Integration of the Aedes aegypti mosquito genetic linkage and physical maps

Two approaches were used to correlate the Aedes aegypti genetic linkage map to the physical map. STS markers were developed for previously mapped RFLP -based genetic markers so that large genomic clones from cosmid libraries c ould be found and placed to the metaphase chromosome physical maps using st andard FISH methods. Eight cosmids were identified that contained eight RFL P marker sequences, and these cosmids were located on the metaphase chromos omes. Twenty-one cDNAs were mapped directly to metaphase chromosomes using a FISH amplification procedure. The chromosome numbering schemes of the gen etic linkage and physical maps corresponded directly and the orientations o f the genetic linkage maps for chromosomes 2 and 3 were inverted relative t o the physical maps. While the chromosome 2 linkage map represented essenti ally 100% of chromosome 2, similar to 65% of the chromosome 1 linkage map m apped to only 36% of the short p-arm and 83% of the chromosome 3 physical m ap contained the complete genetic linkage map. Since the genetic linkage ma p is a RFLP cDNA-based map, these data also provide a minimal estimate for the size of the euchromatic regions. The implications of these findings on positional cloning in A. aegypti are discussed.