TARGETED DEVELOPMENT OF MICROSATELLITE MARKERS FROM THE DEFINED REGION OF BOVINE CHROMOSOME 6Q21-31

A methodical strategy for the isolation of microsatellite markers spec ific for targeted regions of bovine chromosomes is presented. The proc edure involves directed microdissection of one defined subchromosomal area, its DOP-PCR-amplification and cloning, With this approach, a lib rary specific to the BTA 6q21-31 chromosomal region was constructed. E leven unique microsatellite-containing sequences were isolated, conver ted into sequence-tagged microsatellite sites, and characterized conce rning their species-specific origin. Seven primer pairs generated bovi ne-specific PCR products and provided a set of microsatellite markers that generally revealed high informativity in the HF breed. Linkage an alysis assigned six of them to their predefined subchromosomal origin on BTA 6 corresponding to the specific rehybridization signal of the D OP-PCR product generated from the microdissected chromosome area 6q21- 31. The results underline the usefulness of the BTA 6q21-31 library fo r targeted isolation of unique sequences that are specific for the dis sected chromosomal region as demonstrated here by the isolation of mic rosatellite markers.