The use of mRNA transcripts and variation in transcript levels for the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) pertaining to a desired trait within an organism

摘要

Described is a method for identifying one or more regions within a genome of a non human organism of interest that mediate the expression of one or more genes of interest. The method comprises identifying a first and a second organism of interest, the first organism of interest is characterized by exhibiting a measurable response to an environmental stimulus, or otherwise exhibiting a phenotype associated with differential gene expression associated with a process of interest. The second organism of interest is characterized by lacking or not exhibiting as strong a response to the stimulus as that observed within the first organism of interest, or it exhibits a different phenotype compared with that of the first organism of interest, wherein the different phenotype is associated with the process of interest, or it exhibits a phenotype of interest that segregates when compared with the first organism of interest, or a combination thereof. The first and second organisms of interest are crossed to produce a population of segregated progeny and RNA is extracted from each of the segregated progeny. The level of gene expression for one or more genes of interest that are associated with the response to an environmental stimulus, or process of interest is quantified.