A Linkage Map of the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata Provides New Insights Into Avian Genome Evolution

Passeriformes are the largest order of birds and one of the most widely studied groups in evolutionary biology and ecology. Until recently genomic tools in passerines relied on chicken genomic resources. Here we report the construction and analysis of a whole-genome linkage map for the zebra finch (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genetics (Austin) 2008-05, Vol.179 (1), p.651-667
Main Authors: Stapley, J, Birkhead, T. R, Burke, T, Slate, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Birds
Chickens - genetics
Chromosome Mapping
Chromosomes - genetics
Evolution, Molecular
Evolutionary biology
Finches - genetics
Genetics
Genome - genetics
Genomics
Genotype
Investigations
Life sciences
Neurosciences
Pedigree
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics
Species Specificity
Studies
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Summary:Passeriformes are the largest order of birds and one of the most widely studied groups in evolutionary biology and ecology. Until recently genomic tools in passerines relied on chicken genomic resources. Here we report the construction and analysis of a whole-genome linkage map for the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) using a 354-bird pedigree. The map contains 876 SNPs dispersed across 45 linkage groups and we found only a few instances of interchromosomal rearrangement between the zebra finch and the chicken genomes. Interestingly, there was a greater than expected degree of intrachromosomal rearrangements compared to the chicken, suggesting that gene order is not conserved within avian chromosomes. At 1068 cM the map is approximately only one quarter the length of the chicken linkage map, providing further evidence that the chicken has an unusually high recombination rate. Male and female linkage-map lengths were similar, suggesting no heterochiasmy in the zebra finch. This whole-genome map is the first for any passerine and a valuable tool for the zebra finch genome sequence project and for studies of quantitative trait loci.
ISSN:0016-6731
1943-2631
1943-2631
DOI:10.1534/genetics.107.086264