A Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus Aethiops) Genetic Map

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal to develop an integrated genetic resource for investigations of complex traits in the vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops), also known as the African Green monkey. Studies of non-human primates are invaluable for furthering understanding of a wide range of human diseases and traits, especially complex behaviors. The utility of such studies derives from the fact that humans are much more similar to other primates than they are to commonly used mammalian model organisms such as the mouse. The vervet is widely used in biomedical research, particularly for investigation of complex behavioral traits. A captive population at the UCLA-VA Vervet Monkey Research Colony (VMRC) contains a large number of normally reared animals in an extended six-generation pedigree, with most relationships verified by DNA marker typing. Sub-sections of this pedigree will be genotyped to construct two related genetic maps. The first map consists of about 600 human microsatellite markers that cover most of the human genome, and that have already been shown to be polymorphic in vervets under standard genotyping conditions. The relative location of these markers in the vervet genome will be confirmed by multipoint linkage analyses and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Additional markers will be chosen to minimize the number of large gaps (greater than 15 cM) in the genetic map. A complementary map will consist of up to 2000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) drawn from the 3? end of genes. These maps will be used by the scientific community for genetic mapping studies of complex traits in the VMRC pedigree and in vervet populations sited at several other locations. A large insert clone library that we will construct will anchor the genetic maps to the vervet genome and will facilitate the identification of genes that are implicated in predisposition to particular vervet traits. This library will also be useful for investigators who wish to study use of a vervet model to study particular candidate genes identified from investigations of humans.