Genomic Selection Flashcards
What is genomics?
study of how the genome (DNA) of any species is organized and expressed as traits
Why are livestock and poultry genomes sequenced?
to understand how various genes function
What have new technologies allowed for?
examination of an organism’s genome as a whole rather than 1 gene at a time
Applications in genetic improvement?
- find easily detected genetic differences among animals
- develop SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) panels to detect those differences
- relate SNP differences to productivity differences
- rank animals on their economic merit
- use best animals as parents of the next generation
What animals is genomics used for? (has federal support)
- cattle
- sheep
- swine
- poultry
- horses
- aquaculture
How do we use genomics?
- identify DNA sequences associated with disease resistance and production traits
- animals can be evaluated as soon as DNA can be obtained (even before birth)
- best animals to be parents can be determined earlier and more accurately
What do genetic markers allow for?
inheritance to be followed in a region across generations
What is the marker of choice?
SNPs
Why is 770K Chip used?
- allows predictions to be less breed specific
- higher SNP density than 50K chip
Are markers required to be part of a gene?
no
What are gene markers?
segment of DNA at a unique physical location in the genome that varies sufficiently between individuals that its inheritance can be tracked through families
What have genomics revolutionalized?
animal breeding
What is genomic selection used extensively in?
dairy cattle breeding
What has been important for genomics success?
international collaboration
What do high quality genotypes do?
support detection of parentage and other errors
