Poster 35
Presenter: Richard Wang
Wednesday, 3:00 – 5:00pm
Richard Wang and Bret A. Payseur Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Meiotic recombination is a fundamental genetic process involving the reciprocal exchange of genetic material and the formation of chiasmata between homologous chromosomes during gametogenesis. This process not only creates new haplotypes, but is necessary for the proper segregation of chromosomes in most eukaryotes. The rate at which recombination occurs across the genome is a quantitative trait that can vary dramatically between species, populations, and even individuals. One of the ways in which this trait can be measured is through immunohistochemistry; meiotic cells from an individual are isolated and stained for proteins associated with a recombination breakpoint. The number of recombination events in each cell, and the average for an individual, can be directly observed under a microscope. Here, we present preliminary data using this technique on mice from a unique F2 cross between the WSB strain and the Gough Island mouse. The Gough mice are derived from a wild, invasive population of mice from a remote island in the south Atlantic. In addition to distinct differences in body size and feeding behavior, the Gough mice have an elevated level of recombination relative to the WSB strain. We will use our data from this F2 cross to map the genetic loci underlying the difference in recombination rates.