An expanded comparative map of bovine chromosome 27 targeting dairy form QTL regions

At present, the density of genes on the bovine maps is extremely limited and current resolution of the human-bovine comparative map is insufficient for selection of candidate genes controlling many economic traits of interest in dairy cattle. This study describes the chromosomal mapping of 10 selected gene-associated markers to bovine linkage and radiation hybrid maps to improve the breakpoint resolution in the human-bovine comparative map near two previously identified quantitative trait loci for the linear type trait, dairy form. Two regions of conserved synteny not previously described are reported between the telomeric region of bovine chromosome 27 (BTA27) and human chromosome 3 (HSA3) p24 region and between the HSA4q34.1 region and BTA8. These data increase the number of genes positioned on the bovine gene maps, refine the human-bovine comparative map, and should improve the efficiency of candidate gene selection for the dairy form trait in cattle.