APPLICATION OF DNA-FINGERPRINTING TO INVESTIGATION OF GENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LABORATORY RABBIT STRAINS

It is well known that laboratory rabbits are not controlled geneticall y like laboratory mice and rats. In order to test the usefulness of DN A fingerprinting in investigation of genetic uniformity of the laborat ory rabbits strains and their relationships, we applied DNA fingerprin ting using bacteriophage M13 probe to five strains (2 inbreds (JWY-NIB S and DuY-NIBS) and 3 outbreds (JW-NIBS, Icl : JW and WHHL)). DNA fing erprints of 2 inbred strains showed the same banding patterns within e ach strain but the strain-specific patterns. Although there were no ra bbits showing the same banding patterns in 3 outbred strains, average percent differences (APD) were 13.7 to 18.6. A dendrogram based on APD of DNA fingerprints was constructed by 2 large clusters, JW group and DuY. The dendrogram was essentially similar to that based on rabbit m andible measurements. These results suggest that DNA fingerprinting is available not only for the genetic monitoring of the laboratory rabbi t strains but also for the investigation of their genetic relationship s.