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Pig Genome Newsletter #026
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P i g G e n o m e U p d a t e
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No. 26, September 1, 1997
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Nashville was the site for the recent 89th American Society of Animal
Science annual meetings. The meetings featured several sessions including
molecular genetics. A number of pig gene mapping or gene identification
papers and posters were presented. Highlighted sessions dealt with growth
and development and included papers on several new developments in the
area. Abstracts can be found on the web at the American Society of Animal
Science home page (http://www.asas.org).
o o o o o o o o o o o
The Neal A. Jorgensen Travel Award will be presented to one graduate
student (not postdoc) from a U.S. laboratory to present a pig gene mapping
poster at the PAGVI meeting. The award is for $300 plus registration. To
apply, please send a cover letter and a copy of your abstract to the U.S.
Pig Genome Coordinator by November 5, 1997. A committee will select the
winner. More details are given on page 2 of this newsletter.
o o o o o o o o o o o
The third set of fluorescently labeled primers for pig microsatellites is
now ready for distribution. This third set is composed of 53 pairs of
fluorescent primers and makes the total number of fluorescent primer pairs
distributed by the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator to 149 pairs. The selection
of the primer pairs was based on recommendations from various Pig Genome
Coordination Project participants taking into consideration the coverage of
the porcine genome and avoidance of overlapping with existing markers. The
PCR product sizes and fluorescent dyes have been chosen such that multi-
plexing is possible for the convenience of the users. All three sets
(Set I, February, 1996; Set II, September, 1996 and Set III, August, 1997)
of fluorescent primer information are integrated and can be found at
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pigmap/hufluor2.html or by going to the
general www site at http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pigmap then browse down
to the "Fluorescent primers". To request fluorescent primers, please
contact the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator at <mfrothsc@iastate.edu>. Funds
for these materials are provided by the USDA-CSREES Pig Genome Coordination
Project. Suggestions to produce additional primer pairs are still welcome.
o o o o o o o o o o o
Differential Display PCR (dd-PCR) is a powerful method for elucidating
differences and/or changes in gene expression between animals with
divergent phenotypes. This primer set consists of 10 oligo-dT anchor
antisense primers with different 2-base extensions on the 3' end, and 20
arbitrary 10-mer sense primers (5'), yielding a total of 200 primer
combinations for screening cDNA populations. Each anchor primer has T7
sequence on the 5' end, while each arbitrary primer has M13 sequence on the
5' end. These extensions allow for simplified reamplification, sequencing,
and expression studies of bands of interest. The set was put together by
Daniel Pomp and is available for distribution. Given the more limited
production of these primers, priority for distribution will be NC-210
members and pig gene researchers. If interested, please request primers
from the Pig Genome Coordinator at mfrothsc@iastate.edu.
o o o o o o o o o o o
The pig genome database is expanding. The new generic single species
database (Arkdb) developed by the Bioinformatics group at the Roslin
Institute has been implemented for pig genome mapping data. The database
has grown considerably (thanks to Alison Brown (Roslin) and Lizhen Wang
(Iowa) who are performing the curation efforts at Roslin and Ames). At
present there are nearly 500 citations, over 1500 loci, 345 clones, 82
libraries and 3 linkage and 1 physical maps in the database. At present
PiGBASE is only mounted on the Roslin Institute genome server [URL =
http://www.ri.bbsrc.ac.uk/ pigmap/pigbase/pigbase.html] or [URL =
http://www.ri.bbsrc.ac.uk/cgi-bin/arkdb/browsers/browser.sh?species=pig].
It is planned that a mirror copy of the database will be mounted at one or
more sites in North America beginning with Iowa State this fall.
Meanwhile, there are of course links to PiGBASE from the US Pig Genome
Coordinator's page [URL = http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pigmap/pigmap.html].
Editorial responsibility for the new pig genome database will continue to be
shared by Alan Archibald (Roslin Institute) and Max Rothschild (Iowa State
University). If you have comments, questions or concerns feel free to
contact us about the new version.
o o o o o o o o o o o
Now it is the time to make your hotel reservations and travel plans for
PAGVI meeting in San Diego. The Plant and Animal Genome VI will be January
18-22, 1998 and again will be in San Diego. The organizing committee has
nearly completed the planning for next year's PAGVI. Some excellent work-
shops have been organized. Hotel accommodations for PAG-VI next January
will be limited by the Superbowl following us into San Diego on the weekend
after the meeting. Those who wish to attend PAGVI will need to get their
application forms in promptly. These have been distributed and are on the
web. If you missed PAGV, you can find the abstracts and other information
at: http://probe.nalusda.gov:8000/otherdocs/pg/pg5/allabstracts.html.
o o o o o o o o o o o
It is not too late to plan to go to Armidale. The 6th World Congress on
Quantitative Genetics Applied to Livestock meets January 10-16 in Armidale,
Australia. Gene mapping and QTL sessions are planned. Some very
interesting sessions are planned. Registrations are due in early September.
o o o o o o o o o o o
It is early but plans for the 1998 ISAG conference are underway and are
included in the ISAG (International Society for Animal Genetics) web site
(http://www.wisc.edu/animalsci/isag/index.html). The 1998 conference will
take place from August 9-14, 1998 in Auckland, New Zealand. The program is
shaping up well and looks like an exciting venue. For more detailed
information, please contact Ian Anderson via email at ebtu@manawatu.gen.nz.
Need some help to travel this next year? As in the past some limited
assistance may be available for active U.S. pig genome members to travel to
the ISAG meeting in New Zealand. If you hope to go and need some
assistance, please contact the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator soon.
o o o o o o o o o o o
Upcoming meetings:
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International Course in QTL
Detection and Marker-Assisted Selection,
Mitzpa Rachel Convention Center,
Jerusalem, Israel, August 24-Sept. 4, 1997.
Contact: Joel Weller at weller@agri.huji.ac.il.
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6th World Congress on Genetics Applied to
Livestock Production, Armidale, New South
Wales, Australia, January 12-16, 1998.
Contact: Dr. Laurie Piper at 61 67 73-3609,
Fax: 61 67 73-3611,
email: 6wcgalp@mendel.une.edu.au.
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PAGVI, January 18-22, San Diego CA.
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XXVI International Conference on Animal Genetics
is August 9-14, 1998 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Chairman of organizing committee is Ian Anderson
(ebtu@manawatu.gen.nz).
o o o o o o o o o o o
Summer is ending and so is my 4th year as Coordinator. Thanks to some
great help from U.S. pig genome scientists, administrators, foreign
colleagues (especially the PiGMaP coordinators and participants) and
several people in the pig industry the work has gone well. I am always
looking for new ideas to help facilitate the pig genome research. Please
feel free to email me or call me with suggestions. Your input is always
welcome and appreciated!
o o o o o o o o o o o
Contributions to the next Pig Genome Update, including short meeting
announcements, are always welcome. Please send by October 10.
Max F. Rothschild
U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator
225 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, ARSPaid for by funds from the
NRSP-8 USDA/CSREES sponsored Pig Genome Coordination Program.
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U.S. PIG GENOME COORDINATION PROJECT | http://www.public.iastate.edu/~pigmap
| mappers@iastate.edu
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