Restriction landmark genomic scanning (RLGS) was originally proposed a
s a high-speed method for surveying a large number of restriction land
marks in genomic DNA. The effort to apply this method to genetic analy
sis has been made, resulting in developing the new approach for the ra
pid construction of the genetic map of complex mammalian genomes (RLGS
spot mapping). Especially, the use of NotI as the restriction landmar
k for genetic studies suggests that there is a high probability that a
significant number of these RLGS loci will be associated with CpG isl
ands of functional genes. Moreover, it is possible to use the RLGS spo
t mapping to analyze genetic map-poor species very rapidly for linkage
of recessive mutations or segregating traits, because it does not rel
y upon cloned probes or sequences. In this paper, we summarize the pro
gress that has been made in the practical application of the RLGS meth
od to genetic analysis using congenic strains, recombinant inbred (RI)
strains, and in interspecific backcrosses of mice.