GENETIC LINKAGE MAPPING IN RHESUS MACAQUES

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Rhesus macaques are the most commonly used nonhuman primate in biomedical research. This species is used as a model organism for a wide range of human diseases, and it is widely acknowledged that genomic information, including genetic linkage maps, for rhesus monkeys would constitute an important resource for a large number of biomedical studies. This project is developing a resource (a genetic linkage map) that will make rhesus monkeys more valuable for a wide variety of research projects, especially the analysis of the genetic basis of common human diseases. The objective is to produce a linkage map of the rhesus genome with average spacing among markers of less than 5 centiMorgans. The markers (polymorphisms) to be used to map the rhesus chromosomes will consist of two types: a) human microsatellite loci already mapped in the humane genome, and b) novel rhesus-derived microsatellites identified and characterized using the rhesus whole genome DNA sequence. Using a significant number of human loci to map rhesus chromosomes will produce a rhesus genetic map that can be readily compared with the human genome map, while adding rhesus-derived loci will increase marker density and thus the information content. We have identified several multi-generation families of rhesus monkeys that are suitable for linkage analysis. More than 1000 rhesus monkeys are used for this project, including animals from the Oregon National Primate Research Center colony and the SNPRC colony.