Pig Genome Update No. 21

November 1, 1996


The North Central Regional Project NC-210 "Mapping the Pig Genome" committee met on October 17-18 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dr. Daniel Pomp was the host of the meeting. The purpose was to revise the regional project and prepare the revision for submittal at the end of the year. The new NC-210 project will be focused on finding the individual genes that affect traits of economic performance and in gene expression and gene function research in the pig. The meeting was well attended by people from ARS-BARC, Brigham Young University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, and the administrative advisors. A very well completed version of the new project proposal was prepared. The new project is designed to encourage closer collaboration between geneticists and physiologists and will have some new members. If you are interested in joining this effort please contact Dr. Chris Tuggle (cktuggle@iastate.edu) very soon.

Allerton II via satellite! You have a wonderful opportunity to participate in a two and one-half hour international satellite seminar in November. Dr. Harris Lewin of the University of Illinois and Dr. James Chiapetta, Merchant-Gould, Minneapolis, MN will co-moderate this session coming to you through the A*DEC distance education telecommunications network. The satellite seminar is a component of the larger Allerton II Conference on Genetic Analysis of Economically Important Traits in Livestock. You can find more about the full conference and registration on the A*DEC WorldWideWeb page - URL: http://www.adec.edu. Just click on Allerton II. The satellite coordinates are: C-Band: Telstar 401, Transponder: C07 (Vertical), Downlink Frequency: 3840 MHz. Ku-Band: Telstar 401, Transponder: K12 (Horizontal), Downlink Frequency: 12046 MHz. Time of the transmission is: U.S. Eastern Standard Time - 7:30 p.m. with starting and ending of the seminar being 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Time is GMT -5).

Plant and Animal Genome V (PAG-V) - NAGRP- NC-210 will be January 12-16, 1997, San Diego, CA. As noted previously, the next NAGRP meeting will be held January 12-16, 1997 at the Town & Country Hotel (1-800-772-8527) in San Diego as part of the Plant and Animal Genome V (PAG-V) meeting. A meeting of NC-210 will be held and on Sunday, January 12 as a preliminary workshop of PAG-V (the agenda is being prepared by Chris Tuggle). PAG-V will include Plenary Sessions in areas such as New Technologies, QTLs, Gene Discovery and Characterization, Comparative Map Based Analysis, Gene and Chromosome Organization, and Genome Diversity. Poster Sessions and the combined NRSP-8 (NAGRP) Business Meeting will also be included. Advance registration will be $325 ($100 for predoctoral students), and the hotel room rate will be $75.00 plus tax (single or double occupancy). Abstract submission deadline is Nov. 4, 1996. Abstracts should be submitted on-line at http://probe/nalusda.gov:8000, which has examples abstracts from PG-IV and the preliminary conference agenda. All administrative questions, including requests for the registration brochure, should be directed to Scherago International, Inc.; 212-643-1750; email pag5@scherago.com. Some Pig Genome Coordination funds will be available to assist with travel costs to PAG-V, especially for those NC-210 members who don't have Experiment Station travel support (contact Max Rothschild if interested).

Other meetings to consider include the Gordon Research Conference on "Quantitative Genetics and Biochemistry" which is February 9-14, 1997 in Ventura, California. The program appears to be excellent. The National Swine Improvement Federation and the Ontario Carcass Symposium will be holding a joint meeting to talk about genetic improvement and meat quality. Talks on gene mapping and genetics of meat quality will be part of the program. (For details on both meetings see Upcoming events on next page).

1997 USDA National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program has been announced. The Program Description and Application Kit can be accessed at http://www.reeusda.gov or can be obtained by phone at 202-401-5048 or by email at psb@reeusda.gov.

A second set of fluorescently labeled primers for pig microsatellites is now available. The second set contains 33 primer pairs bringing the total number of available fluorescent primers to 96. Information about all the primers can be found at the U.S. Pig Gene Mapping web site (http://www.genome.iastate.edu). Fluorescent primer set 2 can be obtained by sending a request to the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator (mfrothsc@iastate.edu). Also, a limited number of fluorescent primer set 1 are still available. Funds for these materials are provided by the USDA-CSREES Pig Genome Coordination Project. Suggestions to produce additional primer pairs are also welcome. This next year's goal will be to make at least an additional 50 pairs.

Got an idea to share resources? We are always looking for ideas from pig gene mappers. In the past, people have suggested sharing primers, DNA and information about databases and funds for travel. We already have accomplished many of these suggestions. Other ideas of services that can be provided as part of the coordination effort are under consideration. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Upcoming meetings:

Allerton II, Genetic Analysis of Economically Important Traits in Livestock, 
        Allerton Park, Illinois, November 1996, 
        contact  h-lewin@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu for details.
NSIF and the Ontario Carcass Symposium, December 5-7,1996, Ottawa, 
        Ontario, contact Max Rothschild.
Animal Genome Meeting (in conjunction with Plant and Animal Genome V), San
        Diego, CA, January 12-15, 1997, see future Angenmap
        announcements for details.
Gordon Conference on Quantitative Genetics, Doubletree Hotel, Ventura, Ca, 
        February 9-14, 1997, contact Gordon research Council, University
        of Rhode Island, P.O. Box. 984, West Kingston, RI 02892-0984.
9th International Congress on Genes, Gene Families and Isozymes, San
        Antonio, TX , contact isozyme@darwin.sfbr.org for details.
Transgenic Animals in Agriculture, Granlibakken Conference Center, Tahoe
        City, CA, August 24-27, 1997; 
        see http://pubweb.ucdavis.edu/Documents/BIOTECH/biotech1.htm.
International Course in QTL Detection and Marker-Assisted Selection,
        Mitzpa Rachel Convention Center, Jerusalem, Israel, August
        24-Sept. 4, 1997 (dates tentative).  Contact: Joel Weller at weller@agri.huji.ac.il.
6th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Armidale,
        New South Wales,Australia, January 12-16, 1998.  Contact: 
        Dr. Laurie Piper at 61 67 73-3609, 
	Fax:  61 67 73-3611, 
	email: 6wcgalp@mendel.une.edu.au.

Contributions to Pig Genome Update 22 including short meeting announcements are always welcome. Please send by the December 10.

                    Max Rothschild
                    U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator
                    225 Kildee Hall, Department of Animal Science
                    Iowa State University
                    Ames, Iowa 50011
                    Phone: 515-294-6202, Fax: 515-294-2401
                    mfrothsc@iastate.edu

cc: Dick Frahm, CSREES and Roger Gerrits, ARS

U.S. PIG GENOME COORDINATION PROJECT
Paid for by funds from the NRSP-8 USDA/CSREES sponsored Pig Genome Coordination Program
http://www.genome.iastate.edu
Mailing list: angenmap@iastate.edu


© US Pig Genome Coordination Program