Genetic Analysis and Linkage Mapping in a Resource Pig Population Using Microsatellite Markers

The use of markers and linkage map construction are important for QTL mapping in pigs. In this article, the genetic characteristics were studied and the linkage map was constructed in a pig resource population including 214 individuals by typing 39 microsatellite marker loci on Sus scrofa chromosomes, SSC4, SSC6, SSC7, SSC8, and SSC13. Results indicated that the average allele number, the average observed heterozygosity (Ho), and the average polymorphism information content (PIC) in F1 and F2 population were 3.2, 0.528, 0.463 and 3.2, 0.496, 0.447, respectively. In the pig resource population, the average informative meiosis (IM) was 217.4 (44-316), and the average linkage map length between the two sexes on the five chromosomes were 172.3 cM (SSC4), 168.7 cM (SSC6), 191.7 cM (SSC7), 197.3 cM (SSC8), and 178.3 cM (SSC13). The orders of microsatellite marker loci in the linkage maps were identical to, but the length was greater than, those of USDA-MARC reference map. The results of this research showed the genetic relationship and genetic characteristics of the microsatellite markers in the pig resource family population, and the linkage map could be used to for QTL mapping in the subsequent study.