Pig Genome Update No. 18 May 1, 1996 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluorescent primers for genotyping are here. As a first effort a total of 63 fluorescent primer pairs are now available from the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator. Each primer pair is composed of one fluorescently labeled and one unlabelled primer. At the 1995 meeting of NC-210 (Mapping the Pig Genome) and NRSP-8 (Pig Genome Technical Committee), a committee was appointed to develop a list of microsatellite markers that would be useful as a QTL screening set with fluorescently labeled primers. The committee, composed of Brian Kirkpatrick (Wisconsin), Daniel Pomp (Nebraska) and Chris Tuggle (Iowa State) developed a list of 63 primer sets based on the following criteria: spacing throughout the genome; marker detection quality using ABI equipment; and informativeness. Much use was made of information kindly shared by Martien Groenen (Wageningen) and Denis Milan (Toulouse). We owe all these individuals a big thank you for their help! If you wish to receive a set, please contact the U.S. Pig Coordinator directly. The supply of non-fluorescent primers has been exhausted until further aliquoting is completed. Even then, only a limited set of samples is expected to be available as several primers have now been completely depleted due to the very high demand from labs in the U.S. and around the world. Got an idea to share resources? We are always looking for ideas from pig gene mappers. In the past, people have suggested sharing primers, DNA and information about databases and funds for travel. We already have accomplished many of these suggestions. Other ideas of services that can be provided as part of the coordination effort are under consideration. Your thoughts would be appreciated. The American Society of Animal Science Midwestern Section Meetings were held March 18-20 in Des Moines, Iowa. The meetings have grown in size and several gene identification, gene mapping and QTL papers were presented for pigs, cattle and sheep. Pig genome papers included a very interesting genomic scan paper which reported a possible QTL for ovulation rate in the pig, identification of the pig NRAMP gene and other candidate genes for disease resistance, functional studies with PIT1, differential display techniques to identify gene expression of the thyroid stimulating hormone beta, and HAL gene effects on meat quality. Abstracts are published and available from ASAS members or on the web at http://www.asas.org/jas.html. The International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG) meeting will be held in Tours, France from July 21-26, 1996. The meeting includes posters, special talks and several workshops. Of special interest is the Pig Gene Mapping Workshop which is held every two years under the auspices of ISAG. The workshop will be on July 22, 1996. The current ISAG pig gene mapping committee is - Alan Archibald (Roslin), Merete Fredholm (Copenhagen), Joel Gellin (Toulouse), Gary Rohrer (Clay Center) and Max Rothschild (Ames). Since travel to the meeting is expected to be expensive there may be some partial support for active members of the swine genome committee. Please contact me if you need some support. Revisions of the North Central Regional Project NC-210 "Mapping the Pig Genome" are now being discussed. This year's chair, Chris Tuggle, is asking for suggestions on the revision. It is likely that a fall meeting will be held to finalize plans for the project revision so that it can be submitted in a timely fashion. Any ideas you have please relay them to Chris at cktuggle@iastate.edu. Plant and Animal Genome V ( PAG-V) will be held January 12-16, 1997. The initial draft plan for the Plant and Animal Genome V conference is now being put together. Based on the successes of the first four PG meetings, the livestock genome community is joining the program, with both joint and separate sessions. The location is the Town & Country Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108, Phone: 1-619-291-7131, or 1-800-772-8527, FAX: 1-619-291-3584. For 1997 the hotel room rate will be $75.00 per night (single or double occupancy) plus tax. The cost of registration for both the plant and animal sessions for PAG-V will remain the same as for PG-IV: $ 325.00 advance registration if postmarked by 15 November 1996 and $ 100.00 Student (Pre-Ph.D) Registration. All registrations include one copy of the printed conference abstracts, Sunday-Thursday continental breakfasts, Sunday evening opening reception, Monday evening Wine & Cheese Reception, and Wednesday evening dinner. All administrative questions should be addressed to Darrin Scherago at Scherago International Inc., 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 1003, New York, NY 10001. Their phone number is 212-643-1750 (FAX number is 212-643-1758) and their e-mail address is pag5@scherago.com. Scherago International is the conference organizer for PAG-V. The PAG-V co-chairpersons for the Plant Sessions are Stephen Heller, USDA/ARS, Beltsville, MD; Jerome Miksche, USDA, Retired; Douglas Bigwood, USDA, NAL, Beltsville, MD; Michael Gale, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK and Susan McCouch, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. The Animal session co-chairs are: Margaret Dentine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; Max Rothschild, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; Hans Cheng, ARS, East Lansing, MI and Jay Hetzel, CSIRO, Australia. Conference co-sponsors include: USDA, ARS; USDA, NAL; Rockefeller Foundation; International Society for Plant Molecular Biology (ISPMB); USDA, NRI Competitive Grants Office and John Innes Centre. The abstracts from the previous four meetings are available on WWW at http://probe.nalusda.gov:8000. Participants are invited to submit abstracts for the poster session either in hard copy (printed form) or by e-mail. All abstracts will be reviewed. The abstract submission deadline is Monday, November 4, 1996. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated. Make your plans now to attend. Upcoming meetings: 12th European Colloquium on Cytogenetics in Domestic Animals, Zaragoza, Spain June 25-28, 1996, contact M. Victoria Arruga 34-76-76-16-62. XXV International Conference on Animal Genetics, International Society of Animal Genetics, Vinci Congress Centre, Tours, France, July 21-26, 1996, contact guerin@biotech.jouy.inra.fr for details Allerton II, Genetic Analysis of Economically Important Traits in Livestock, Allerton Park, Illinois, November 1996, contact h-lewin@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu for details Animal Genome Meeting (in conjunction with Plant and Animal Genome V), San Diego, Ca, January 12-15, 1997, see future Angenmap announcements for details Gordon Conference on Quantitative Genetics, Ventura, Ca, February 9-14, 1997, contact M. Dentine at dentine@calshp.cals.wisc.edu 9th International Congress on Genes, Gene Families and Isozymes, San Antonio, TX , contact isozyme@darwin.sfbr.org for details Contributions to Pig Genome Update 19 including short meeting announcements are always welcome. Please send by the 10th of June. 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 Paid for by funds from the NRSP-8 USDA/CSREES sponsored pig genome coordination program ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Return to Previous Menu