36angenmap@db.genome.iastate.eduMay 1, 1999 |
1. Set VIII Primers Are on Their Way 2. Pig AFLP Primers 3. The RH Panel for Swine Will Soon Be Available 4. More New Tools -- A RPCI-44 Male Porcine BAC Library 5. The Excellent Biannual Pig Breeders Roundtable Met in Wye, England 6. Planning for the Future was the Purpose of FAIR 7. Plans Already Underway for PAG-VIII. 8. "Animal Gene Mapping Community Directory" Database 9. Time to Regiser for From Jay Lush to Genomics Conference 10. Upcoming Meetings (16 Items) |
Primers, primers, primers are on their way: A new set of 73 pairs of fluorescent primers (Set VIII; April 1999) are being made and will be available for distribution on about May 15. This brings the total number of fluorescent primer pairs distributed by the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator to 377 pairs. Check our updated information on these primers at: http://www.genome.iastate.edu/resources/fprimerintr.html or you may browse down from our main page: http://www.genome.iastate.edu to "US Pig Gene Mapping Coordination Program Shared Resources" section) and then to "Fluorescent Primers". To order Set VIII fluorescent primers, please send your request, along with your detailed postal address and your daytime phone number (required), to mfrothsc@iastate.edu . Please continue to make use of them and also be sure to acknowledge their source as it helps to improve cooperation and coordination activities.
Pig AFLP primers: AFLP is a patented genome mapping technique that has
particular value for rapid assembly of a full genome map in species for
which microsatellites are not available (or are sparse) and is also of use
to find markers related to certain traits. Unfortunately, existing
commercial kits (fluorescent primers available through PE AgGen and
primers for radioactive labeling through Life Technologies, Inc.) are
designed generally for plant genomes and may not work as well with pig DNA
(or most mammalian DNA). A further problem arises because Keygene n.v.
(which holds the AFLP patent) has negotiated an exclusive agreement with
these two distributors such that buying the plant kit is the only way one
can officially be licensed to use AFLP. Extensive discussions have made
it clear that PE AgGen has no large interest in marketing a kit for animal
AFLP, and Keygene cannot do so without violating their previous agreement.
Dian Pouwels of Keygene has now indicated that those animal scientists
wishing to use AFLP should purchase the Perkin Elmer kit
The RH panel for swine will soon be available. Developed at INRA in Toulouse and tested extensively by the University of Minnesota the panel is now ready for distribution. To obtain aliquots, please contact Larry Schook at schoo009@maroon.tc.umn.edu . Considerable funding will be provided by the US Pig Genome Coordinator to help support this distribution activity. Another RH panel is also now available through Research Genetics at: http://www.resgen.com .
More new tools! A RPCI-44 Male Porcine BAC Library has been constructed by the BACPAC Resource Center in the Department of Cancer Genetics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, USA. Library construction was supported by a contract from the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE. Blood from four male pigs (breed: 37.5% Yorkshire, 37.5% Landrace, and 25% Meishan) was pooled and genomic DNA was isolated from the white blood cells. The DNA (partially EcoRI digested) was size selected and cloned into the EcoRI sites of the pTARBAC2 vector. The average insert size is 165 kb and there is 10X coverage. The library has been arrayed into 384-well microtiter dishes and also gridded onto 22x22cm high-density nylon hybridization filters for screening by probe hybridization. Each hybridization membrane represents over 18,000 distinct porcine BAC clones, stamped in duplicate. As part of the Pig Genome Coordination effort, up to $650 will be supplied to US laboratories interested in obtaining the filter sets. This will pay for approximately 50% of the filters. Prior to taking advantage of this offer, please contact me at mfrothsc@iastate.edu to confirm availability of funds.
The excellent biannual Pig Breeders Roundtable met in Wye, England in March. Nearly 120 researchers, students and industry people met to discuss new developments in the genetics of pigs. Topics included genetics of performance, reproduction, health and behavior. In terms of molecular genetics there were talks on Leptin in mice, QTLs and new candidate genes in pigs for health, growth, backfat and reproduction. As is traditional, the meeting tries to foster open exchanges among industry members and challenging discussion. We extend a special thanks to Dr. John King for organizing and hosting this interesting meeting.
Planning for the future was the purpose of FAIR (Food Animal Integrated Research) 2002 meeting sponsored by many animal groups. This meeting was held in mid April in Baltimore and brought 200 people from very diverse backgrounds to follow up on the previous FAIR 95. The FAIR 95 discussions had included enhancing responsiveness to consumer and societal concerns, increasing efficiency and competitiveness, developing integrated food animal management systems, enhancing environmental quality, improving food safety and quality and enhancing animal well being. Fair 2002 "Animal Products for the Next Millenium" followed up on these and had presentations and discussion sections on the world situation, enhanced public and animal health and well being, economic and environmental sustainability, and animal agricultural in society and a global marketplace. The extremely diverse group of participants included individuals from farms and ranches, the production and food industries, animal health, universities, government agencies and animal welfare groups. Discussions were extremely useful and recommendations have been put forth. Hopefully this meeting and the information coming from it will provide some direction to obtain more research funds and to move our industry along in the future. This will be reported in a document to be developed in the near future.
Plans already underway for PAG-VIII. Under the leadership of Steve Heller, planning for PAG-VIII was underway even before we left San Diego. A draft schedule of the meeting workshops, plenary sessions, and computer demos is nearly complete ( http://www.intl-pag.org/pag/pag8work.html). Please note that we're starting about a week earlier next year. Plant genomics and animal genomics sessions will run concurrently after an initial plenary talk to open the day on both Tuesday and Wednesday. In addition, next year's meeting will provide more time for dinner in between the afternoon and evening workshops, and all of Tuesday night will be free to heed the call of San Diego's (or Tijuana's) evening attractions. Finally, PAG-VIII will end with the banquet on Wednesday evening and there will be no Thursday morning sessions. However, for those interested, PAG-VIII will be followed directly by the first Ag Microbial Genome meeting. Speakers for morning talks at PAG-VIII are being chosen and contacted. Thanks to all who have already provided suggestions and comments (kindly provided by Jerry Dodgson).
We have developed an "Animal Gene Mapping Community Directory" database. This "Directory" will contain a name list of scientists/ researchers in the research areas including but not limited to animal gene mapping, molecular biology, genome analysis and related fields. The "Directory" will serve the community as a people/ address finder, and as a guide to the current studies in the community. Please go to http://www.genome.iastate.edu/community/join.html to add your own information. The database information is accessible to the ANGENMAP subscribers only.
It is not too late to register for a special conference: From Jay Lush to Genomics: Visions for Animal Breeding and Genetics which will be held May 16-18, 1999 at Iowa State University Ames, Iowa. This not-to-be-missed conference will bring together quantitative and molecular geneticists from industry, government, and academe to discuss the future of animal breeding and genetics in light of changes in the fields of molecular genetics and bioinformatics. The program will feature eleven plenary lectures by renowned international scientists and a poster session of current research by participants. The schedule is arranged to encourage participant interaction and discussion. Information on the program and speakers can be found at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~ans/graduate/visions.html .
Upcoming meetings:
- Genome Sequencing and Biology, May 19-23, 1999, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Info: http://www.cshl.org/meetings .
- 1999 Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics, May 26-June 11, 1999, North Carolina State U., Raleigh, NC. Contact http://www.stat.ncsu.edu .
- Symposium on Genome Diversity and Evolution in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the American Genetic Association, June 12-13, 1999, Penn State U., University Park, PA. Contact: Dr. Masatoshi Nei, Telephone: 814-863-7334, Fax: 814-863-7336
- 11th North American Colloquium on Domestic Animal Cytogenetics and Gene Mapping, June 14-18, 1999, U. of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. See http://www.extension.umn.edu/Courses/cytogene.htm .
- Molecular Biology Techniques Workshop, June 14-24, 1999, U. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN. Sponsored by the Food Animal Biotechnology Ctr. See: http://fabctr.umn.edu/mbtw/1999.htm .
- Agricultural Genomics: New Technologies, Functions, and Advances, June 23-25, 1999, Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, San Diego, CA. See: http://www.iir-ny.com .
- Techniques in Bioinformatics and Comparative Genomics, June 27-July 2, 1999, Madison Wisconsin. Five day computer laboratory course offered by the Biopharmaceutical Technology Center Institute. See: http://www.btci.org/courses/TBCG99.htm .
- American Society of Animal Science Annual meeting, July 21-24, 1999, Indianapolis, IN. See: http://www.asas.uiuc.edu/99meet .
- Transgenic Animal Research Conference, August 14-19, 1999, Granlibakken Conference Center, Tahoe City, CA. Sponsored by the U.C. Davis Biotechnology Program. Contact info.: mmmcgloughlin@ucdavis.edu .
- 50th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production (EAAP): August 22 - 26, 1999 in Zurich (Switzerland). Information at: http://eaap-1999-zurich.ethz.ch .
- Candidate Genes for Animal Health (sponsored by the Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals), August 25-27, 1999, Rostock, Germany. Contact: http://www.fbn-dummerstorf.de/fb3/Symp99.htm .
- The Microarray Meeting, Sept. 22-25, 1999, Phoenix, Arizona. Hosted by Nature Genetics. More information to follow or see http://genetics.nature.com .
- Cold Spring Harbor Fall Courses: Genome Informatics; Positional Cloning: Contig to Candidate Gene; Computational Genomics, application deadline, July 15, 1999. Contact: http://www.cshl.org/meetings .
- Plant and Animal Genome VIII, joint with the NAGRP annual meetings, Jan. 8-13, 2000, Town & Country Convention Center, San Diego, CA. See: http://www.intl-pag.org. Followed immediately by Ag Microbial Genome I, Jan. 13-14, same location. See http://www.ag-microbial.org/agm .
- International Society of Animal Genetics: Minneapolis, MN, USA will be held July 24-27, 2000. Contact Brian Kirkpatrick at bwkirkpat@facstaff.wisc.edu .
From Jay Lush to Genomics: Visions for Animal Breeding and Genetics: May 16-18, 1999 at Iowa State University Ames, IA. Information at: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~ans/graduate/visions.html .
Contributions to Pig Genome Update 37, including short meeting announcements, are always welcome. Please send by June 10.
Max Rothschild
U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator
2255 Kildee Hall, Department of Animal Science
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
Phone: 515-294-6202, Fax: 515-294-2401
mfrothsc@iastate.edu
cc: Dick Frahm, CSREES and Roger Gerrits, ARS
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