Energy News  
New Tool To Fast-Track Genetic Gain In Sheep

Sheep in Australia
by Staff Writers
Canberra, Australia (SPX) Jan 16, 2009
Scientists from CSIRO are part of an international team to launch a new genomic tool which is set to transform the future selection and breeding of sheep around the world. Called the Ovine SNP50 BeadChip, this cutting-edge tool will enable researchers to characterise the genetic variation at more than 50,000 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) in the sheep genome.

This will help pinpoint the small genetic differences that produce a variety of commercially important traits in sheep such as improved growth rate, fertility, parasite resistance, and healthier meat products.

The research has been undertaken by the International Sheep Genomics Consortium (ISGC). This partnership of scientists and funding agencies is developing a range of publicly available genomic resources to help scientists find the genes and develop DNA markers associated with traits critical to the sheep meat and wool industries in their countries.

Working in partnership with Illumina, Inc., a global company headquartered in San Diego California, the Ovine SNP50 BeadChip has today been made available to research groups.

According to ISGC Secretary and CSIRO Livestock Industries molecular geneticist Dr James Kijas, there has been extremely strong demand from scientists for the SNP chip.

"In Australia, the priority is to use the new tool to speed up the development of genetic markers which will fast-track genetic gain, providing major benefits for producers," he said.

"In addition, scientists will use the chip to help unravel the process of sheep domestication and impact of selection. A major aim of the ISGC is to use the chip to collect data from over 60 breeds of sheep and their wild relatives. This will tell us a lot about the history of the species and reveal which parts of the genome have been under selection for economically important traits," Dr Kijas said.

The initial sheep genome sequencing was performed in parallel at the Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand and the Human Genome Sequencing Centre at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, with additional sequencing subsequently undertaken by Illumina.

The genome assembly, SNP detection and selection of SNP was undertaken jointly by groups at AgResearch and CSIRO and used by Illumina to create the Ovine SNP50 BeadChip.

The Baylor sequencing, Illumina sequencing and Australian contribution to the data analysis was financed by an Australian Government International Science Linkages Grant, SheepGenomics (a joint initiative of Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation Ltd), CSIRO and the University of Sydney.

The New Zealand work is part of AgResearch and Meat and Wool NZ's Ovita investment. Additional contributions were provided by Genesis-Faraday from the United Kingdom and USDA funding to Utah State University.

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
- Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Indonesia to allow trawling despite overfishing fears
Jakarta (AFP) Jan 15, 2009
Indonesia will allow trawling in selected areas for the first time in 30 years despite concerns about overfishing, an official said Thursday.







  • Terra-Gen Power Buys Renewable Energy Projects From Airstream Energy
  • Analysis: Ukraine's Soviet energy legacy
  • Xcel Energy Announces All-Source Generation RFP For Its Colorado Customers
  • Analysis: Nigerian forces kill gang leader

  • Germany reports damage at nuclear waste storage site
  • Progress Energy Florida Signs Contract For New, Advanced-Design Nuclear Plant
  • Japan eyes restarting controversial 'dream nuclear reactor'
  • Slovakia postpones reactivating nuclear reactor

  • Does Global Warming Lead To A Change In Upper Atmospheric Transport
  • Greenhouse gas emissions study released
  • Research Into Fair-Weather Clouds Important In Climate Predictions
  • ESA Tests Laser To Measure Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

  • Philippines orders South Korean firm to design hotel around trees
  • Experts plead to save tropical forests in peril
  • Canada's forests not helping environment
  • Scam artists sell 'forest' lands in barren northern China

  • China couple first to take milk payout: state media
  • New Tool To Fast-Track Genetic Gain In Sheep
  • Indonesia to allow trawling despite overfishing fears
  • Climate Change And Food Supplies

  • Ford starts making Fiesta in China
  • No flying cars at this year's Detroit auto show
  • China's BYD to bring plug-in hybrid, electric cars to US in 2011
  • Recession got you down? Buy a hybrid

  • Heathrow expansion to get green light despite protests: reports
  • Cathay defers completion of new cargo terminal due to downturn
  • Britons sign up to own land earmarked for Heathrow expansion
  • Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's skycar

  • Nuclear Power In Space - Part 2
  • Nuclear Power In Space
  • Outside View: Nuclear future in space

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement