Toward developing a genome-wide microsatellite marker set for linkage analysis in the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta): Identification of 76 polymorphic markers

Linkage analysis can be problematic in humans because of the lack of large, multigenerational pedigrees and the difficulties in obtaining phenotypic d ata on all family members. In contrast, large, captive colonies of rhesus m acaque are a potentially valuable resource for linkage studies because deta iled phenotypic and genealogical data are kept, inbreeding is avoided, and DNA samples can usually be obtained. Microsatellite marker sets for genome- wide screening are available in a number of species, but not for the rhesus macaque. We tested primers to 400 human microsatellite markers from a geno me-wide mapping set using DNA from nine unrelated female rhesus macaques. W e found that 76 (19%) of the primers amplified a polymorphic product using the standard protocols for human DNA. The average heterozygosity of the mar kers in humans was 0.80, compared to 0.65 in the rhesus macaques. This stud y provides preliminary data, which could be used toward the development of a linkage mapping set in this species. There would be a need, however, to c onfirm the Mendelian inheritance of the markers. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.