ABSTRACT

In this chapter we will study the various ways in which genome maps are constructed. A genome map, like any other type of map, indicates the positions of interesting features and other important landmarks. In a genome map, these features and landmarks are genes and other distinctive DNA sequences. Although a variety of techniques can be used to map genes and other DNA landmarks, the convention is to look on genome mapping as comprising two complementary approaches:

Genetic mapping (Sections 3.2–3.4), also called linkage analysis, is based on the use of genetic techniques, including planned breeding experiments or, in the case of humans, the examination of family histories (also called pedigrees).

Physical mapping (Sections 3.5 and 3.6) uses molecular biology techniques to examine DNA molecules directly in order to identify the positions of sequence features, including genes.