Combining Genetic Screening Methods Saves Time

A recently published report described the use of microarray technology that allowed efficient, objective, and quantitative evaluation of genes identified by quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and has the potential to reduce the overall effort needed in identifying genes causally associated with quantitative traits of interest. The report appeared November 1, 2002, in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN, USA) and the University of Florida (Gainesville, USA) merged two established genetic-screening techniques in their study of the genetics of Drosophila ovarioles. They were attempting to identify the regions in the fruit fly genome containing the genes responsible for the number of ovarioles.

Drosophila has about 14,000 genes. Use of QTL mapping allowed the investigators to reduce the number of candidate genes first to about 5,000 and then, after refinement, down to a few hundred. Application of RNA microarray technology further trimmed this number down to 34.

The authors hope that the blending of technologies described in this study will serve as a guide to researchers seeking to save thousands of dollars and years of work in finding candidate genes for specific inherited diseases.



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