U.S. patent application number 12/448463 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-07 for artificial selection method and reagents.
Invention is credited to Michael Gooddard, Ben Hayes.
Application Number | 20120144508 12/448463 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39536762 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120144508 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hayes; Ben ; et al. |
June 7, 2012 |
ARTIFICIAL SELECTION METHOD AND REAGENTS
Abstract
The present invention provides methods for estimating the
breeding value of individuals in populations such as those having
small effective population size (Ne) e.g., to identify selection
candidates having high breeding values, wherein the methods
comprise inferring one or more genotypes for one or more markers at
a locus or QTL to be the same as for an ancestor or founder or a
subset of ancestors and/or founders from which a corresponding
chromosome segment is derived and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotype(s).
Inventors: |
Hayes; Ben; (Victoria,
AU) ; Gooddard; Michael; (Victoria, AU) |
Family ID: |
39536762 |
Appl. No.: |
12/448463 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
December 21, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU2007/002006 |
371 Date: |
March 8, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60876623 |
Dec 21, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
800/8 ;
702/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C12Q 1/68 20130101; A01K
67/02 20130101; C12Q 1/6888 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
800/8 ;
702/20 |
International
Class: |
A01K 67/00 20060101
A01K067/00; G06F 19/20 20110101 G06F019/20 |
Claims
1. A method of artificial selection for a single gene or locus,
said method comprising genotyping an individual in a current
population for the presence or absence of one or more informative
markers in a chromosome segment comprising a gene or locus of
interest, inferring genotypes for the one or more markers at the
locus or QTL to be the same as for an ancestor or founder from
which the chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the
breeding value of the individual based on the inferred genotype,
wherein the ancestor or founder is an ancestor or founder providing
a significant long term genetic contribution to the current
population and wherein the genotype of the ancestor or founder for
the one or more informative markers and for the locus or QTL is
substantially known.
2. A method of artificial selection for one or more loci or QTL
said method comprising genotyping an individual in a current
population for the presence or absence of one or more informative
markers in one or more chromosome segments each containing one or
more loci or QTL of interest, inferring genotypes at the one or
more loci or QTL to be the same as for an ancestor or founder from
which a chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding
value of the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein
one or more ancestors and/or founders is an ancestor or founder
providing a significant long term genetic contribution to the
current population, and wherein the genotypes of the one or more
ancestors and/or founders for the one or more informative markers
and for the loci or QTL are substantially known.
3. A method of artificial selection comprising genotyping an
individual in a current population for the presence or absence of
one or more informative markers in a plurality of chromosome
segments, inferring genotypes of each chromosome segment to be the
same as for one or more ancestors and/or founders from which the
chromosome segments are derived, and estimating the breeding value
of the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein each
ancestor or founder is an ancestor or founder providing a
significant long term genetic contribution to the current
population and wherein the genotypes of the one or more ancestors
and/or founders for one or more informative markers are
substantially known.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said method comprises:
(i) optionally, determining a minimum set of ancestors and/or
founders representative of the current population; (ii) optionally,
genotyping one or more ancestors and/or founders for known markers;
(iii) genotyping an individual in a current population for the
presence or absence of one or more informative markers in one or a
plurality of chromosome segments; (iv) optionally, tracing the
lineages of the one or plurality of chromosome segments back to one
or more ancestors and/or founders from which they are derived; (v)
inferring genotypes of each chromosome segment to be the same as
for one or more ancestors and/or founders from which the chromosome
segments are derived; and (vi) estimating the breeding value of the
individual based on the inferred genotypes.
5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising tracing the
lineage of the one or more chromosome segment(s) back to one or
more ancestors and/or founders from which they are derived.
6. The method according to claim 5, comprising tracing individual
chromosome segments in members of the current population back to
the key ancestors and/or founders by a process comprising tracing
chromosome segments in selection candidates of the current
population to one or more immediate ancestors and/or founders using
a small number of markers and tracing the chromosome segments in
the immediate ancestors and/or founders to corresponding chromosome
segments in one or more key ancestors and/or founders.
7. The method of claim 5, comprising tracing the chromosome
segments in the immediate ancestors and/or founders back to the
chromosome segments in the key ancestors and/or founders using
markers.
8. The method according to claim 2, wherein said method comprises:
(i) genotyping an individual in a current population for the
presence or absence of one or more informative markers in one or a
plurality of chromosome segments; (ii) optionally, determining a
minimum set of ancestors and/or founders representative of the
current population; (iii) tracing the lineages of the plurality of
chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors and/or founders
from which they are derived; (iv) optionally, genotyping one or
more ancestors and/or founders for known markers; (v) inferring
genotypes of each chromosome segment to be the same as for one or
more ancestors and/or founders from which the chromosome segments
are derived; and (vi) estimating the breeding value of the
individual based on the inferred genotypes.
9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the population is a
population of plants having a small effective population size.
10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the population is a
population of animals having a small effective population size.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the population is a
population of animals having a small effective population size
being selected from cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish and
crustaceans.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the population is a
population of Holstein cattle.
13. The method according to claim 2, wherein the markers within
each chromosome segment are in linkage disequilibrium.
14. The method according to claim 2, wherein the markers are
selected from an allele, haplotype, haplogroup, locus, quantitative
trait locus, polymorphism, STR and combinations thereof.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the markers are
single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs).
16. The method according to claim 2, to further comprising
inferring the pedigree of the individual from markers that are used
to trace chromosome segments.
17. The method according to claim 2, wherein the pedigree of
individual is known.
18. The method according to claim 2, further comprising
characterizing the ancestors and/or founders by genotyping one or
more ancestors and/or founders for known markers.
19. The method according to claim 2, further comprising identifying
the ancestors and/or founders.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the ancestors and/or
founders are determined by determining a minimum set of ancestors
and/or founders representative of the current population.
21. The method according to claim 2, wherein the genome sequences
of the key ancestors and/or founders are known and wherein said
method comprises inferring genome sequences of individuals in the
current population.
22. A computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of estimated
breeding values for one or more individuals of a population having
a small effective population size and optionally comprising data
selected from the group consisting of: data on ancestors and/or
founders of individuals in the current population; data on
individuals in the current population; data on chromosome segments
for individuals in the current population; data on chromosome
segments for ancestors and/or founders of individuals in the
current population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome
segment(s) for individuals in the current population; data on
marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for ancestors and/or
founders; data on lineages between the marker genotype(s) and/or
chromosome segment(s); and combinations thereof, wherein the
estimated breeding values are obtained by performing the method
according to claim 2.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the marker
genotype(s) of one or more ancestors are arrayed in linkage
groups.
24. A computer system for use in artificial selection comprising:
(i) a database of estimated breeding values for one or more
individuals of a population having a small effective population
size and optionally comprising data selected from the group
consisting of: data on ancestors and/or founders for individuals;
data on chromosome segments for individuals in the current
population; data on chromosome segments for ancestors and/or
founders of individuals in the current population; data on marker
genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for individuals in the current
population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for
ancestors and/or founders; data on lineages between the marker
genotype(s) and/or chromosome segment(s); and combinations thereof,
wherein the estimated breeding values are obtained by performing
the method according to claim 2; and (ii) a user interface allowing
a user to input data pertaining to an individual and/or query the
database and/or display results of a database query.
25. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein the marker
genotype(s) of one or more ancestors and/or founders are arrayed in
linkage groups.
26. The computer system according to claim 24, wherein the data
pertaining to an individual are selected from data on chromosome
segment, genetic marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide
sequence, nucleotide occurrences for the individual and
combinations thereof.
27. (canceled)
28. A process for producing genetic gain in a population comprising
performing the method according to claim 2 and selecting an
individual having a high estimated breeding value from a
population.
29. The process of claim 28, comprising obtaining reproductive or
regenerative material from the selected individual.
30. Reproductive or regenerative material obtained by performing
the process of claim 29.
31-35. (canceled)
36. A process for producing genetic gain in a population
comprising: (i) performing the method according to claim 2 to
thereby estimate the breeding value of one or more individuals in a
population; (ii) selecting an individual from (i) having a high
estimated breeding value; (iii) obtaining reproductive or
regenerative material from the selected individual; and (iv)
producing one or more individuals or one or more generations of
individuals from the reproductive or regenerative material.
37. A non-human produced by performing the method of claim 36.
38. A method for determining a set of ancestors and/or founders
that is representative of a current population having a small
effective population size, said method comprising determining the
long term contributions of ancestors and/or founders to the
population with reference to pedigrees of individuals of the
current population and selecting those individuals providing the
largest long term contributions to the current population such that
the smallest number of ancestors and/or founders is selected to
substantially describe the variance in the current population.
39. A computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of one or more sets
of ancestors and/or founders that are representative of one or more
current populations having a small effective population size
produced by performing the method according to claim 38, and
optionally comprising additional data selected from the group
consisting of: data on actual or estimated breeding values for one
or more ancestors and/or founders; data on chromosome segments for
ancestors of individuals in the current population; data on one or
more markers contained within one or more chromosome segments for
ancestors and/or founders of individuals in the current population;
and combinations thereof.
40. A computer system for use in artificial selection comprising:
(i) a database of one or more sets of ancestors and/or founders
that are representative of one or more current populations having a
small effective population size produced by performing the method
according to claim 38, and optionally comprising additional data
selected from the group consisting of: data on actual or estimated
breeding values for one or more ancestors and/or founders; data on
chromosome segments for ancestors and/or founders of individuals in
the current population; data on one or more markers contained
within one or more chromosome segments for ancestors and/or
founders of individuals in the current population and combinations
thereof; and (ii) a user interface allowing a user to input data
pertaining to an individual and/or query the database and/or
display results of a database query.
41. The computer system according to claim 40, wherein marker
genotype(s) of one or more ancestors and/or founders are arrayed in
linkage groups.
42. The computer system according to claim 40, wherein the data
pertaining to an individual are selected from data on chromosome
segment, genetic marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide
sequence, nucleotide occurrences for the individual and
combinations thereof.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application is claims priority under the Paris
Convention to U.S. Ser. No. 60/876,623 filed in the United States
Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 21, 2006, the details of which
are incorporated herein in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
artificial selection, including the breeding of
commercially-important animals and plants, and more specifically to
methods and reagents for marker-assisted selection in animals and
plants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Artificial selection programs are mainly concerned with
increasing genetic gain by virtue of the contributions of more
genes from "good" ancestors. The traditional means for determining
genetic gain expresses gain as the product of selection intensity,
accuracy, and genetic standard deviation defined in a single
generation. Woolliams et al., Genetics 153, 1009-1020 (1999) showed
that the process of contributing genes to a population involves
more than a single generation and that sustained gain depends on
Mendelian sampling variation entering the population in each
generation. Put simply, genetic gain from artificial selection will
be related to the genetic long-term contribution of an ancestor to
the population as well as the marginal breeding value of an
individual, thereby linking genetic gain to pedigree
development.
[0004] For centuries, artificial selection has been entirely based
on phenotype. Whilst this has proven useful, it is time-consuming
and expensive. In particular, artificial selection based on
phenotype may use progeny testing wherein the estimated breeding
value of an individual is determined by performing multiple matings
of the individual and determining the performance of the progeny
for a particular trait or phenotypic character. For example,
Schaeffer J. Anim. Breed. Genet 123, 218-223 (2006) estimated that
the time taken to prove one Holstein bull takes approximately 64
months from conception to first proof, assuming a 9 month gestation
period and that young bulls are test mated at one year of age and
females are mated at 15 months of age. In this example, the total
cost of proving one bull was estimated at about US $40,000,
including the cost of housing and feeding the bull, collection and
storage of semen, test matings and classification of daughters.
However, the cost to an artificial insemination company that bulk
purchases young bull calves for stud would be much greater, albeit
offset by the return to service of any young bull.
[0005] Genomics has provided the prospect of artificial selection
based on genotype. A complete genome sequence for a species enables
the construction of any number of DNA chips or microarrays of about
10,000 or more nucleic acids each of which comprises a polymorphic
marker. Knowledge of informative alleles, genes, polymorphisms,
haplotypes or haplogroups etc for a particular QTL or trait
facilitates the screening of individuals or germplasm and estimates
of their EBV to be made. This is because genotypic selection relies
upon the ability to genotype individuals for specific genes or
markers that are either in linkage equilibrium (sparse markers) or
linkage disequilibrium (dense markers) with a particular QTL or
other locus of interest such that the breeding value of an
individual can be estimated using marker haplotypes associated with
the QTL or other locus. Genotypic selection is especially powerful
where selection is desirably- or necessarily-independent of
expression e.g., in the case of selection on milk production traits
in male animals. Genotypic selection may not be pedigree-based,
when the genotypic associations on which it is based are derived
from a current population or, in the case of sparse marker maps,
when the genotypic associations are derived from large half-sib
family data or limited crosses.
[0006] Genotypic selection of "best" individuals can be based upon
a score assigned to an informative allele, gene, polymorphism,
haplotype or haplogroup etc of the individual alone, or in tandem
with phenotype-based EBV or genotype-based EBV. Multiple bases for
selection are preferred to minimize the loss in response to
polygenes or other QTL. Walsh Theor. Population Biol 59, 175-184
(2001) also suggested that phenotype should remain a component in
selection, to capture variation arising from new mutations and to
prevent drastic reductions in effective population size,
accumulated mutational variance from random genetic drift and the
long term rate of response to selection that would otherwise arise
from selection targeting specific genotypes.
[0007] Genotypic selection is facilitated by computational means,
including resampling approaches e.g., randomisation tests and
bootstrapping, which allow for the construction of confidence
intervals and proper tests of significance e.g., Best Linear
Unbiased Predictors (BLUP; Henderson In: "Applications of Linear
Models in Animal Breeding", University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada; Lynch and Walsh, In: "Genetics and Analysis of Quantitative
Traits", Sunuaer Associates, Sunderland Mass., USA, 1998); the
Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach (Geyer et al., Stat. Sci.
7, 73-511, 1992; Tierney et al., Ann. Statist. 22, 1701-1762, 1994;
Tanner et al., In: "Tools for Statistical Analysis",
Springer-Verlag, Berlin/New York, 1996); the Gibbs sampler (Geman
et al., IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell. 6, 721-741, 1984);
Bayesian posterior distribution (e.g., Smith et al., J. Royal
Statist. Soc. Ser. B55, 3-23, 1993). Under Bayesian analysis,
semi-subjective probabilities as to a population parameter are
assigned to uncertainties and then analyzed and refined with
experience, thereby permitting a prior belief about a population
parameter to become updated to a posterior belief. For example,
resampling-based Bayesian methods for multiple QTL mapping have
been proposed by Sillanpaa and Arjas, Genetics 148, 1373-1388
(1998); Sillanpaa and Arjas, Genetics 151, 1605-1619 (1999); and
Stephens and Fisch, Biometrics 54, 1334-1347 (1998). Meuwissen et
al., Genetics 157, 1819-1829 (2001) simulated a genome of 1000 cM
with markers assumed to be in linkage disequilibrium spaced 1 cM
apart throughout the genome such that the markers were combined
into haplotype pairs surrounding every 1 cM region, and compared
least squares, BLUP and Bayesian approaches for estimating the
effects of each haplotype pair simultaneously (50,00 haplotype
effects in total) i.e., for the whole population and not specific
to any one individual; the authors showed that the aggregate EBV
could be determined for progeny provided that those animals were
genotyped and the marker haplotypes were determined at an accuracy
of 0.75-0.85 for all approaches. In this simulation, the effective
population size was assumed to be constant.
[0008] Sparse marker maps can be constructed using markers in
linkage equilibrium and spaced about 20 cM apart based upon large
half-sib family data or limited crosses. For example, Georges et
al, Genetics 139, 907-929 (1995) prepared a sparse genetic map of
genetic markers that resulted in the detection of some QTL for milk
production, and the inclusion of marker information into BLUP
breeding values predicted a gain of 8-38% (Meuwissen and Goddard,
Genet. Sci. Evol. 28, 161-176 (1996). However, the utility of such
information is limited in outbreeding populations because the
linkage phase between a marker and QTL must be established for each
and every family in which the marker is to be used for selection.
Accordingly, there are significant implementation problems with
known sparse mapping approaches.
[0009] Dense marker maps, generally constructed from single nuclear
polymorphisms (SNPs) and/or microsatellites provide for mapping of
quantitative trait loci (QTL), association studies, and estimates
of relatedness between individuals in a sample of a population.
With dense marker maps, markers are more likely to be in linkage
disequilibrium with a QTL and so more positively associated with a
quantitative trait of interest than for a sparse map, such that
selection does not require linkage phase to be established for each
family. Markers in linkage disequilibrium are generally within
about 1 cM to 5 cM of a locus of interest. Moreover, the
identification of linkage disequilibrium markers requires candidate
genes (Rothschild and Soller, Probe 8, p 13, 1997) or fine mapping
approaches (Anderson et al., Nature Reviews Genet. 2, 130-138,
2001). Thus, for a genome of about 3000 cM, about 3001 markers at 1
cM intervals or more are needed.
[0010] Notwithstanding the theoretical ability to produce dense
genome-wide marker maps that theoretically cover whole genomes,
there are several constraints on the application of such
technology. Because there is an absolute requirement for the
markers in such maps to be informative, the actual numbers of
markers required are much larger than a theoretical minimum.
Moreover, there is a need to construct haplotypes inherited from
the parent(s) for each contiguous pair of bi-allelic markers, one
of four possible informative haplotypes will be linked to a single
QTL on average, and the frequencies of each haplotype will vary
depending on the frequency of each contributing allele as well as
the distance between the markers. This means that sufficient
animals must be genotyped to ensure that all haplotypes are
represented and their effects determined. The requirement for dense
markers means that the number of animals required will also
increase depending on genome size. Finally, dense marker maps do
not exist for all species.
[0011] The high cost of genotyping renders it infeasible to
implement all available markers across the genomes of most species.
Such costs arise from the initial association of haplotype effects,
which is correlated with the constraint referred to in the
preceding paragraph, and the unit cost of genotyping an individual
to estimate its breeding value. For example, in the case of cattle,
Schaeffer J. Anim. Breed. Genet 123, 218-223 (2006) has estimated
that a minimum of about 10,000 markers in a genome-wide dense
marker map would be required, and that the approximate unit cost of
genotyping one animal for this number of SNP markers is about US
$400. The actual unit cost compares unfavourably with what would be
acceptable to industry i.e., about US $20-200 per animal. However,
if we assume that the haplotype effects are derived from 50 sire
families with 50 sons each, the cost is closer to US $1,000,000.
This cost will naturally increase if additional individuals are
genotyped e.g., daughters of the sons in the proofs, in accordance
with standard practice. Thus, to initialize a genome-wide scheme
using dense marker maps is costly to implement, because of the
large numbers of individuals that need to be genotyped to estimate
haplotype effects and because of high unit costs. Such high costs
hinder industry uptake of the technology. Methods for the
cost-effective implementation of genome-wide selection using dense
marker maps are not routinely available.
[0012] Several authors have proposed the identification of minimum
informative subsets of SNPs that would permit reconstruction of
haplotypes inferred by genotyping all other previously-known SNPs
in a current population i.e., independent of pedigree, especially
with reference to the human genome i.e., "tagging SNPs" (e.g.,
Avi-Itzhak et al., Proc. Pacific Symposium Biocomputing 8, 466-477,
2003; Hampe et al., Hum. Genet. 114, 36-43, 2003; Ke et al.
Bioinformatics 19, 287-288, 2003; Meng et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet.
73, 115-130, 2003; Sebastiani et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci USA 100,
9900-9905, 2003; Stram et al., Hum. Heredity 55, 179-190, 2003
Thompson et al., Hum. Heredity 56, 48-55, 2003; Wang et al., Hum.
Mol. Genet. 12, 3145-3149, 2003; Weale et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet.
73, 551-565, 2003; Halldorsson et al., Genome Res. 14, 1633-3640,
2006). Such methods require the determination of neighbourhoods of
linkage disequilibrium in the genome to thereby determine those
SNPs ("tagged SNPs") that can be used to infer each other (because
they are linked). Such neighbourhoods may be haplotype blocks for
which two SNPs are considered to be correlated if they occur in the
same haplotype block with little evidence of recombination between
them (e.g., Johnson et al., Nature Genetics 29, 233-237, 2001;
Zhang et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet. 73, 63-73, 2003), or a union of
possible haplotype blocks that contain particular SNPs (e.g.,
Halldorsson et al., Genome Res. 14, 1633-3640, 2006).
Alternatively, neighbourhoods are deemed to consist of only those
SNPs within a distance of less than 1 LD unit of each other based
on metric LD maps (e.g., Maniatis et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci USA
99, 2228-2233, 2002). However, until recently there was no means of
defining informativeness of tagged SNPs within the neighbourhoods
of linkage disequilibrium i.e., determining how well any tagged SNP
would characterize the genetic diversity or variance observed for
the neighbourhood, because the models used assumed that the genome
regions dealt with were small and not many SNPs were involved.
Zhang et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet. 73, 63-73 (2003) proposed a method
for dealing with large data sets wherein chromosomes are
partitioned into haplotype blocks and a set of tagging SNPs are
selected within each block by imposing a cost for not tagging a
given SNP in terms of the loss in haplotype diversity. Halldorsson
et al., Genome Res. 14, 1633-3640 (2006) suggested an algorithmic
framework for defining the informativeness of large SNP datasets in
human chromosome 22, using a block-free method for determining
neighbourhoods in linkage disequilibrium, which requires haplotype
phase data to be available. Basically the informativeness measure
of Halldorsson et al., is calculated by examining haplotype
patterns for a set of neighbours of a target SNP, determining those
pairs of haplotypes having different alleles at the target SNP, and
then determining the proportion of those pairs of haplotypes that
do not have the same set of alleles on all SNPs in the set of
neighbours. Notwithstanding the advantages of tagging SNPs, such
methods still require large numbers of SNPs to be genotyped.
[0013] Accordingly, there remains a need for informative and
cost-effective methods of performing artificial selection using a
genomics-based approach.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1. Definitions
[0014] The term "allele" refers to any one of the different forms
of a gene or DNA sequence at a single locus i.e., chromosomal
location including a coding sequence, non-coding sequence or
regulatory sequence.
[0015] The term "amplified fragment length polymorphism" or "AFLP"
refers to any one of different DNA fragment lengths produced by
random-primed amplification of pooled or isolated restriction DNA
fragments of genomic DNA or cDNA, wherein the fragment length
varies between individuals in a population.
[0016] By "ancestor" is meant an individual having a genetic
contribution to the current population. The term "ancestor" is thus
a function of pedigree, the determination of which does not require
prior knowledge of a particular trait or combination of traits
present in the current population and its progenitors. Genotype
information for an ancestor, as opposed to a founder, is generally
incomplete as a consequence of poor record keeping and the absence
of genetic material e.g., semen, from the ancestor to permit
genotyping, such that missing genotypes of the ancestral population
must be inferred to complete a genotype analysis. Ancestors in a
pedigree may be overlapping, e.g., a sire and one of his sons, by
virtue of contributing common genetic material to the current
population notwithstanding any genes contributed independently by
one or the other ancestor. To determine ancestry, the average
relationship of a progenitor to the current population is
determined excluding double-counting of overlapping ancestral
contributions.
[0017] "Artificial selection" shall be taken to mean a selection
under human control, including those systems, processes, steps or
combinations of steps of a breeding program for producing genetic
gain, including the collective design and/or implementation of said
breeding program and intermediate steps by one or more persons. It
is to be understood that artificial selection therefore requires a
determination by man, based on a defined selection criterion or
defined selection criteria, of one or more individuals in a
population that are to be parents and ultimately ancestors, thereby
producing a genetic gain as defined herein. This is distinct from
the mere observation of population genetics e.g., for determining a
genetic parameter such as heritability, diversity, inbreeding etc.
Artificial selection systems include phenotypic selection and
genotypic selection processes. Artificial selection steps include
e.g., determining one or more of the following parameters:
selection criteria and/or breeding objective(s); one or more
selection indices; one or more selection targets; selection
intensity; one or both sexual partners for a single mating or for
multiple matings including references and/or replacements; the
number of matings that any one or more individuals will contribute
to a breeding program and the length of time that an individual
will remain in a breeding population; generation interval; breeding
value; or genetic gain. Artificial selection steps can also include
e.g., performing one or more breeding steps based on a
determination of one or more parameters supra and/or selecting
progeny.
[0018] "Breeding objective" refers to a goal of an artificial
selection program e.g., an improved germplasm. Breeding objective
may be determined by weighted combination of traits defining an
aggregate breeding value of an animal.
[0019] "Breeding value" means the genetic value of an individual as
a parent in a breeding program and, more particularly, the effect
of an individual's genes or genetic markers when considered in
isolation or combination ("aggregate breeding value") on
performance against a selection criterion or selection
criteria.
[0020] Throughout this specification and the claims that follow,
unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or
variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood
to imply the inclusion of a stated step or element or integer or
group of steps or elements or integers but not the exclusion of any
other step or element or integer or group of elements or
integers.
[0021] By "current population" is meant a population that are
candidates for selection. Typically the current population includes
individuals e.g., animals that are at or near an end-point in a
pedigree.
[0022] As used herein the term "derived from" shall be taken to
indicate that a specified integer may be obtained from a particular
source albeit not necessarily directly from that source.
[0023] The term "effective population size" or "N.sub.e" refers to
the number of individuals in a population that contribute gametes
to the next generation and preferably also to future generations.
The effective population size is generally calculated as the number
of breeding individuals in an idealized population that would show
the same amount of dispersion of allele frequencies under random
genetic drift or the same amount of inbreeding as a population
under consideration. For example, in a randomly mating population
consisting of 1000 individuals of which 500 are male are 500 are
female with discrete generations, the expected fraction of the
genes carried by any future generation contributed by any one
animal in the current generation is 0.1% and the effective
population size is the same as the absolute or real population size
(N) i.e., 1000. However, because most populations are inbred to
some degree, individuals do not select mates at random, generations
may overlap, and fewer males generally breed than females, the
effective population size typically has a value less than the
absolute or real population size.
[0024] "Estimated breeding value" or "EBV" refers to a predicted
breeding value of the progeny of a mating event, as determined by
multiplying the ploidy of the organism in question by the progeny
difference i.e., the difference between the average performances of
an individual's progeny and the average performances of all progeny
in a population assuming random mating. For a diploid organism, the
progeny difference is doubled, because the breeding value is a
measure of all genes for the organism, whereas the progeny
difference is based upon the contribution of only one haploid
genome from one parent. Progeny differences are based on average
predicted performance of the progeny because each parent
contributes the same number of genes to each progeny in the
population.
[0025] By "founder" is meant an individual in a pedigree for which
both parents are not known. Founders can be used in the method
described herein in place of ancestors for when the known pedigree
is incomplete and/or the genotypes of the ancestors are not known
or able to be derived. The present invention has utility where
genotypes of a founder population are used to infer the genotypes
of the current population, however this is less preferred than
using genotypes of the ancestors because it is expected that there
are fewer key ancestors than founders. As the invention has a high
level of accuracy when using genotypes of founders, the founder
population can also serve as a suitable model for an ancestor
population.
[0026] "Generation interval" means the amount of time required to
replace one generation with the next and, in a closed population
that is subject to artificial selection, the average age of parents
when their selected progeny are born.
[0027] As used herein, the term "genetic gain" shall be taken to
mean the average change in a heritable trait or combination of
heritable traits from one generation to the next generation,
including a predicted genetic gain and/or actual genetic gain. More
particularly, the average change is in the direction of one or more
selection targets, or will at least avoid significant negative
genetic gain i.e., an undesired effect for the selection criteria.
The genetic gain can arise from artificial selection.
[0028] "Genotypic selection" means an artificial selection based
upon the presence and/or absence of one or more genes or genetic
markers of an individual associated with a particular gene,
combination of genes, single-gene trait, quantitative trait, or
combination of traits. Genotypic selection includes a diverse array
of marker-assisted selection methods comprising the use of genetic
markers e.g., alleles, haplotypes, haplogroups, loci, quantitative
trait loci, or DNA polymorphisms [restriction fragment length
polymorphisms (RFLPs), amplified fragment length polymorphisms
(AFLPs), single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs), indels, short tandem
repeats (STRs). microsatellites and minisatellites] to, wherein the
marker(s) is(are) determinative of the estimated breeding value of
the individual.
[0029] A "haplogroup" is a cluster of similar haplotypes e.g.,
haplogroups of the human Y chromosome defined on the basis of
unique mutation events in Y-STRs.
[0030] The term "haplotype" refers to a combination of alleles,
loci or DNA polymorphisms that are linked so as to cosegregate in a
significant proportion of gametes during meiosis. The alleles of a
haplotype may be in linkage disequilibrium (LD).
[0031] The term "indel" refers to any one of different insertions
or deletions of DNA at a particular allele or locus that are
present in different individuals in a population. e.g., Y
chromosome Alu polymorphisms (YAPs).
[0032] As used herein, the term "infer" or equivalent terms such as
"inferring" or "inferred", e.g., the context of a genotype,
haplotype, QTL, marker, etc., shall be taken to mean that a
genotype is deduced from available information, and more
particularly that missing information such as a missing genotype
with respect to any one or more markers e.g., at a specific
location in the genome of an individual is deduced. For example, a
missing genotype for an ancestor (and/or founder) is "inferred"
using genotype data of an individual in the current population
related by pedigree to the ancestor (and/or founder), by performing
the present invention as described according to one or more
embodiments hereof. Alternatively, or in addition, a missing
genotype for an individual of a current population is "inferred"
using genotype data of an ancestor (and/or founder) related by
pedigree to that individual, e.g., by employing one or more
statistical means such as inter alia MCMV modelling. By such
inferences, genotype data on both the ancestors (or founders) and
the current population are made more complete than would otherwise
be the case.
[0033] The term "linkage disequilibrium" or "LD" refers to alleles
or loci or DNA polymorphisms that associate at a frequency higher
than expected for independent alleles or markers, such that they
appear as a haplotype. For example, when variants of two genetic
loci are in strong linkage disequilibrium, the variant at one locus
is predictive of the variant at the other locus on an individual
chromosome.
[0034] In the present context, the term "mating" or similar term
such as "mate" shall be construed without reference to kingdom or
phylum to mean any sexual reproduction wherein a haploid genome is
transferred from one individual of a population to another
individual of a population, including the mating of one animal or
cell (e.g., yeast cell) to another by natural or assisted means
e.g., artificial insemination (AI); and the self-pollination of a
plant or cross-pollination between plants.
[0035] "Mendelian sampling variation" means the variation in the
deviation of the breeding value of an individual from the mean
breeding values of its parents.
[0036] The term "minisatellite" refers to a variable number tandem
repeat (VNTR) comprising more than about 5 repeats and from 6 to
about 60 base pairs per repeat unit, wherein the number of repeat
units varies between individuals in a population. As with
microsatellites, changes may occur and the number of repeats may
increase or decrease.
[0037] "Phenotypic selection" means an artificial selection based
upon one, and possibly more, phenotypes of an individual.
Phenotypic selection generally comprises progeny testing wherein
the estimated breeding value of an individual is determined by
performing multiple matings of the individual and determining the
performance of the progeny.
[0038] In the present context, the term "population" means a group
of individuals that potentially breed with each other such that
they contribute genetically to the next generation, including but
not limited to those individuals in a breeding program. The group
can be of any size e.g., a species, breed, line, cultivar, herd or
flock etc).
[0039] The term "quantitative trait" refers to a trait that is
determined by expression of more than one gene.
[0040] The term "quantitative trait locus" or "QTL" refers to a
region of DNA that is associated with a particular quantitative
trait, wherein variation in the QTL is associated with variation in
the quantitative trait as determined by genetic mapping or
marker-assisted selection.
[0041] "Reference" means a parent or ancestor (and/or founder) that
provides a genetic contribution to a number of groups of
individuals, thereby permitting comparison of the performances of
the progeny within and between groups relative to the performance
of progeny from other parents or ancestors (and/or founders).
References permit the best ancestors (and/or founders) to be
selected and used in artificial selection.
[0042] "Replacement" means an individual that is to become a parent
for the first time in an artificial selection program.
[0043] The term "restriction fragment length polymorphism" or
"RFLP" refers to any one of different DNA fragment lengths produced
by restriction digestion of genomic DNA or cDNA with one or more
endonuclease enzymes, wherein the fragment length varies between
individuals in a population.
[0044] As used herein, the term "selection" shall be taken to refer
to one or more systems, processes, steps or combinations of steps
that determine one or more individuals in a population that are to
contribute to the next generation, including natural selection and
artificial selection.
[0045] "Selection criterion" refers to a phenotype or genotype
forming the basis for a selection decision, including the presence
or absence of one or more genes, or one or more genetic markers
associated with a particular gene, combination of genes, trait or
combination of traits.
[0046] "Selection index" means a ranking of a selection criterion
or selection criteria according to a weighting or grade, used for
estimating breeding value.
[0047] "Selection intensity" refers to the extent to which a
breeder adhere to a decision on the selection of a particular
individual or group of individuals for mating. Statistically, the
selection intensity is determined as the difference between mean
selection criterion of those individuals selected to contribute to
the next generation and the mean selection criterion of all
potential parents, expressed in standard deviation units.
[0048] "Selection target" refers to an optimum desired breeding
value.
[0049] The term "short tandem repeat" or "STR" refers to a variable
number tandem repeat (VNTR) comprising from 2 to about 5 or 6 base
pairs per repeat unit, wherein the number of repeat units varies
between individuals in a population. Microsatellites are an example
of an STR that is generally highly polymorphic and randomly
distributed in the genome and that may contain variability in
sequence and/or for which the number of repeat units may increase
or decrease.
[0050] The term "single-gene trait" refers to a trait that is
determined by expression of one gene.
[0051] The term "single nucleotide polymorphism" or "SNP" refers to
any one of different single nucleotides at a particular allele or
locus varying between individuals in a population. Many SNPs are
bi-allelic.
2. Rationale
[0052] Selection using marker data, e.g., derived from DNA markers,
requires the genotypes of selection candidates to be known at those
loci having an effect on traits within the breeding objective. This
is likely to be a large number of markers and the list of such
markers will expand as research provides additional linkage
data.
[0053] In work leading to the present invention, the inventors
reasoned that costs for selecting individuals from a population can
be reduced if the selection candidates could be genotyped for a
relatively small number of markers and preferably a constant set of
markers. The inventors reasoned that such cost savings would be
realized by genotyping the key ancestors of the selection
candidates for useful markers, and preferably for all useful
markers, and the selection candidates are genotyped for only a
subset of those markers, and this is achievable by tracing
chromosome segment(s) carrying the useful markers in a selection
candidate to the corresponding chromosome segment(s) in a key
ancestor from which the selection candidate has been derived. This
would then make is possible for the markers genotyped on the
chromosome segment of the key ancestor to be inferred for the
corresponding chromosome segment of the selection candidate.
[0054] Although it is desirable that the key ancestors have been
genotyped for all useful markers, this may not always be possible.
For instance, no source of DNA from a key ancestor (and/or founder)
may be available. In such circumstances, the inventors have
reasoned that the genotype(s) of the key ancestor (and/or founder)
for the markers may be inferred from that of suitable relatives
that have been genotyped for those markers e.g., using an
algorithmic approach that fills in missing values such as Markov
Chain Monte Carlo (MCMV) modelling.
[0055] Although it is desirable for this purpose that the
pedigree(s) of selection candidate(s) including relationships to
one or more key ancestor(s) [and/or founder(s)] is(are) available,
this may not always be possible. Often, such pedigrees either not
available, because pedigree data are incomplete. In such
circumstances, the inventors reasoned that the relationship(s) of
the selection candidate(s) to the key ancestor(s) [and/or
founder(s)] can be inferred using genetic markers that have been
genotyped on both the selection candidates and the key ancestors.
Alternatively, or in addition, founder animals within the known
pedigree can be included in the analysis with the key
ancestors.
[0056] The present invention is predicated on an understanding by
the inventor that, for species having a small effective population
size, the number of key ancestors (and often the number of
founders) is small relative to the number of selection candidates.
Therefore there is a saving in cost if the selection candidates are
genotyped for only a subset of the markers whose genotyped are
known or can be inferred on the key ancestors (and/or founders). It
is possible to infer the missing genotypes of the selection
candidates because the relationship between the selection
candidates and the key ancestors (and/or founders) is known from
the pedigree or inferred from other genetic markers. Methods of
inferring missing genotypes that do not take advantage of the
relationship between the selection candidates and the key ancestors
(and/or founders) would be much less efficient and so the cost
savings would be much less.
[0057] Moreover, the inventor has reasoned that basing
informativeness of tagged markers on pedigree can derive additional
cost-savings for genotyping individuals in a current population.
More particularly, the inventor has reasoned that, for a species
having a small effective population size, the diversity of the
population is explained substantially by the sum those key
ancestors (and/or founders) making a long term contribution to the
population, and that diversity is inherited as neighbourhoods of
chromosomal segments comprising ancestral markers, which may be in
linkage disequilibrium (LD). Proceeding on this basis, the inventor
has reasoned that the number of informative markers to be genotyped
in an individual in a current population is reduced by inferring
missing genotypes of a chromosome segment of an ancestor (and/or
founder) contributing that chromosome segment to be the same as in
the individual of the current population, and genotyping an
informative marker within the chromosome segment. This differs from
known tagging SNP methods which are independent of pedigree and
generally require larger numbers of markers to be genotyped because
they are based on haplotype blocks or a union of haplotype blocks,
or require detailed metric LD maps.
3. Specific Embodiments
[0058] The present invention provides a method of artificial
selection for a single gene or locus, including a single-gene locus
or a QTL, said method comprising genotyping an individual in a
current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers in a chromosome segment comprising a gene or
locus of interest, inferring the genotype at the locus or QTL to be
the same as in an ancestor (and/or founder) from which the
chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotype, wherein the ancestor
(and/or founder) is an ancestor (and/or founder) providing a
significant long term genetic contribution to the current
population and wherein the genotype of the ancestor (and/or
founder) for the one or more informative markers and for the locus
or QTL are known.
[0059] It will be understood that this method is more generally
applicable to derive the genotype of an individual for any number
of loci or QTL, in any number of chromosome locations. In
accordance with this example, the present invention provides a
method of artificial selection for one or more loci or QTL said
method comprising genotyping an individual in a current population
for the presence or absence of one or more informative markers in
one or more chromosome segments each containing one or more loci or
QTL of interest, inferring genotypes at the one or more loci or QTL
to be the same as for an ancestor (and/or founder) from which a
chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) is an ancestor (and/or founder)
providing a significant long term genetic contribution to the
current population, and wherein the genotypes of the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for the one or more informative markers
and for the loci or QTL are known.
[0060] In another example, the method can be used to derive the
genotype of an individual, e.g., the genome-wide genotype. In
accordance with this example, the present invention provides a
method of artificial selection comprising genotyping an individual
in a current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers in a plurality of chromosome segments,
inferring genotypes of each chromosome segment to be the same in
the individual as in one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from
which the chromosome segments are derived, and estimating the
breeding, value of the individual based on the inferred genotypes,
wherein each ancestor (and/or founder) is an ancestor (and/or
founder) providing a significant long term genetic contribution to
the current population and wherein the genotypes of the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for one or more informative markers is
substantially known. Preferably, the genotype(s) of the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for each informative marker is known.
For deriving genome-wide genotype, it is preferred that the
chromosome segments span the genome.
[0061] For genotyping applied to a single locus or QTL, multiple
loci or QTLs, or genome-wide screening contexts, it is preferred
that the genotyping of an individual comprises detecting one or
more informative markers in a high-throughput system comprising a
solid support consisting essentially of or having nucleic acids of
different sequence bound directly or indirectly thereto, wherein
each nucleic acid of different sequence comprises a polymorphic
genetic marker derived from an ancestor (and/or founder) that is
representative of the current population. Preferably, the
high-throughput system comprises sufficient markers to be
representative of the genome of the current population i.e., they
span the entire genome and comprise sufficient polymorphic markers
to be useful for genome-wide screening. The markers may be arrayed
in linkage groups, optionally according to a chromosome segment
with which they are in linkage disequilibrium. The marker
information contained in the high throughput system can be obtained
by an intermediate step in a method of the present invention.
[0062] As used herein, the term "genotyping an individual in a
current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers" simply means to determine the presence or
absence of the marker(s). The skilled artisan will be aware that
whether a marker is selected for or against will depend upon the
association of the marker for a desired genotype. The skilled
artisan will also be aware that, in view of the aim of selecting
breeding stock or germplasm for improving gain in future
generations, the generality of the invention is not meant to be
limited to determining the presence or absence of a specific
genotype, haplotype or haplogroup, such as for a particular locus
or QTL.
[0063] It is to be understood that the application of the present
invention is not limited to any particular species, but determined
by the effective population size of the species. Accordingly, the
present invention is applicable to artificial selection in plants
and animals having small effective population sizes. It is also to
be understood that, because the selection of ancestors (and/or
founders) is a function of pedigree, the present invention is also
applicable to the selection of predominantly outbreeding and/or
predominantly inbreeding species. Examples of populations to which
the present invention is readily applied include cattle (e.g., beef
and dairy cattle such as Holstein, Friesan, Holstein-Friesan,
Braunvieh, Brown Swiss, Jersey, Danish Red, Aberdeen Angus), sheep
(e.g., Meatlinc, Dorset x Rambouillet x. Finnsheep cross), pigs
(e.g., Large White x Landrace cross, Large White, Duroc, Yorkshire,
Landrace), poultry (e.g., Layers), fish (e.g., atlantic salmon),
crustaceans, ryegrass, etc.
[0064] In accordance with the foregoing examples of the present
invention, the current population will be a population of
individuals having a small effective population size. This means
that the effective population size should be less than the number
of individuals in the current population required that would need
to be genotyped to estimate all haplotype effects, and preferably
less than one-half or less than one-third or less than one-quarter
or about one-tenth of the numbers of individuals in the current
population that would need to be genotyped to estimate haplotype
effects. In terms of the actual numbers of ancestors (and/or
founders) that would need to be genotyped in performing the present
invention, this will vary depending on the population in question
and the level of artificial selection that has been applied to the
population in previous generations. For example, preferably this
means less than about 1000 individuals, more preferably less than
about 350 individuals, still more preferably less than about 250
individuals, still more preferably less than about 200 individuals
and still more preferably less than about 150 or less than about
100 individuals. Alternatively, the effective population size is in
the range of about 30-350 or about 30-200 or about 30-100
individuals. For populations larger than these estimates, the cost
benefit of performing genomic selection based on ancestral lineage
of chromosome segments is diminished.
[0065] An ancestor (and/or founder) providing a significant long
term genetic contribution to the current population will preferably
provide at least about 0.1% of the total variance to the current
population and, more commonly at least about 0.5% or 1% of total
variance. Particularly significant or "key" ancestors (and/or
founders) generally provide at least about 2-10% of total variance
to the current population e.g., 2% or 3% or 4% or 5% or 6% or 7% or
8% or 9% or 10%, however larger ancestral contributions are not to
be excluded.
[0066] The markers may be any genetic marker e.g., e.g., one or
more alleles, haplotypes, haplogroups, loci, quantitative trait
loci, or DNA polymorphisms [restriction fragment length
polymorphisms (RFLPs), amplified fragment length polymorphisms
(AFLPs), single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs), indels, short tandem
repeats (STRs), microsatellites and minisatellites]. Conveniently,
the markers are SNPs or STRs such as microsatellites, and more
preferably SNPs. Preferably, the markers within each chromosome
segment are in linkage disequilibrium.
[0067] The present invention clearly encompasses the performance of
additional steps where informative data on the ancestors (and/or
founders) is not known, including identifying and/or characterizing
the ancestors (and/or founders) and/or establishing lineage of one
or more chromosome segments. For example, the ancestors (and/or
founders) can be characterized by obtaining and/or providing their
genotypes e.g., for useful markers, a large number of useful
markers or most markers using standard procedures for doing so,
wherein said genotypes can also be inferred from data on their
relatives e.g., using statistical means such as MCMV modelling to
predict missing values. In one example, the ancestors (and/or
founders) are characterized by providing and/or obtaining known
genotypes and/or by inferring their genotypes.
[0068] Accordingly, in a further example, the inventive method
comprises tracing the lineage of the one or more chromosome
segment(s) back to one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from
which they are derived. In accordance with this example, the
present invention provides a method of artificial selection for a
single gene or locus, including a single-gene locus or a QTL, said
method comprising genotyping an individual in a current population
for the presence or absence of one or more informative markers in a
chromosome segment comprising a gene or locus of interest, tracing
the lineage of the chromosome segment in the individual back to an
ancestor (and/or founder) from which it is derived, inferring a
genotype at the locus or QTL to be the same as in an ancestor
(and/or founder) from which the chromosome segment is derived, and
estimating the breeding value of the individual based on the
inferred genotype, wherein the ancestor (and/or founder) is an
ancestor (and/or founder) providing a significant long term genetic
contribution to the current population and wherein the genotype of
the ancestor (and/or founder) for the one or more informative
markers and for the locus or QTL are known. For multiple loci or
QTL at any number of chromosome locations, the invention provides a
method of artificial selection for one or more loci or QTL said
method comprising genotyping an individual in a current population
for the presence or absence of one or more informative markers in
one or more chromosome segments each containing one or more loci or
QTL of interest, tracing the lineage of the one or more chromosome
segments back to one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from which
they are derived, inferring genotypes at the one or more loci or
QTL to be the same as for an ancestor (and/or founder) from which a
chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) is an ancestor (and/or founder)
providing a significant long term genetic contribution to the
current population, and wherein the genotypes of the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for the one or more informative markers
and for the loci or QTL are known. For genome-wide selection, the
present invention provides a method of artificial selection
comprising genotyping an individual in a current population for the
presence or absence of one or more informative markers in a
plurality of chromosome segments, tracing the lineages of the
plurality of chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) from which they are derived, inferring genotypes
of each chromosome segment in the individual to be the same as in
one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from which the chromosome
segments are derived, and estimating the breeding value of the
individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein each ancestor
(and/or founder) is an ancestor (and/or founder) providing a
significant long term genetic contribution to the current
population and wherein the genotypes of the one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) for one or more informative markers is
substantially known. Preferably, the genotype(s) of the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for each informative marker is known.
For deriving genome-wide genotype, it is preferred that the
chromosome segments span the genome.
[0069] In yet another example, the inventive method comprises
characterizing the ancestors (and/or founders) e.g., by genotyping
one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for known markers. In
accordance with this example, the present invention provides a
method of artificial selection for a single gene or locus,
including a single-gene locus or a QTL, said method comprising
genotyping an individual in a current population for the presence
or absence of one or more informative markers in a chromosome
segment comprising a gene or locus of interest, tracing the lineage
of the chromosome segment in the individual back to an ancestor
(and/or founder) from which it is derived, genotyping the ancestor
(and/or founder) for known markers, inferring a genotype at the
locus or QTL to be the same as in an ancestor (and/or founder) from
which the chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the
breeding value of the individual based on the inferred genotype,
wherein the ancestor (and/or founder) is an ancestor (and/or
founder) providing a significant long term genetic contribution to
the current population and wherein the genotype of the ancestor
(and/or founder) for the locus or QTL is known. For multiple loci
or QTL at any number of chromosome locations, the invention
provides a method of artificial selection for one or more loci or
QTL said method comprising genotyping an individual in a current
population for the presence or absence of one or more informative
markers in one or more chromosome segments each containing one or
more loci or QTL of interest, tracing the lineage of the one or
more chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors (and/or
founders) from which they are derived, genotyping the one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) for known markers, inferring genotypes
at the one or more loci or QTL to be the same as for an ancestor
(and/or founder) from which a chromosome segment is derived, and
estimating the breeding value of the individual based on the
inferred genotypes, wherein one or more ancestors (and/or founders)
is an ancestor (and/or founder) providing a significant long term
genetic contribution to the current population, and wherein the
genotypes of the one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for the
loci or QTL are known. For genome-wide selection, the present
invention provides a method of artificial selection comprising
genotyping an individual in a current population for the presence
or absence of one or more informative markers in a plurality of
chromosome segments, tracing the lineages of the plurality of
chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors (and/or founders)
from which they are derived, genotyping one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) for known markers, inferring genotypes of each
chromosome segment in the individual to be the same as in one or
more ancestors (and/or founders) from which the chromosome segments
are derived, and estimating the breeding value of the individual
based on the inferred genotypes, wherein each ancestor (and/or
founder) is an ancestor (and/or founder) providing a significant
long term genetic contribution to the current population. For
deriving genome-wide genotype, it is preferred that the chromosome
segments span the genome.
[0070] In yet another example, the inventive method comprises
identifying the ancestors (and/or founders) e.g., by determining a
minimum set of ancestors (and/or founders) representative of the
current population. In accordance with this example, the present
invention provides a method of artificial selection for a single
gene or locus, including a single-gene locus or a QTL, said method
comprising genotyping an individual in a current population for the
presence or absence of one or more informative markers in a
chromosome segment comprising a gene or locus of interest,
determining a minimum set of ancestors (and/or founders)
representative of the current population, tracing the lineage of
the chromosome segment in the individual back to an ancestor
(and/or founder) from which it is derived, inferring a genotype at
the locus or QTL to be the same as in an ancestor (and/or founder)
from which the chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the
breeding value of the individual based on the inferred genotype,
wherein the genotype of the ancestor (and/or founder) for the one
or more informative markers and for the locus or QTL is known. For
multiple loci or QTL at any number of chromosome locations, the
invention provides a method of artificial selection for one or more
loci or QTL said method comprising genotyping an individual in a
current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers in one or more chromosome segments each
containing one or more loci or QTL of interest, determining a
minimum set of ancestors (and/or founders) representative of the
current population, tracing the lineage of the one or more
chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors (and/or founders)
from which they are derived, inferring genotypes at the one or more
loci or QTL to be the same in an ancestor (and/or founder) from
which a chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding
value of the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein
the genotypes of the one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for
the one or more informative markers and for the loci or QTL are
known. For genome-wide selection, the present invention provides a
method of artificial selection comprising genotyping an individual
in a current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers in a plurality of chromosome segments,
determining a minimum set of ancestors (and/or founders)
representative of the current population, tracing the lineages of
the plurality of chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) from which they are derived, inferring genotypes
of each chromosome segment in the individual to be the same as in
one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from which the chromosome
segments are derived, and estimating the breeding value of the
individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein the genotypes
of the one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for the one or more
informative markers are known. For deriving genome-wide genotype,
it is preferred that the chromosome segments span the genome.
[0071] The present invention also encompasses situations where no
information is known other than pedigree and perhaps limited
information on the ancestor(s) and/or founder(s). In accordance
with this example, the present invention provides a method of
artificial selection for a single gene or locus, including a
single-gene locus or a QTL, said method comprising genotyping an
individual in a current population for the presence or absence of
one or more informative markers in a chromosome segment comprising
a gene or locus of interest, determining a minimum set of ancestors
(and/or founders) representative of the current population, tracing
the lineage of the chromosome segment in the individual back to an
(and/or founder) from which it is derived, genotyping the (and/or
founder) for known markers, inferring a genotype at the locus or
QTL to be the same as in ancestor (or founder) from which the
chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotype, wherein the genotype
of the (and/or founder) for the locus or QTL is known. For multiple
loci or QTL at any number of chromosome locations, the invention
provides a method of artificial selection for one or more loci or
QTL said method comprising genotyping an individual in a current
population for the presence or absence of one or more informative
markers in one or more chromosome segments each containing one or
more loci or QTL of interest, determining a minimum set of
ancestors (and/or founders) representative of the current
population, tracing the lineage of the one or more chromosome
segments back to one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from which
they are derived, genotyping the one or more ancestors (and/or
founders) for known markers, inferring genotypes at the one or more
loci or QTL to be the same as in ancestor (or founder) from which a
chromosome segment is derived, and estimating the breeding value of
the individual based on the inferred genotypes, wherein the
genotypes of the one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for the
loci or QTL are known. For genome-wide selection, the present
invention provides a method of artificial selection comprising
genotyping an individual in a current population for the presence
or absence of one or more informative markers in a plurality of
chromosome segments, determining a minimum set of ancestors (and/or
founders) representative of the current population, tracing the
lineages of the plurality of chromosome segments back to one or
more ancestors (and/or founders) from which they are derived,
genotyping one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for known
markers, inferring genotypes of each chromosome segment to be the
same in the individual as in one or more ancestors (and/or
founders) from which the chromosome segments are derived, and
estimating the breeding value of the individual based on the
inferred genotypes. For deriving genome-wide genotype, it is
preferred that the chromosome segments span the genome.
[0072] In yet another example, individual chromosome segments in
the selection candidates (ie members of the current population) are
traced back to the key ancestors (and/or founders) by a process
comprising tracing chromosome segments in selection candidates to
one or more immediate ancestors (and/or founders) using a small
number of markers and tracing the chromosome segments in the
immediate ancestors (and/or founders) to corresponding chromosome
segments in one or more key ancestors (and/or founders).
Preferably, the chromosome segments in the immediate ancestors
(and/or founders) are traced back to the chromosome segments in the
key ancestors (and/or founders) using a larger number of markers.
The tracing of chromosome segments to immediate ancestors (and/or
founders) may minimise costs. For example, the immediate ancestors
(and/or founders) may be all male animals used in the herd or flock
in the last few generations. Since few males are used in most
species, the number of immediate ancestors (and/or founders) is
small compared to the number of selection candidates such that the
cost of genotyping them for enough markers to trace chromosome
segments back to key ancestors (and/or founders) is also reduced or
minimized.
[0073] In yet another example, the pedigrees of the animals are not
known but are inferred from the DNA markers that are used to trace
chromosome segments. For example, the breed of animal may be
unknown but deduced from the DNA markers.
[0074] In yet another example, the genome sequence of the key
ancestors (and/or founders) is known and preferably complete,
thereby permitting the near-complete or complete genome sequence of
all current animals to be inferred, such as by tracing their
chromosome segments back to key ancestors (and/or founders). Such
genome sequence data are useful for selection.
[0075] In a particularly preferred example of genome-wide selection
using SNPs, the present invention provides a method of artificial
selection comprising: [0076] (i) genotyping an individual in a
current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative SNPs in a plurality of chromosome segments; [0077] (ii)
determining a minimum set of ancestors (and/or founders)
representative of the current population; [0078] (iii) tracing the
lineages of the plurality of chromosome segments back to one or
more ancestors (and/or founders) from which they are derived;
[0079] (iv) genotyping one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for
known SNPs; [0080] (v) inferring genotypes of each chromosome
segment in the individual to be the same as in one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) from which the chromosome segments are
derived; and [0081] (vi) estimating the breeding value of the
individual based on the inferred genotypes.
[0082] For deriving genome-wide genotype, it is preferred that the
chromosome segments span the genome.
[0083] It is to be understood that certain "steps" in the method of
the invention can be performed in a different order to that
described herein above, and at different points in time. For
example, the method can be performed in the following order: [0084]
(i) optionally, determining a minimum set of ancestors (and/or
founders) representative of the current population; [0085] (ii)
optionally, genotyping one or more ancestors (and/or founders) for
known markers e.g., SNPs; [0086] (iii) genotyping an individual in
a current population for the presence or absence of one or more
informative markers e.g., SNPs in one or a plurality of chromosome
segments; [0087] (iv) optionally, tracing the lineages of the one
or plurality of chromosome segments back to one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) from which they are derived; [0088] (v) inferring
genotypes of each chromosome segment in the individual of the
current population to be the same as for one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) from which the chromosome segments are derived;
and [0089] (vi) estimating the breeding value of the individual
based on the inferred genotypes.
[0090] More particularly, the determination of ancestors (and/or
founders) and/or genotyping of ancestors (and/or founders) can be
separated from other "steps" in the method and/or performed
beforehand e.g., to create a historical record for the individual,
current population or species being selected. Alternatively or in
addition, the tracing of lineages of chromosome segments is
separated from other "steps" in the method, e.g., to create a
similar historical record. The benefit of such historical records
is that they can be utilized in future selections to further
minimize expense. The present invention clearly encompasses such
historical records in paper or electronic form and methods for
their production and use.
[0091] Accordingly, the present invention also provides a
computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of estimated
breeding values for one or more individuals of a population having
a small effective population size and optionally comprising data
selected from the group consisting of: data on ancestors (and/or
founders) for individuals; data on chromosome segments for
individuals in the current population; data on chromosome segments
for ancestors (and/or founders) of individuals in the current
population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for
individuals in the current population; data on marker genotype(s)
in chromosome segment(s) for ancestors (and/or founders); data on
lineages between the marker genotype(s) and/or chromosome
segment(s); and combinations thereof. The estimated breeding values
can be obtained by performing a method of the present
invention.
[0092] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0093] (i) a database of
estimated breeding values for one or more individuals of a
population having a small effective population size and optionally
comprising data-selected from the group consisting of: data on
ancestors (and/or founders) for individuals; data on chromosome
segments for individuals in the current population; data on
chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or founders) of individuals
in the current population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome
segments) for individuals in the current population; data on marker
genotype(s) in chromosome segments) for ancestors (and/or
founders); data on lineages between the marker genotype(s) and/or
chromosome segment(s); and combinations thereof; and [0094] (ii) a
user interface allowing a user to input data pertaining to an
individual e.g., chromosome segment, genetic marker, haplotype,
haplogroup, nucleotide sequence or nucleotide occurrences for an
individual e.g., for querying the database and displaying results
of a database query.
[0095] Alternatively or in addition, the database consists
essentially of the data on estimated breeding values of the one or
more individuals any other data referred to herein above, or
alternatively, consists exclusively of the data on estimated
breeding values of the one or more individuals and any other data
referred to herein above.
[0096] The present invention also provides a computer-readable
medium for use in artificial selection said computer-readable
medium comprising a database of marker genotype(s) of one or more
ancestors (and/or founders) from one or more minimum sets of
ancestors (and/or founders) each of which is representative of a
population having a small effective population size wherein the
marker genotypes are arrayed in linkage groups and optionally
comprising data selected from the group consisting of: data on
estimated breeding values for one or more individuals of a current
population; data on ancestors (and/or founders) for individuals;
data on chromosome segments for individuals in the current
population; data on chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or
founders) of individuals in the current population; data on marker
genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for individuals in the current
population; data on lineages between the marker genotype(s) and/or
chromosome segment(s); and combinations thereof. The marker
genotype(s) of one or more ancestors (and/or founders) arrayed in
linkage groups can be obtained by performing a method of the
present invention.
[0097] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0098] (i) a database of
marker genotype(s) of one or more ancestors (and/or founders) from
one or more minimum sets of ancestors (and/or founders) each of
which is representative of a population having a small effective
population size wherein the marker genotypes are arrayed in linkage
groups and optionally comprising data selected from the group
consisting of: data on estimated breeding values for one or more
individuals of a current population; data on ancestors (and/or
founders) for individuals; data on chromosome segments for
individuals in the current population; data on chromosome segments
for ancestors (and/or founders) of individuals in the current
population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for
individuals in the current population; data on lineages between the
marker genotype(s) and/or chromosome segment(s); and combinations
thereof; and [0099] (ii) a user interface allowing a user to input
data pertaining to an individual e.g., chromosome segment, genetic
marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide sequence or nucleotide
occurrences for an individual e.g., for querying the database and
displaying results of a database query.
[0100] Alternatively or in addition, the database consists
essentially of the marker genotype(s) of one or more ancestors
(and/or founders) arrayed in linkage groups with or without any
additional data referred to herein above, or consist exclusively of
the marker genotype(s) of one or more ancestors (and/or founders)
arrayed in linkage groups with or without any additional data
referred to herein above.
[0101] In another example, the present invention also provides a
computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of marker
genotype(s) of one or more individuals of a population having a
small effective population size and one or more minimum sets of
ancestors (and/or founders) representative of the one or more
individuals and the lineages between the marker of the one or more
individuals and the ancestors (and/or founders), wherein the marker
genotypes are arrayed in linkage groups. Optionally, the database
also comprises data selected from the group consisting of data on
estimated breeding values for one or more individuals of a current
population; data on ancestors (and/or founders) for individuals;
data on chromosome segments for individuals in the current
population; data on chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or
founders) of individuals in the current population; and
combinations thereof.
[0102] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0103] (i) a database of
marker genotype(s) of one or more individuals of a population
having a small effective population size and one or more minimum
sets of ancestors (and/or founders) representative of the one or
more individuals and the lineages between the marker of the one or
more individuals and the ancestors (and/or founders), wherein the
marker genotypes are arrayed in linkage groups, optionally also
comprising data selected from the group consisting of: data on
estimated breeding values for one or more individuals of a current
population; data on ancestors (and/or founders) for individuals;
data on chromosome segments for individuals in the current
population; data on chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or
founders) of individuals in the current population; and
combinations thereof; and [0104] (ii) a user interface allowing a
user to input data pertaining to an individual e.g., chromosome
segment, genetic marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide sequence
or nucleotide occurrences for an individual e.g., for querying the
database and displaying results of a database query.
[0105] Alternatively or in addition, the database consists
essentially of the marker genotype(s) of the one or more
individuals with or without any additional data referred to herein
above, or consist exclusively of the marker genotype(s) of the one
or more individuals with or without any additional data referred to
herein above.
[0106] The present invention also provides a computer-readable
medium for use in artificial selection said computer-readable
medium comprising a database of chromosome segments present in the
genomes of one or more individuals of a population having a small
effective population size and one or more minimum sets of ancestors
(and/or founders) representative of the one or more individuals,
and the lineages between the chromosome segments of the one or more
individuals and the ancestors (and/or founders). Optionally, the
database also comprises data selected from the group consisting of:
data on estimated breeding values for one or more individuals of a
current population; data on ancestors (and/or founders) for
individuals; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s)
for individuals in the current population; data on marker
genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for ancestors (and/or
founders); data on lineages between the marker genotype(s); and
combinations thereof. Preferably, data on the chromosome segments
comprises marker genotype(s) in each chromosome segment and more
preferably, data on the chromosome segments comprises marker
genotype(s) in each chromosome segment and data on the lineages
between the marker genotypes. The chromosome segments and any
included marker genotype(s) of one or more ancestors (and/or
founders) arrayed in linkage groups can be obtained by performing a
method of the present invention.
[0107] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0108] (i) a database of
chromosome segments present in the genomes of one or more
individuals of a population having a small effective population
size and one or more minimum sets of ancestors (and/or founders)
representative of the one or more individuals, and the lineages
between the chromosome segments of the one or more individuals and
the ancestors (and/or founders), and optionally further comprising
data selected from the group consisting of: data on estimated
breeding values for one or more individuals of a current
population; data on ancestors (and/or founders) for individuals;
data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for individuals
in the current population; data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome
segment(s) for ancestors (and/or founders); data on lineages
between the marker genotype(s); and combinations thereof; and
[0109] (ii) a user interface allowing a user to input data
pertaining to an individual e.g., chromosome segment, genetic
marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide sequence or nucleotide
occurrences for an individual e.g., for querying the database and
displaying results of a database query.
[0110] Alternatively or in addition, the database consists
essentially of data on chromosome segments and any other data
referred to herein above, or consist exclusively of data on
chromosome segments and any other data referred to herein
above.
[0111] The present invention also provides a high-throughput system
for genotypic selection in a current population having a small
effective population size, said system comprising a solid support
consisting essentially of or having nucleic acids of different
sequence bound directly or indirectly thereto, wherein each nucleic
acid of different sequence comprises a polymorphic genetic marker
derived from an (and/or founder) that is representative of the
current population. Preferably, the high-throughput system
comprises sufficient markers to be representative of the genome of
the current population i.e., they span the entire genome and
comprise sufficient polymorphisms to be useful for genome-wide
screening. The markers may be arrayed in linkage groups, optionally
according to the chromosome segment with which they are in linkage
disequilibrium. It will be apparent from the foregoing description
that the marker information contained in the high throughput system
can be obtained by an intermediate step in a method of the present
invention. In use, the high-throughput system of the present
invention is used for genotyping at a single locus or QTL, or at
multiple loci or QTLs, or for genome-wide genotyping of an
individual in a current population.
[0112] It will also be understood that the artificial selection
method of the present invention is useful for selecting an
individual or reproductive or regenerative material from the
individual for use in breeding, artificial insemination, in vitro
fertilization, embryo implantation, or transgenic approach.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a process for
producing genetic gain in a population comprising performing the
method of the present invention according to any embodiment
described herein and selecting an individual from a population
having a high estimated breeding value. By "high estimated breeding
value" means a breeding value sufficient to produce a genetic gain
if the individual is mated to another individual in the population
e.g., an individual that also has a high estimated breeding value
as determined against the same or different parameter(s).
[0113] In one example, the process comprises obtaining reproductive
or regenerative material from the selected individual. In the
present context, the term "obtaining reproductive or regenerative
material" shall be taken to include collecting and/or storing
and/or maintaining germplasm such as the selected individual or
semen, ova or pollen from the selected individual or embryos, seed
etc produced using the germplasm of the selected individual, such
as for use in conventional breeding programs or artificial
insemination programs; and collecting and/or storing and/or
maintaining cells such as embryonic stem cells, pluripotent or
multipotent stem cells, fibroblasts, sperm cells, or organelles
such as nuclei, mitochondria or chloroplasts from the selected
individual, optionally transformed to include one or more genes or
nucleic acids for conferring a desired attribute on an organism,
for the production of transformed organisms carrying the genetic
material of the selected individual.
[0114] The present invention clearly extends to any reproductive or
regenerative material obtained by performing the process of the
present invention. When reproductive or regenerative material used
in this context deviates from one haploid genome of the selected
individual, the present invention encompasses the use of that
material to the extent that an organism produced therefrom produces
a genetic gain in the population that is substantially the same as
the expected genetic gain or actual genetic gain from the entire
germplasm of the selected individual. This assumes a similar,
isogenic or near-isogenic genetic background for the purposes of
comparing genetic gain from a haploid genome of the selected
individual to the expected or actual genetic gain from other
contributing haploid genome proportions. As will be known to the
skilled artisan, "expected genetic gain" is a theoretical value,
whereas "actual genetic gain" is a value determined from test
matings in a population.
[0115] The reproductive or regenerative material is generally
stored for a prolonged period for subsequent use and it is
desirable in such circumstances to maintain records of the
material. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a
computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of reproductive or
regenerative material obtained by performing a process of the
invention according to any embodiment described herein. Preferably,
data on the reproductive or regenerative material is combined with
data selected from the group consisting of: data on ancestors
(and/or founders) for the material; data on chromosome segments for
the material; data on chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or
founders) of the material; data on marker genotype(s) in each
chromosome segment for the material; data on marker genotype(s) in
each chromosome segment for ancestors (and/or founders); data on
lineages between the marker genotypes and/or chromosome segments;
and combinations thereof.
[0116] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0117] (i) a database of
reproductive or regenerative material obtained by performing a
process of the invention according to any embodiment described
herein, and optionally comprising data selected from the group
consisting of: data on ancestors (and/or founders) for the
material; data on chromosome segments for the material; data on
chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or founders) of the
material; data on marker genotype(s) in each chromosome segment for
the material; data on marker genotype(s) in each chromosome segment
for ancestors (and/or founders); data on lineages between the
marker genotypes and/or chromosome segments; and combinations
thereof; and [0118] (ii) a user interface allowing a user to input
data pertaining to an individual e.g., chromosome segment, genetic
marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide sequence or nucleotide
occurrences for an individual e.g., for querying the database and
displaying results of a database query.
[0119] Alternatively or in addition, the database consists
essentially of data pertaining to the reproductive or regenerative
material obtained by performing a process of the invention
according to any embodiment described herein, and optionally
comprising data selected from the group consisting of: data on
ancestors (and/or founders) for the material; data on chromosome
segments for the material; data on chromosome segments for
ancestors (and/or founders) of the material; data on marker
genotype(s) in each chromosome segment for the material; data on
marker genotype(s) in each chromosome segment for ancestors (and/or
founders); data on lineages between the marker genotypes and/or
chromosome segments; and combinations thereof. Alternatively, the
database, consists exclusively of such information.
[0120] In a further example, the present invention also provides a
process for producing genetic gain in a population comprising:
[0121] (i) performing a method of the present invention according
to any embodiment described herein for artificial selection; [0122]
(ii) selecting an individual from a population having a high
estimated breeding value; [0123] (iii) obtaining reproductive or
regenerative material from the selected individual; and [0124] (iv)
producing one or more individuals or one or more generations of
individuals from the reproductive or regenerative material.
[0125] The term "producing one or more individuals or one or more
generations of individuals from the reproductive or regenerative
material" encompass traditional breeding approaches, artificial
insemination, in vitro fertilization, embryo implantation, and
transgenic approaches (e.g., using ES stem cells, pronuclei,
sperm-mediated gene transfer, etc) known to the skilled artisan for
the species to which the population belongs.
[0126] The present invention clearly extends to any individuals or
generations of individuals produced by performing the process of
the present invention. The skilled artisan will be aware that the
genetic contribution of the reproductive or regenerative material
may not be carried forward to all generations beyond an initial
progeny generation. Accordingly, when generations of individuals
beyond the initial progeny generation are produced from the
reproductive or regenerative material, the present invention
encompasses any individual of those generations to the extent that
the individual contains in its genome a chromosome segment derived
from the reproductive or regenerative material that would explain
the expected genetic gain or actual genetic gain from the
reproductive or regenerative material.
[0127] The present invention further provides a method for
determining a set of ancestors (and/or founders) that is
representative of a current population having a small effective
population size, said method comprising determining the long term
contributions of ancestors (and/or founders) to the population with
reference to pedigrees of individuals of the current population and
selecting those individuals providing the largest long term
contributions to the current population such that the smallest
number of ancestors (and/or founders) is selected to substantially
describe the variance in the current population.
[0128] As used herein, the term "set of ancestors (and/or founders)
that are representative of a current population" means that the set
of ancestors (and/or founders) accounts for most of the variance in
the current population i.e., the sum of all ancestors (and/or
founders) in the set substantially describes the variance in the
current population. By "substantially describe the variance in the
current population" means at least about 70%, preferably at least
about 80% and still more preferably at least about 90% of the total
variance in the current population.
[0129] In another example, the present invention also provides a
computer-readable medium for use in artificial selection said
computer-readable medium comprising a database of one or more sets
of ancestors (and/or founders) that are representative of one or
more current populations having a small effective population size
produced by performing a method described herein and optionally
comprising additional data selected from the group consisting of:
data on actual or estimated breeding values for one or more
ancestors (and/or founders); data on chromosome segments for
ancestors (and/or founders) of individuals in the current
population; data on one or more markers contained within one or
more chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or founders) of
individuals in the current population; and combinations
thereof.
[0130] The present invention also provides a computer system for
use in artificial selection comprising: [0131] (i) a database of
one or more sets of ancestors (and/or founders) that are
representative of one or more current populations having a small
effective population size produced by performing a method described
herein and optionally comprising additional data selected from the
group consisting of: data on actual or estimated breeding values
for one or more ancestors (and/or founders); data on chromosome
segments for ancestors (and/or founders) of individuals in the
current population; data on one or more markers contained within
one or more chromosome segments for ancestors (and/or founders) of
individuals in the current population and combinations thereof; and
[0132] (ii) a user interface allowing a user to input data
pertaining to an individual e.g., chromosome segment, genetic
marker, haplotype, haplogroup, nucleotide sequence or nucleotide
occurrences for an individual e.g., for querying the database and
displaying results of a database query.
[0133] The present invention clearly encompasses the use of any
high throughput system, computer-readable medium or computer system
referred to herein, or any combination thereof in artificial
selection, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, embryo
implant or transgenic procedure or process for producing genetic
gain, and in any combination of such procedures or processes.
[0134] In each of the methods, processes, computer-readable media,
computer systems and uses described herein, it is preferred that
the pedigrees of individuals in the current population is complete
or nearly complete i.e., comprising at least about 80% of ancestors
(and/or founders), or 85% of ancestors (and/or founders) or 90% of
ancestors (and/or founders) or 95% of ancestors (and/or founders)
or 99% of ancestors (and/or founders) or 100% of ancestors (and/or
founders). In such circumstances, the cumulative proportion of
genes contributed by ancestors (and/or founders) to a current
population will be at least about 80% and preferably at least about
90% or 95% or 99% or 100%. In cases where the pedigree data are
incomplete, the present invention clearly encompasses the use of
one or more markers to infer the pedigree of one or more animals of
a current population that have an incomplete pedigree.
[0135] The foregoing embodiments describe the use of ancestor
and/or founder genotypes to infer the genotypes of selection
candidates in breeding programmes. However, it is to be understood
that, notwithstanding the general applicability of the present
invention to the use of ancestral and/or founder genotypes for this
purpose, the use of ancestral genotypes is preferred because the
data sets are generally smaller than for founder populations and
therefore provide a greater advantage in terms of reduced costs
than genotypes based on founder genotypes.
[0136] Each embodiment described herein is to be applied mutatis
mutandis to each and every other embodiment unless specifically
stated otherwise.
[0137] Throughout this specification and the claims that follow,
unless specifically stated otherwise or the context requires
otherwise, reference to a single step, composition of matter, group
of steps or group of compositions of matter shall be taken to
encompass one and a plurality (i.e. one or more) of those steps,
compositions of matter, groups of steps or group of compositions of
matter.
[0138] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention
described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications as
described herein or other than those specifically described,
including functional equivalents. It is to be understood that the
invention includes all such variations and modifications. The
invention also includes all of the steps, features, compositions
and compounds referred to or indicated in this specification,
individually or collectively, and any and all combinations or any
two or more of said steps or features.
[0139] The present invention is performed without undue
experimentation using, unless otherwise indicated, conventional
techniques of molecular biology, microbiology, virology,
recombinant DNA technology, peptide synthesis in solution, solid
phase peptide synthesis, and immunology.
[0140] The following texts are incorporated herein by reference:
[0141] 1. Sambrook, Fritsch & Maniatis, Molecular Cloning: A
Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, New York,
Second Edition (1989), whole of Vols I, II, and III; [0142] 2. DNA
Cloning: A Practical Approach, Vols. I and II (D. N. Glover, ed.,
1985), IRL Press, Oxford, whole of text; [0143] 3. Oligonucleotide
Synthesis: A Practical Approach (M. J. Gait, ed., 1984) IRL Press,
Oxford, whole of text, and particularly the papers therein by Gait,
pp 1-22; Atkinson et al., pp 35-81; Sproat et al., pp 83-115; and
Wu et al., pp 135-151; [0144] 4. Nucleic Acid Hybridization: A
Practical Approach (B. D. Hames & S. J. Higgins, eds., 1985)
IRL Press, Oxford, whole of text; [0145] 5. Perbal, B., A Practical
Guide to Molecular Cloning (1984); [0146] 6. Bulmer, M. G., The
mathematical theory of quantitative genetics. Clarendon Press,
Oxford, (1980); [0147] 7. Falconer D. S., Introduction to
Quantitative Genetics. Oliver & Boyd, London (1960); [0148] 8.
Falconer D. S., Introduction to Quantitative Genetics, Second
edition, Longmann, London (1981); [0149] 9. Falconer D. S.,
Introduction to Quantitative Genetics, Third edition, Longmann,
London (1989); [0150] 10. Falconer D. S., Mackay T. F. C.,
Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. Fourth edition, Longmann
& Co, London (1996); and [0151] 11. Kearsey M., Pooni H S.,
1996. The Genetical Analysis of Quantitative traits. Chapman &
Hall, London (1996).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Species Having Small Effective Population Sizes (Ne)
[0152] The present invention is readily applied to any breeding or
artificial selection context involving individuals from small
effective populations, especially for populations which have had
their effective population size reduced e.g., by selective
breeding. Standard methods known to the skilled artisan are used to
determine effective population size.
[0153] For example, the effective population size Ne is calculated
as:
Ne=1/(2.DELTA.F)
wherein F is the inbreeding coefficient, a measure of the amount of
genetic diversity that has been lost such as by inbreeding. The
term .DELTA.F can be estimated by regressing individual inbreeding
coefficients on generation number. The change in inbreeding per
generation can then be used to estimate the effective number of
breeding animals (Ne). The purpose of the effective population size
is to estimate the number of animals that would produce an observed
rate of inbreeding if bred under ideal conditions of random mating
in the current generation (Lacy, Zoo Biol. 14, 565-578, 1995).
[0154] Examples of methods for determining effective population
size are described in the referenced listed in Table 1. Preferred
populations having a small effective population size will have been
produced relatively recently e.g., over 4-10 generations, by virtue
of a population bottleneck, or alternatively, over a period of time
for which pedigree data on significant ancestors are available.
This is to permit sufficient coverage of the genome of the current
population to be inferred by haplotypes of the highly significant
ancestors contributing the bulk of genetic variation to the current
population. Examples of populations to which the present invention
is readily applied include cattle (e.g., beef and dairy cattle such
as Holstein, Friesan, Holstein-Friesan, Braunvieh, Brown Swiss,
Jersey, Danish Red, Aberdeen Angus), sheep (e.g., Meatlinc, Dorset
x Rambouillet x. Finnsheep cross), pigs (e.g., Large White x
Landrace cross, Large White, Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace), poultry
(e.g., Layers), fish (e.g., atlantic salmon), crustaceans,
ryegrass, etc. The estimated effective population size (Ne) of some
of these animal populations are shown in Table 1 herein.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Estimated Species Breed Ne Reference Bovine
Holstein- 50 Boichard INRA Prod. Anim. 9, Friesans 323-335 (1996)
Holstein- 100 Young et al., J. Dairy Sci. 79, Friseans 502-505
(1996) Braunvieh 114 Hagger, J. Anim. Breed. and Genet. 22, 405
(2005) Brown Swiss 46 Hagger, J. Anim. Breed. and Genet. 22, 405
(2005) Holstein 49 Sorensen et al., J Dairy Sci. 88, 1865-1872
(2005) Jersey 53 Sorensen et al., J Dairy Sci. 88, 1865-1872 (2005)
Danish Red 47 Sorensen et al., J Dairy Sci. 88, 1865-1872 (2005)
Ovine Dorset- 35 Mackinnon et al., J. Anim Sci Ramboulliet- 81
(Supp. 1), p267 (2003) Finnsheep cross Porcine Large white -
<200 Harmegnies et al., Anim Landrace Genet. 37, 225-231 (2006)
intercross Large White 200 Nsengimana et al., Genetics 166,
1395-1404 (2004) Duroc/Large 85 Nsengimana et al., Genetics 166,
White 1395-1404 (2004) Yorkshire/Large 60 Nsengimana et al.,
Genetics 166, White 1395-1404 (2004) Large White 300 Nsengimana et
al., Genetics 166, 1395-1404 (2004) Landrace 190 Nsengimana et al.,
Genetics 166, 1395-1404 (2004) Chickens Layers 91-123 Hagger et
al., J. Anim Breed Genet. 122 (Suppl 1), 15-21 (2005) Atlantic
Breeding 50-200 Mork et al., Norges Offentlige Salmon program
Utredninger 9, 181-200 (1999) population
Defining Ancestors and Founders
[0155] Standard methods are used to determine ancestral/founder
contributions to a current population, preferably in populations
for which pedigree data are complete or near-complete e.g., at
least about 80-90% complete or at least about 85-95% complete, and
more preferably at least about 90% or 95% or 96% or 97% or 98% or
99% complete.
[0156] For example, the calculation derived by Boichard et al.
(1997) can be used to identify the most influential ancestors
and/or founders in a pedigree:
fa = i = 1 m ai 2 ##EQU00001##
wherein ai is the marginal contribution of each ancestor/founder
(i.e., any animal in the pedigree except for those animals in the
current generation), as opposed to each founder, to the current
generation, and m is the total number of contributing ancestors.
The marginal contribution of all ancestors/founders should sum to
one, and the effective number of ancestors is always smaller than
or equal to the effective number of founders. Individual
contributions to the effective number of ancestors/founders can be
used to find the most influential ancestors and/or founders. The
numbers obtained from the calculation of fa take into consideration
a decrease in genetic variation in populations that have passed
through a bottleneck. It is the individual that passes on the most
genes to a current population that makes the highest contribution.
Even though an influential ancestor (e.g. a son of a sire) passes
on most of his genes through many offspring, he only has half of
the genes from his founding father. Animals in the current
population under study are given a value of one and marginal
contributions are obtained by processing the pedigree from youngest
to oldest. When an important ancestor/founder is identified (an
animal with the most relationships to the current population),
their sire and dam information is removed from the pedigree, so
contributions to the current population are not double-counted. An
algorithm re-runs the calculations each time an ancestor is
removed, so that marginal contributions not due to the ancestor
already selected are the only ones measured (Boichard et al.,
Genet. Sel. Evol. 29, 5-23, 1997).
[0157] From the example in the preceding paragraph, it is apparent
that, if a son was selected as an important ancestor, his father
would not get credit for his contributions through his influential
son in the next iterate.
[0158] There is a discrepancy that may occur when fa is estimated
through the previous equation. Since animals are selected based on
their marginal contribution, if multiple animals have the same
marginal contribution within one iteration, then the number of
effective ancestors may change depending on which one is chosen.
Large populations are not affected greatly, but in small
populations there could be an increased effect on fa, since
marginal contributions have the potential to be larger. The fa
accounts for bottlenecks in the pedigree, but does not account for
genetic drift. The calculation is useful for identifying the most
influential ancestors, which may be of importance in selected
populations.
[0159] Alternatively, significant ancestors and/or founders can be
determined from considering the effect of different cohorts of
ancestors/founders on genetic gain, as determined by studying the
relationship between the long-term genetic contributions of
ancestors/founders and index scores, essentially as described by
Avendano et al., J. Anim. Sci. 81, 2964-2975 (2003). In this
method, the long-term contribution (r) is computed following the
approach of Woolliams et al., Anim. Sci. 61, 177-187 (1995) wherein
to compute r, a generation of ancestors/founders and a generation
of descendants are defined according to average generation
intervals previously calculated such that the ancestral and
descendant generations are defined by using the generation interval
(L). This definition ensures that r summed over all ancestors over
a period of L yr equals unity (Bijma et al., Genetics 151,
1197-1210, 1990). Convergence of contributions is assumed if the
variance of contributions of ancestors/founders across descendants
is lower than 1.0.times.10.sup.-4. The regression of the long-term
genetic contribution of ancestors/founders on their index scores is
calculated for each cohort of ancestors.
[0160] In a particularly preferred example, ancestors are defined
by a method of the invention comprising determining the long term
contributions of ancestors and/or founders to the population with
reference to pedigrees of individuals of the current population and
selecting those individuals providing the largest long term
contributions to the current population such that the smallest
number of ancestors and/or founders is selected to substantially
describe the variance in the current population.
[0161] For example, let the following conditions or assumptions
apply to the relationship of any ancestor or founder or group of
ancestors or founders to a current population: [0162] (i) n
represents the number of potential ancestors and/or founders;
[0163] (ii) A is an n.times.n additive relationship matrix among n
potential ancestors and/or founders; [0164] (iii) c is an n.times.1
vector with the n potential ancestors and/or founders ordered in
the same manner as in the additive relationship matrix A; [0165]
(iv) c.sub.i is the average relationship of ancestor/founder i to a
current population i.e., the fraction of genes in the current
population that are derived directly or indirectly from
ancestor/founder i; and [0166] (v) A.sub.m is a sub-matrix of A
describing the relationship between m of the ancestors and/or
founders; [0167] (vi) c.sub.m is a sub-vector of c describing the
relationship between m of the ancestors and/or founders and the
current population; [0168] (vii) p is a vector having element i
equal to the proportion of genes in a population that derive only
from ancestor/founder i; and [0169] (viii) p'l is the proportion of
genes in the population that derive from in ancestors and/or
founders determined as a total of the elements of p.
[0170] Thus,
p=A.sub.m.sup.-1c.sub.m.
[0171] This means that the key ancestors and/or founders can be
selected by determining a subset of ancestors that maximize p'l.
For example, the most significant ancestors and/or founders to a
population can be selected step-wise, by: (i) selecting an ancestor
or founder contributing the highest proportion of genes to the
current population; (ii) selecting an ancestor or founder that
provides the highest marginal contribution of genes compared to the
ancestor at (i); and (iii) conducting sufficient iterations of (ii)
to substantially describe the variance in the current
population.
[0172] For example, a set of about 25 significant ancestors in the
Australian Holstein Fresian population has been determined using
this approach, as shown in Table 2. The full names of these
ancestors are also listed in Table 3 hereof providing a more
complete listing of key ancestors and the availability of semen or
genotype data on those key ancestors. One ancestor per line is
indicated in both Table 2 and Table 3. In the example provided in
Table 2, the cumulative proportion of genes contributed to current
population is about 33%, possibly due to the incomplete pedigrees
of animals in the current population. As can be seen from the data
in Table 3, of 100 key ancestors, ony about one-half have been
genotyped and there are limited semen stocks available for
genotyping to be performed, thereby making inference of missing
genotyes necessary.
[0173] It is preferable for the cumulative proportion of genes
contributed to current population to be more than about 80% or 90%
or 95% or 99% or 100%. In circumstances where this is not the case,
it is preferred to use a population having better pedigree
recording and/or to use markers themselves to infer the pedigree of
animals with incomplete pedigrees.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Exemplary key ancestors in the Australian
Holstein Fresian cattle population Cumulative Proportion of genes
contributed to Ancestor name current population VALIANT 0.05371 OAK
RAG APPLE ELEVATION 0.09220 IVANHOE BELL 0.12534 STARBUCK 0.15426
MASCOT 0.18180 BLACKSTAR 0.20459 ENHANCER 0.22700 LINMACK KRISS
KING 0.24425 ROTATE 0.25660 TRADITION CLEITUS 0.26798 ROYBROOK
TELSTAR 0.27699 PACLAMAR ASTRONAUT 0.28531 FOND MATT 0.29287
WHITTIER-FARMS NED BOY 0.29872 ROYBROOK STARLITE 0.30399 WAPA
ARLINDA CONDUCTOR 0.30851 ROSAFE CITATION 0.31247 CAM VIEW
SOVEREIGN 0.31638 KIRK JUPITER 0.32027 TRAILYND ROYAL BEAU 0.32374
AGRO ACRES MARQUIS NED 0.32717 RONNYBROOK PRELUDE 0.33046 SUNNY BOY
0.33379 HILL NSPIRATION 0.33658 VIC KAI 0.33915
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Exemplary key ancestors in the Australian
and US Holstein Fresian cattle population Semen Genotype AUS_ID
International_ID Ancestor name stocks.sup.1 records.sup.1 A00000013
HOAUS000A00000013 WARRAWEE ADEMA AMBASSADOR 0 0 A00000096
HOAUS000A00000096 KOTAHA KIM 0 0 A00000103 HOAUS000A00000103
VICTORIA OLSON 0 0 A00000193 HOAUS000A00000193 CAM VIEW SOVEREIGN 0
0 A00000207 HOAUS000A00000207 CLINELL RAELENE MAGIC 0 0 A00000253
HOAUS000A00000253 GLENJOY GRIFFLAND RANDY 0 0 A00001001
HOAUS000A00001001 SNIDERS FOND HOPE KING 0 0 A00001037
HOAUS000A00001037 FRASEA LORD JEWEL 0 0 A00001555 HOAUS000A00001555
HADSPEN BUTTERMAN 01 F B BUTTE 0 0 A00001643 HOAUS000A00001643
CLARIS VALE MASTER 0 0 A00001742 HONZL000000062011 PUKERORO ISAR
IMPERIAL 0 0 A00001744 HONZL000000004209 GAYTON INGA VIC 0 0
A00001746 HONZL000000005211 WINDERMERE PERFECT MAX 0 0 A00001753
HONZL000000007213 LYNCREST S Q VICTOR 0 0 A00001756
HONZL000000062147 PUKERORO NORBERT LOCK 0 0 A00001786
HONZL000000062387 ATHOL SOVEREIGN FAME 0 0 A00001911
HOGBR000000265781 SUTTONHOO IDENA DIVIDEND PI 0 0 A00001931
HOCAN000000292057 FREELEA INKA JERRY 0 0 A00001938
HOGBR000000303735 MMB OAKRIDGES REFLECTION PI 0 0 A00001941
HOCAN000000294213 LINMACK KRISS KING 0 0 A00001957
HOCAN000000313602 AGRO ACRES REVENUE 0 0 A00001975
HOGBR000000360323 LOCUSLANE SUPREME 0 0 A00002138 HOCAN000000280596
EDGEWARE WAYNE ACHILLES 0 0 A00002142 HOCAN000000289318 TAYSIDE
PABST ROCKMAN 0 0 A00002144 HOCAN000000290516 AGRO ACRES MARQUIS
NED 0 0 A00002145 HOCAN000000293299 WAY BROOK SIR WINSTON 0 0
A00002148 HOCAN000000302981 MOOREVILLE ROCKET KEMP 0 0 A00002169
HOCAN000000320891 QUALITY ULTIMATE 0 0 A00002296 HONZL000000062112
PITCAIRNS T B TOPPER 0 0 A00002798 HOCAN000000276333 BOND HAVEN
SOVEREIGN 0 0 A00002935 HONZL000000000161 KITEROA MUTUAL MIKE 0 0
A00002944 HONZL000000027893 OTAKI H C T GRAHAM 0 0 A00003116
HOCAN000000364963 ALBRECHT CASCADE 0 0 A00005113 HOCAN000000299855
FAIRLEA ROYAL MARK 0 0 A00005114 HOCAN000000288790 ROYBROOK TELSTAR
0 0 A00005147 HOUSA000001392858 NO-NA-ME FOND MATT 0 0 A00005158
HOCAN000000267150 ROSAFE CITATION R 0 0 A00005482 HOUSA000001721509
BROWNCROFT JETSON 0 0 A00006409 HOUSA000001617348 HILLIANA
VALEDICTORIAN 0 0 A00006411 HOUSA000001685359 DONACRES DYNAMO-TWIN
0 0 A00006862 HOUSA000001516360 HEINDEL K C KIRK JUPITER 0 0
A00008144 HONLD000311651443 SKALSUMER SUNNY BOY 0 0 A00011920
HONZL000000093290 ATHOL MURRAYS EMINENCE 0 0 A00012752
HONZL000000096329 SRB COLLINS ROYAL HUGO 0 0 A00014530
HOCAN000000259668 GLENHOLM ALERT DEAN PABST 0 0 A00014543
HODNK000000010763 VAR ARLI 0 0 A00014643 HOUSA000001282262 ELLBANK
ADMIRAL ORMSBY PRIDE 0 0 A00014647 HOUSA000001242221 POLYTECHNIC
IMPERIAL KNIGHT 0 0 A00014648 HOUSA000001199324 SKOKIE BENEFACTOR 0
0 A00014679 HOUSA000001531866 PACLAMAR COMBINATION 0 0 A00014692
HOUSA000001648394 ACK-LEE CHIEF MONEY MAKER 0 0 A00017159
HOUSA000001352979 SKOKIE NED BOY 0 0 A00000378 HOAUS000A00000378
ONKAVALE GRIFFLAND MIDAS 1 1 A00001061 HOAUS000A00001061 TRAILYND
ROYAL BEAU 1 1 A00001978 HOGBR000000370161 DALESEND CASCADE PI 1 1
A00002502 HOCAN000000340909 CAL-CLARK CUTLASS 1 1 A00004350
HOCAN000000371440 HANOVERHILL SABASTIAN ET 1 1 A00006720
HOCAN000000402729 MEADOW BRIDGE MANHATTAN 1 1 A00006889
HOAUS000A00006889 SHOREMAR PERFECT STAR (ET) 1 1 A00011268
HONLD000829877874 HOLIM BOUDEWIJN 1 1 A00006484 HOUSA000001747862
COR-VEL ENCHANTMENT 1 2 A00006968 HOUSA000001772090 CRESCENTMEAD
CHIEF STEWART 1 2 A00014532 HOCAN000000260599 ROSAFE SHAMROCK
PERSEUS 1 2 A00014669 HOUSA000001563453 WILLOW-FARM ROCKMAN IVANHOE
1 2 A00015051 HOUSA000001483844 HARBORCREST HAPPY CRUSADER 1 2
A00004325 HOUSA000001781631 ROBE-JAN SKYLER CHIEF 1 1 A00004805
HOCAN000000363162 HANOVER-HILL INSPIRATION 1 1 A00005146
HOUSA000001626813 MARSHFIELD ELEVATION TONY 1 1 A00005148
HOUSA000001458744 PACLAMAR ASTRONAUT 1 1 A00005149
HOUSA000001450228 PACLAMAR BOOTMAKER 1 1 A00005151
HOUSA000001491007 ROUND OAK RAG APPLE ELEVATION 1 1 A00005152
HOUSA000001650414 S-W-D VALIANT 1 1 A00005154 HOUSA000001583197
WAPA ARLINDA CONDUCTOR 1 1 A00005156 HOUSA000001381027 IDEAL FURY
REFLECTOR 1 1 A00005424 HOUSA000001806201 WHITTIER-FARMS NED BOYI 1
1 A00005425 HOUSA000001667366 CARLIN-M IVANHOE BELL 1 1 A00005426
HOUSA000001682485 SWEET-HAVEN TRADITION 1 1 A00005569
HOUSA000001697572 ARLINDA ROTATE 1 1 A00005707 HOUSA000001879085
BIS-MAY TRADITION CLEITUS 1 1 A00006187 HOUSA000001929410 TO-MAR
BLACKSTAR-ET 1 1 A00006410 HOUSA000001512026 HARRISBURG GAY IDEAL 1
1 A00007236 HOUSA000001930394 HICKS-HOLLOW PROMPT 1 1 A00007435
HOCAN000000392457 A RONNYBROOK PRELUDE ET 1 1 A00007990
HOUSA000001874634 HOW-EL-ACRES K BELLMAN-ET 1 1 A00014631
HOUSA000001399824 HILLTOP APOLLO IVANHOE 1 1 A00014632
HOUSA000001393997 PROVIN MIN IVANHOE JEWEL 1 1 A00014636
HOUSA000001428104 SUNNYSIDE STANDOUT-TWIN 1 1 A00014670
HOUSA000001560362 C ROMANDALE SHALIMAR MAGNET 1 1 A00014702
HOUSA000001608425 ARLINDA CINNAMON 1 1 A00014705 HOUSA000001674245
I-O-STATE CHIEF FORD 1 1 A00002151 HOCAN000000308691 ROYBROOK
STARLITE 2 1 A00002677 HOCAN000000343514 GLENAFTON ENHANCER 2 1
A00003460 HOCAN000000352790 HANOVERHILL STARBUCK 2 1 A00005339
HOUSA000001856904 THONYMA SECRET 2 1 A00006485 HOUSA000001964484
SOUTHWIND BELL OF BAR-LEE 2 1 A00006577 HOCAN000000383622 MADAWASKA
AEROSTAR 2 1 A00007094 HOUSA000002005253 PICKARD-ACRES VIC KAI 2 1
A00007170 HOUSA000002020049 SINGING-BROOK N-B MASCOT-ET 2 1
A00008149 HOUSA000002070579 BIS-MAY S-E-L MOUNTAIN-ET 2 1 A00010003
HONLD000775328514 EASTLAND CASH 2 1 .sup.1numbers indicate
cumulative totals for Australia and US
Genotyping Methods
[0174] Genotyping generally involves detecting one or more markers
of interest e.g., SNPs in a sample from an individual being tested,
and analysing the results obtained to determine the haplotype of
the subject. As will be apparent from the disclosure herein, it is
particularly preferred to detect the one or more markers of
interest using a high-throughput system comprising a solid support
consisting essentially of or having nucleic acids of different
sequence bound directly or indirectly thereto, wherein each nucleic
acid of different sequence comprises a polymorphic genetic marker
derived from an ancestor or founder that is representative of the
current population and, more preferably wherein said
high-throughput system comprises sufficient markers to be
representative of the genome of the current population.
Suitable Samples for Genotyping
[0175] Preferred sample comprise nucleic acid, e.g., RNA or genomic
DNA and preferably genomic DNA.
[0176] For example, genetic testing of plants can involve testing
of any plant part e.g., leaf, floral organ, seed, etc.
[0177] Genetic testing of animals can be performed using a hair
follicle, for example, isolated from the tail of an animal to be
tested. Other examples of readily accessible samples include, for
example, skin or a bodily fluid or an extract thereof or a fraction
thereof. For example, a readily accessible bodily fluid includes,
for example, whole blood, saliva, semen or urine. Exemplary whole
blood fractions are selected from the group consisting of
buffy-coat fraction, Fraction II+III obtainable by ethanol
fractionation of Cohn (E. J. Cohn et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 68,
459 (1946), Fraction II obtainable by ethanol fractionation of Cohn
(E. J. Cohn et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 68, 459 (1946), albumin
fraction, an immunoglobulin-containing fraction and mixtures
thereof. Preferably, a sample from an animal has been isolated or
derived previously from an animal subject by, for example, surgery,
or using a syringe or swab.
[0178] In another embodiment, a sample can comprise a cell or cell
extract or mixture thereof derived from a tissue or organ such as
described herein above. Nucleic acid preparation derived from
organs, tissues or cells are also particularly useful.
[0179] The sample can be prepared on a solid matrix for
histological analyses, or alternatively, in a suitable solution
such as, for example, an extraction buffer or suspension buffer,
and the present invention clearly extends to the testing of
biological solutions thus prepared. However, in a preferred
embodiment, the high-throughput system of the present invention is
employed using samples in solution.
Probe/Primer Design
[0180] The skilled artisan is aware that a suitable probe or primer
i.e., one capable of specifically detecting a marker, will
specifically hybridize to a region of the genome in genomic DNA
from the individual being tested that comprises the marker. As used
herein "selectively hybridizes" means that the polynucleotide used
as a probe is used under conditions where a target polynucleotide
is found to hybridize to the probe at a level significantly above
background. The background hybridization may occur because of other
polynucleotides present, for example, in genomic DNA being
screened. In this event, background implies a level of signal
generated by interaction between the probe and non-specific DNA
which is less than 10 fold, preferably less than 100 fold as
intense as the specific interaction observed with the target DNA.
The intensity of interaction are measured, for example, by
radiolabelling the probe, e.g. with .sup.32P.
[0181] As will be known to the skilled artisan a probe or primer
comprises nucleic acid and may consist of synthetic
oligonucleotides up to about 100-300 nucleotides in length and more
preferably of about 50-100 nucleotides in length and still more
preferably at least about 8-100 or 8-50 nucleotides in length. For
example, locked nucleic acid (LNA) or protein-nucleic acid (PNA)
probes or molecular beacons for the detection of one or more SNPs
are generally at least about 8 to 12 nucleotides in length. Longer
nucleic acid fragments up to several kilobases in length can also
be used, e.g., derived from genomic DNA that has been sheared or
digested with one or more restriction endonucleases. Alternatively,
probes/primers can comprise RNA.
[0182] Preferred probes or primers for use in the present invention
will be compatible with the high-throughput system described
herein. Exemplary probes and primers will comprise locked nucleic
acid (LNA) or protein-nucleic acid (PNA) probes or molecular
beacons, preferably bound to a solid phase. For example, LNA or PNA
probes bound to a solid support are used, wherein the probes each
comprise an SNP and sufficient probes are bound to the solid
support to span the genome of the species to which an individual
being tested belongs.
[0183] The number of probes or primers will vary depending upon the
number of loci or QTLs being screened and, in the case of
genome-wide screens, the size of the genome being screened. The
determination of such parameters is readily determined by a skilled
artisan without undue experimentation.
[0184] Specificity of probes or primers can also depend upon the
format of hybridization or amplification reaction employed for
genotyping.
[0185] The sequence(s) of any particular probe(s) or primer(s) used
in the method of the present invention will depend upon the locus
or QTL or combination thereof being screened. In this respect, the
present invention can be generally applied to the genotyping of any
locus or QTL or to the simultaneous or sequential genotyping of any
number of QTLs or loci including genome-wide genotyping. This
generality is not to be taken away or read down to a specific locus
or QTL or combination thereof. The determination of probe/primer
sequences is readily determined by a skilled artisan without undue
experimentation.
[0186] Standard methods are employed for designing probes and/or
primers e.g., as described by Dveksler (Eds) (In: PCR Primer. A
Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratories, NY, 1995).
Software packages are also publicly available for designing optimal
probes and/or primers for a variety of assays, e.g., Primer 3
available from the Center for Genome Research, Cambridge, Mass.,
USA. Probes and/or primers are preferably assessed to determine
those that do not form hairpins, self-prime, or form primer dimers
(e.g. with another probe or primer used in a detection assay).
Furthermore, a probe or primer (or the sequence thereof) is
preferably assessed to determine the temperature at which it
denatures from a target nucleic acid (i.e. the melting temperature
of the probe or primer, or Tm). Methods of determining Tm are known
in the art and described, for example, in Santa Lucia, Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA, 95: 1460-1465, 1995 or Bresslauer et al., Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83: 3746-3750, 1986.
[0187] For LNA or PNA probes or molecular beacons, it is
particularly preferred for the probe or molecular beacon to be at
least about 8 to 12 nucleotides in length and more preferably, for
the SNP to be positioned at approximately the centre of the probe,
thereby facilitating selective hybridization and accurate
detection.
[0188] For detecting one or more SNPs using an allele-specific PCR
assay or a ligase chain reaction assay, the probe/primer is
generally designed such that the 3' terminal nucleotide hybridizes
to the site of the SNP. The 3' terminal nucleotide may be
complementary to any of the nucleotides known to be present at the
site of the SNP. When complementary nucleotides occur in both the
probe/primer and at the site of the polymorphism, the 3' end of the
probe or primer hybridizes completely to the marker of interest and
facilitates, for example, PCR amplification or ligation to another
nucleic acid. Accordingly, a probe or primer that completely
hybridizes to the target nucleic acid produces a positive result in
an assay.
[0189] For primer extension reactions, the probe/primer is
generally designed such that it specifically hybridizes to a region
adjacent to a specific nucleotide of interest, e.g., an SNP. While
the specific hybridization of a probe or primer may be estimated by
determining the degree of homology of the probe or primer to any
nucleic acid using software, such as, for example, BLAST, the
specificity of a probe or primer is generally determined
empirically using methods known in the art.
[0190] Methods of producing/synthesizing probes and/or primers
useful in the present invention are known in the art. For example,
oligonucleotide synthesis is described, in Gait (Ed) (In:
Oligonucleotide Synthesis: A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Oxford,
1984); LNA synthesis is described, for example, in Nielsen et al,
J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans., 1: 3423, 1997; Singh and Wengel, Chem.
Commun. 1247, 1998; and PNA synthesis is described, for example, in
Egholm et al., Am. Chem. Soc., 114: 1895, 1992; Egholm et al.,
Nature, 365: 566, 1993; and Orum et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 21:
5332, 1993.
Marker Detection Methods
[0191] Numerous methods are known in the art for determining the
occurrence of a particular marker in a sample.
[0192] In a preferred embodiment, a marker is detected using a
probe or primer that selectively hybridizes to said marker in a
sample from an individual under moderate stringency, and
preferably, high stringency conditions. If the probe or primer is
detectably labelled with a suitable reporter molecule, e.g., a
chemiluminescent label, fluorescent label, radiolabel, enzyme,
hapten, or unique oligonucleotide sequence etc, then the
hybridization may be detected directly by determining binding of
reporter molecule. Alternatively, hybridized probe or primer may be
detected by performing an amplification reaction such as polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) or similar format, and detecting the amplified
nucleic acid. Preferably, the probe or primer is bound to solid
support e.g., in the high-throughput system of the present
invention.
[0193] For the purposes of defining the level of stringency to be
used in the hybridization, a low stringency is defined herein as
hybridization and/or a wash step(s) carried out in 2-6.times.SSC
buffer, 0.1% (w/v) SDS at 28.degree. C., or equivalent conditions.
A moderate stringency is defined herein as hybridization and/or a
wash step(s) carried out in 0.2-2.times.SSC buffer, 0.1% (w/v) SDS
at a temperature in the range 45.degree. C. to 65.degree. C., or
equivalent conditions. A high stringency is defined herein as
hybridization and/or a wash step(s) carried out in 0.1.times.SSC
buffer, 0.1% (w/v) SDS, or lower salt concentration, and at a
temperature of at least 65.degree. C., or equivalent conditions.
Reference herein to a particular level of stringency encompasses
equivalent conditions using wash/hybridization solutions other than
SSC known to those skilled in the art.
[0194] Generally, the stringency is increased by reducing the
concentration of SSC buffer, and/or increasing the concentration of
SDS and/or increasing the temperature of the hybridization and/or
wash. Those skilled in the art will be aware that the conditions
for hybridization and/or wash may vary depending upon the nature of
the hybridization matrix used to support the sample DNA, or the
type of hybridization probe used.
[0195] Progressively higher stringency conditions can also be
employed wherein the stringency is increased stepwise from lower to
higher stringency conditions. Exemplary progressive stringency
conditions are as follows: 2.times.SSC/0.1% SDS at about room
temperature (hybridization conditions); 0.2.times.SSC/0.1% SDS at
about room temperature (low stringency conditions);
0.2.times.SSC/0.1% SDS at about 42.degree. C. (moderate stringency
conditions); and 0.1.times.SSC at about 68.degree. C. (high
stringency conditions). Washing can be carried out using only one
of these conditions, e.g., high stringency conditions, or each of
the conditions can be used, e.g., for 10-15 minutes each, in the
order listed above, repeating any or all of the steps listed.
However, as mentioned above, optimal conditions will vary,
depending on the particular hybridization reaction involved, and
can be determined empirically.
[0196] For example, a change in the sequence of a region of the
genome or an expression product thereof, such as, for example, an
insertion, a deletion, a transversion, a transition, is detected
using a method, such as, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), strand
displacement amplification, ligase chain reaction, cycling probe
technology or a DNA microarray chip amongst others.
[0197] Methods of PCR are known in the art and described, for
example, in Dieffenbach (ed) and Dveksler (ed) (In: PCR Primer: A
Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratories, NY, 1995).
Generally, for PCR two non-complementary nucleic acid primer
molecules comprising at least about 15 nucleotides, more preferably
at least 20 nucleotides in length are hybridized to different
strands of a nucleic acid template molecule, and specific nucleic
acid molecule copies of the template are amplified enzymatically.
PCR products may be detected using electrophoresis and detection
with a detectable marker that binds nucleic acids. Alternatively,
one or more of the oligonucleotides is/are labeled with a
detectable marker (e.g. a fluorophore) and the amplification
product detected using, for example, a lightcycler (Perkin Elmer,
Wellesley, Mass., USA). Clearly, the present invention also
encompasses quantitative forms of PCR, such as, for example, Taqman
assays.
[0198] Strand displacement amplification (SDA) utilizes
oligonucleotides, a DNA polymerase and a restriction endonuclease
to amplify a target sequence. The oligonucleotides are hybridized
to a target nucleic acid and the polymerase used to produce a copy
of this region. The duplexes of copied nucleic acid and target
nucleic acid are then nicked with an endonuclease that specifically
recognizes a sequence at the beginning of the copied nucleic acid.
The DNA polymerase recognizes the nicked DNA and produces another
copy of the target region at the same time displacing the
previously generated nucleic acid. The advantage of SDA is that it
occurs in an isothermal format, thereby facilitating
high-throughput automated analysis.
[0199] Ligase chain reaction (described, for example, in EP 320,308
and U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,750) uses at least two oligonucleotides
that bind to a target nucleic acid in such a way that they are
adjacent. A ligase enzyme is then used to link the
oligonucleotides. Using thermocycling the ligated oligonucleotides
then become a target for further oligonucleotides. The ligated
fragments are then detected, for example, using electrophoresis, or
MALDI-TOF. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more of the probes
is labeled with a detectable marker, thereby facilitating rapid
detection.
[0200] Cycling Probe Technology uses chimeric synthetic probe that
comprises DNA-RNA-DNA that is capable of hybridizing to a target
sequence. Upon hybridization to a target sequence the RNA-DNA
duplex formed is a target for RNase H thereby cleaving the probe.
The cleaved probe is then detected using, for example,
electrophoresis or MALDI-TOF.
[0201] Additional methods for detecting SNPs are known in the art,
and reviewed, for example, in Landegren et al, Genome Research 8:
769-776, 1998).
[0202] For example, an SNP that introduces or alters a sequence
that is a recognition sequence for a restriction endonuclease is
detected by digesting DNA with the endonuclease and detecting the
fragment of interest using, for example, Southern blotting
(described in Ausubel et al (In: Current Protocols in Molecular
Biology. Wiley Interscience, ISBN 047 150338, 1987) and Sambrook et
al (In: Molecular Cloning: Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual,
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, New York, Third Edition 2001)).
Alternatively, a nucleic acid amplification method described supra,
is used to amplify the region surrounding the SNP. The
amplification product is then incubated with the endonuclease and
any resulting fragments detected, for example, by electrophoresis,
MALDI-TOF or PCR.
[0203] The direct analysis of the sequence of polymorphisms of the
present invention can be accomplished using either the dideoxy
chain termination method or the Maxam-Gilbert method (see Sambrook
et al., Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual (2nd Ed., CSHP, New
York 1989); Zyskind et al., Recombinant DNA Laboratory Manual,
(Acad. Press, 1988)). For example, a region of genomic DNA
comprising one or more markers is amplified using an amplification
reaction, e.g., PCR, and following purification of the
amplification product, the amplified nucleic acid is used in a
sequencing reaction to determine the sequence of one or both
alleles at the site of an SNP of interest.
[0204] Alternatively, one or more SNPs is/are detected using single
stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP). SSCP relies upon the
formation of secondary structures in nucleic acids and the sequence
dependent nature of these secondary structures. In one form of this
analysis, an amplification method, such as, for example, a method
described supra, is used to amplify a nucleic acid that comprises
an SNP. The amplified nucleic acids are then denatured, cooled and
analyzed using, for example, non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, or liquid chromatography (e.g.,
HPLC or dHPLC). Regions that comprise different sequences form
different secondary structures, and as a consequence migrate at
different rates through, for example, a gel and/or a charged field.
Clearly, a detectable marker may be incorporated into a
probe/primer useful in SSCP analysis to facilitate rapid marker
detection.
[0205] Alternatively, any nucleotide changes may be detected using,
for example, mass spectrometry or capillary electrophoresis. For
example, amplified products of a region of DNA comprising an SNP
from a test sample are mixed with amplified products from an
individual having a known genotype at the site of the SNP. The
products are denatured and allowed to re-anneal. Those samples that
comprise a different nucleotide at the position of the SNP will not
completely anneal to a nucleic acid molecule from the control
sample thereby changing the charge and/or conformation of the
nucleic acid, when compared to a completely annealed nucleic acid.
Such incorrect base pairing is detectable using, for example, mass
spectrometry.
[0206] Allele-specific PCR (as described, for example, In Liu et
al, Genome Research, 7: 389-398, 1997) is also useful for
determining the presence of one or other allele of an SNP. An
oligonucleotide is designed, in which the most 3' base of the
oligonucleotide hybridizes to a specific form of an SNP of interest
(i.e., allele). During a PCR reaction, the 3' end of the
oligonucleotide does not hybridize to a target sequence that does
not comprise the particular form of the SNP detected. Accordingly,
little or no PCR product is produced, indicating that a base other
than that present in the oligonucleotide is present at the site of
SNP in the sample. PCR products are then detected using, for
example, gel or capillary electrophoresis or mass spectrometry.
[0207] Primer extension methods (described, for example, in
Dieffenbach (ed) and Dveksler (ed) (In: PCR Primer: A Laboratory
Manual, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratories, NY, 1995)) are also
useful for the detection of an SNP. An oligonucleotide is used that
hybridizes to the region of a nucleic acid adjacent to the SNP.
This oligonucleotide is used in a primer extension protocol with a
polymerase and a free nucleotide diphosphate that corresponds to
either or any of the possible bases that occur at the site of the
SNP. Preferably, the nucleotide-diphosphate is labeled with a
detectable marker (e.g. a fluorophore). Following primer extension,
unbound labeled nucleotide diphosphates are removed, e.g. using
size exclusion chromatography or electrophoresis, or hydrolyzed,
using for example, alkaline phosphatase, and the incorporation of
the labeled nucleotide into the oligonucleotide is detected,
indicating the base that is present at the site of the SNP.
Alternatively, or in addition, as exemplified herein primer
extension products are detected using mass spectrometry (e.g.,
MALDI-TOF).
[0208] The present invention extends to high-throughput forms of
primer extension analysis, such as, for example, minisequencing (Sy
Vamen et al., Genomics 9: 341-342, 1995) wherein a probe or primer
or multiple probes or primers is/are immobilized on a solid support
(e.g. a glass slide), a sample comprising nucleic acid is brought
into contact with the probe(s) or primer(s), a primer extension
reaction is performed wherein each of the free nucleotide bases A,
C, G, T is labeled with a different detectable marker and the
presence or absence of one or more SNPs is determined by
determining the detectable marker bound to each probe and/or
primer.
[0209] Fluorescently labeled locked nucleic acid (LNA) molecules or
fluorescently labeled protein-nucleic acid (PNA) molecules are
useful for the detection of SNPs (as described in Simeonov and
Nikiforov, Nucleic Acids Research, 30(17): 1-5, 2002). LNA and PNA
molecules bind, with high affinity, to nucleic acid, in particular,
DNA. Flurophores (in particular, rhodomine or
hexachlorofluorescein) conjugated to the LNA or PNA probe fluoresce
at a significantly greater level upon hybridization of the probe to
target nucleic acid compared to a probe that has not hybridized to
a target nucleic acid. However, the level of increase of
fluorescence is not enhanced to the same level when even a single
nucleotide mismatch occurs. Accordingly, the degree of fluorescence
detected in a sample is indicative of the presence of a mismatch
between the LNA or PNA probe and the target nucleic acid, such as,
in the presence of an SNP. Preferably, fluorescently labeled LNA or
PNA technology is used to detect a single base change in a nucleic
acid that has been previously amplified using, for example, an
amplification method described supra.
[0210] As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, LNA or PNA
detection technology is amenable to a high-throughput detection of
one or more markers immobilizing an LNA or PNA probe to a solid
support, as described in Orum et al., Clin. Chem. 45: 1898-1905,
1999.
[0211] Similarly, Molecular Beacons are useful for detecting SNPs
directly in a sample or in an amplified product (see, for example,
Mhlang and Malmberg, Methods 25: 463-471, 2001). Molecular beacons
are single stranded nucleic acid molecules with a stem-and-loop
structure. The loop structure is complementary to the region
surrounding the SNP of interest. The stem structure is formed by
annealing two "arms" complementary to each other on either side of
the probe (loop). A fluorescent moiety is bound to one arm and a
quenching moiety that suppresses any detectable fluorescence when
the molecular beacon is not bound to a target sequence bound to the
other arm. Upon binding of the loop region to its target nucleic
acid the arms are separated and fluorescence is detectable.
However, even a single base mismatch significantly alters the level
of fluorescence detected in a sample. Accordingly, the presence or
absence of a particular base at the site of an SNP is determined by
the level of fluorescence detected.
[0212] The present invention encompasses other methods of detecting
an SNP that is, such as, for example, SNP microarrays (available
from Affymetrix, or described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
6,468,743 or Hacia et al, Nature Genetics, 14: 441, 1996), Taqman
assays (as described in Livak et al, Nature Genetics, 9: 341-342,
1995), solid phase minisequencing (as described in Syvamen et al,
Genomics, 13: 1008-1017, 1992), minisequencing with FRET (as
described in Chen and Kwok, Nucleic Acids Res. 25: 347-353, 1997)
or pyrominisequencing (as reviewed in Landegren et al., Genome
Res., 8(8): 769-776, 1998).
[0213] In those cases in which the polymorphism or marker occurs in
a region of nucleic acid that encodes RNA, said polymorphism or
marker is detected using a method such as, for example, RT-PCR,
NASBA or TMA.
[0214] Methods of RT-PCR are known in the art and described, for
example, in Dieffenbach (ed) and Dveksler (ed) (In: PCR Primer: A
Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratories, NY, 1995).
[0215] Methods of TMA or self-sustained sequence replication (3SR)
use two or more oligonucleotides that flank a target sequence, a
RNA polymerase, RNase H and a reverse transcriptase. One
oligonucleotide (that also comprises a RNA polymerase binding site)
hybridizes to an RNA molecule that comprises the target sequence
and the reverse transcriptase produces cDNA copy of this region.
RNase H is used to digest the RNA in the RNA-DNA complex, and the
second oligonucleotide used to produce a copy of the cDNA. The RNA
polymerase is then used to produce a RNA copy of the cDNA, and the
process repeated.
[0216] NASBA systems relies on the simultaneous activity of three
enzymes (a reverse transcriptase, RNase H and RNA polymerase) to
selectively amplify target mRNA sequences. The mRNA template is
transcribed to cDNA by reverse transcription using an
oligonucleotide that hybridizes to the target sequence and
comprises a RNA polymerase binding site at its 5' end. The template
RNA is digested with RNase H and double stranded DNA is
synthesized. The RNA polymerase then produces multiple RNA copies
of the cDNA and the process is repeated.
[0217] The hybridization to and/or amplification of a marker is
detectable using, for example, electrophoresis and/or mass
spectrometry. In this regard, one or more of the probes/primers
and/or one or more of the nucleotides used in an amplification
reactions may be labeled with a detectable marker to facilitate
rapid detection of a marker, for example, a fluorescent label (e.g.
Cy5 or Cy3) or a radioisotope (e.g. .sup.32P).
[0218] Alternatively, amplification of a nucleic acid may be
continuously monitored using a melting curve analysis method, such
as that described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,670. Such
methods are suited to determining the level of an alternative
splice form in a biological sample.
[0219] Methods of the invention can identify nucleotide occurrences
at SNPs using genome-wide sequencing or "microsequencing" methods.
Whole-genome sequencing of individuals identifies all SNP genotypes
in a single analysis. Microsequencing methods determine the
identity of only a single nucleotide at a "predetermined" site.
Such methods have particular utility in determining the presence
and identity of polymorphisms in a target polynucleotide. Such
microsequencing methods, as well as other methods for determining
the nucleotide occurrence at SNP loci are discussed in
Boyce-Jacino, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,336, incorporated herein
by reference.
[0220] Microsequencing methods include the Genetic Bit Analysis
method disclosed by Goelet, P. et al. (WO 92/15712, herein
incorporated by reference). Additional, primer-guided, nucleotide
incorporation procedures for assaying polymorphic sites in DNA have
also been described (Komher et al, Nucl. Acids. Res. 17, 7779-7784,
1989; Sokolov, Nucl. Acids Res. 18, 3671 (1990); Syvanen et al.,
Genomics 8, 684-692, 1990; Kuppuswamy et al., Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. (U.S.A) 88, 1143-1147, 1991; Prezant et al, Hum. Mutat. 1,
159-164, 1992; Ugozzoli et al., GATA 9, 107-112, 1992; Nyren et
al., Anal. Biochem. 208, 171-175, 1993; Wallace, WO89/10414; Mundy,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,127; Cohen et al., French Pat. No. 2,650,840;
WO91/02087). In response to the difficulties encountered in
employing gel electrophoresis to analyze sequences, alternative
methods for microsequencing have been developed, e.g., Macevicz,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,867 incorporated herein by reference.
Boyce-Jacino et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,336 provide a solid phase
sequencing method for determining the sequence of nucleic acid
molecules (either DNA or RNA) by utilizing a primer that
selectively binds a polynucleotide target at a site wherein the SNP
is the most 3' nucleotide selectively bound to the target. Oliphant
et al., Suppl. Biotechniques, June 2002, describe the use of
BeadArray.TM. Technology to determine the nucleotide occurrence of
an SNP. Alternatively, nucleotide occurrences for SNPs can be
determined using a DNAMassARRAY system (Sequenom, San Diego,
Calif.) is used, which sustem combines SpectroChips.TM.,
microfluidics, nanodispensing, biochemistry, and MALDI-TOF MS
(matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass
spectrometry).
[0221] Particularly useful methods include those that are readily
adaptable to a high throughput format, to a multiplex format, or to
both. High-throughput systems for analyzing markers, especially
SNPs, can include, for example, a platform such as the UHT
SNP-IT.TM. platform (Orchid Biosciences, Princeton, N.J., USA)
MassArray.TM. system (Sequenom, San Diego, Calif., USA), the
integrated SNP genotyping system (Illumina, San Diego, Calif.,
USA), TaqMan.TM. (ABI, Foster City, Calif., USA), Rolling circle
amplification, fluorescent polarization, amongst others described
herein above. In general, SNP-IT.TM. is a 3-step primer extension
reaction. In the first step, a target polynucleotide is isolated
from a sample by hybridization to a capture primer, which provides
a first level of specificity. In a second step the capture primer
is extended from a terminating nucleotide trisphosphate at the
target SNP site, which provides a second level of specificity. In a
third step, the extended nucleotide trisphosphate can be detected
using a variety of known formats, including: direct fluorescence,
indirect fluorescence, an indirect colorimetric assay, mass
spectrometry, fluorescence polarization, etc. Reactions can be
processed in 384 well format in an automated format using an
SNPstream.TM. instrument (Orchid BioSciences, Inc., Princeton,
N.J.).
High Throughput System for Genotypic Selection
[0222] The present invention also provides a high-throughput system
for genotypic selection in a current population having a small
effective population size, said system comprising a solid support
consisting essentially of or having nucleic acids of different
sequence bound directly or indirectly thereto, wherein each nucleic
acid of different sequence comprises a polymorphic genetic marker
derived from an ancestor or founder that is representative of the
current population.
[0223] Exemplary high-throughput systems are hybridization mediums
e.g., a microfluidic device or homogenous assay medium. Numerous
microfluidic devices are known that include solid supports with
microchannels (See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,304,487, 5,110,745,
5,681,484, and 5,593,838). In a particularly preferred embodiment,
the high throughput system comprises an SNP chip comprising
10,000-100,000 oligonucleotides each of which consists of a
sequence comprising an SNP. Each of these hybridization mediums is
suitable for determining the presence or absence of a marker
associated with a trait.
[0224] The nucleic acids are typically oligonucleotides, attached
directly or indirectly to the solid support. Accordingly, the
oligonucleotides are used to determine the nucleotide occurrence of
a marker associated with a trait, by virtue of the hybridization of
nucleic acid from the subject being tested to an oligonucleotide of
a series of oligonucleotides bound to the solid support being
affected by the nucleotide occurrence of the marker in question
e.g., by the presence or absence of an SNP in the subject's nucleic
acid. Accordingly, oligonucleotides can be selected that bind at or
near a genomic location of each marker. Such oligonucleotides can
include forward and reverse oligonucleotides that can support
amplification of a particular polymorphic marker present in
template nucleic acid obtained from the subject being tested.
Alternatively, or in addition, the oligonucleotides can include
extension primer sequences that hybridize in proximity to a marker
to thereby support extension to the marker for the purposes of
identification. A suitable detection method will detect binding or
tagging of the oligonucleotides e.g., in a genotyping method
described herein.
[0225] Techniques for producing immobilised arrays of DNA molecules
have been described in the art. Generally, most methods describe
how to synthesise single-stranded nucleic acid molecule arrays,
using for example masking techniques to build up various
permutations of sequences at the various discrete positions on the
solid substrate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,832, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference, describes an improved method for
producing DNA arrays immobilised to silicon substrates based on
very large scale integration technology. In particular, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,837,832 describes a strategy called "tiling" to synthesize
specific sets of probes at spatially-defined locations on a
substrate which are used to produce the immobilised DNA array. U.S.
Pat. No. 5,837,832 also provides references for earlier techniques
that may also be used.
[0226] DNA can be synthesised in situ on the surface of the
substrate. However, DNA may also be printed directly onto the
substrate using for example robotic devices equipped with either
pins or piezo electric devices. Microarrays are generally produced
step-wise, by the in situ synthesis of the target directly onto the
support, or alternatively, by exogenous deposition of pre-prepared
targets. Photolithography, mechanical microspotting, and ink jet
technology are generally employed for producing microarrays.
[0227] In photolithography, a glass wafer, modified with
photolabile protecting groups, is selectively activated e.g., for
DNA synthesis, by shining light through a photomask. Repeated
deprotection and coupling cycles enable the preparation of
high-density oligonucleotide microarrays (see for example, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,744,305, issued Apr. 28, 1998).
[0228] Microspotting encompasses deposition technologies that
enable automated microarray production, by printing small
quantities of pre-made target substances onto solid surfaces.
Printing is accomplished by direct surface contact between the
printing substrate and a delivery mechanism, such as a pin or a
capillary. Robotic control systems and multiplexed print heads
allow automated microarray fabrication.
[0229] Ink jet technologies utilize piezoelectric and other forms
of propulsion to transfer biochemical substances from miniature
nozzles to solid surfaces. Using piezoelectricity, the target
sample is expelled by passing an electric current through a
piezoelectric crystal which expands to expel the sample.
Piezoelectric propulsion technologies include continuous and
drop-on-demand devices. In addition to piezoelectric ink jets, heat
may be used to form and propel drops of fluid using bubble-jet or
thermal ink jet heads; however, such thermal ink jets are typically
not suitable for the transfer of biological materials due to the
heat which is often stressful on biological samples. Examples of
the use of ink jet technology include U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,802
(issued Aug. 19, 1997).
[0230] A plurality of nucleic acids is typically immobilised onto
or in discrete regions of a solid substrate. The substrate is
porous to allow immobilisation within the substrate, or
substantially non-porous to permit surface immobilization.
[0231] The solid substrate can be made of any material to which
polypeptides can bind, either directly or indirectly. Examples of
suitable solid substrates include flat glass, silicon wafers, mica,
ceramics and organic polymers such as plastics, including
polystyrene and polymethacrylate. It is also possible to use
semi-permeable membranes such as nitrocellulose or nylon membranes,
which are widely available. The semi-permeable membranes are
mounted on a more robust solid surface such as glass. The surfaces
may optionally be coated with a layer of metal, such as gold,
platinum or other transition metal.
[0232] Preferably, the solid substrate is generally a material
having a rigid or semi-rigid surface. In preferred embodiments, at
least one surface of the substrate will be substantially flat,
although in some embodiments it are desirable to physically
separate synthesis regions for different polymers with, for
example, raised regions or etched trenches. It is also preferred
that the solid substrate is suitable for the high density
application of DNA sequences in discrete areas of typically from 50
to 100 .mu.m, giving a density of 10,000 to 40,000 cm-2.
[0233] The solid substrate is conveniently divided up into
sections. This is achieved by techniques such as photoetching, or
by the application of hydrophobic inks, for example teflon-based
inks (Cel-line, USA).
[0234] Discrete positions, in which each different member of the
array is located may have any convenient shape, e.g., circular,
rectangular, elliptical, wedge-shaped, etc.
[0235] Attachment of the nucleic acids to the substrate can be
covalent or non-covalent, generally via a layer of molecules to
which the nucleic acids bind. For example, the nucleic acid
probes/primers can be labelled with biotin and the substrate coated
with avidin and/or streptavidin. A convenient feature of using
biotinylated probes/primers is that the efficiency of coupling to
the solid substrate is determined easily.
[0236] A chemical interface may be provided between the solid
substrate e.g., in the case of glass, and the probes/primers.
Examples of suitable chemical interfaces include hexaethylene
glycol, polylysine. For example, polylysine can be chemically
modified using standard procedures to introduce an affinity
ligand.
[0237] Other methods for attaching the probes/primers to to the
surface of a solid substrate include the use of coupling agents
known in the art, e.g., as described in WO98/49557.
[0238] The high-throughput system of the present invention is
designed to determine nucleotide occurrences of one SNP or a series
of SNPs. The systems can determine nucleotide occurrences of an
entire genome-wide high-density SNP map.
[0239] High-throughput systems for analyzing markers, especially
SNPs, can include, for example, a platform such as the UHT SNP-IT
platform (Orchid Biosciences, Princeton, N.J., USA) MassArray.TM.
system (Sequenom, San Diego, Calif., USA), the integrated SNP
genotyping system (Illumina, San Diego, Calif., USA), TaqMan.TM.
(ABI, Foster City, Calif., USA). Exemplary nucleic acid arrays are
of the type described in WO 95/11995. WO 95/11995 also describes
sub-arrays optimized for detection of a variant form of a
pre-characterized polymorphism. Such a sub-array contains probes
designed to be complementary to a second reference sequence, which
is an allelic variant of the first reference sequence. The
inclusion of a second group (or further groups) can be particularly
useful for analyzing short sub-sequences of a primary reference
sequence in which multiple mutations are expected to occur within a
short distance commensurate with the length of the probes (e.g.,
two or more mutations within 9 to 21 bases). More preferably, the
high throughput system comprises a SNP microarray such as those
available from Affymetrix or described, for example, in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,468,743 or Hacia et al, Nature Genetics, 14: 441, 1996.
[0240] DNA arrays are typically read at the same time by charged
coupled device (CCD) camera or confocal imaging system.
Alternatively, the DNA array can be placed for detection in a
suitable apparatus that can move in an x-y direction, such as a
plate reader. In this way, the change in characteristics for each
discrete position are measured automatically by computer controlled
movement of the array to place each discrete element in turn in
line with the detection means.
[0241] The detection means is capable of interrogating each
position in the library array optically or electrically. Examples
of suitable detection means include CCD cameras or confocal imaging
systems.
[0242] The system can further include a detection mechanism for
detecting binding the series of oligonucleotides to the series of
SNPs. Such detection mechanisms are known in the art.
[0243] The high-throughput system of the present invention can
include a reagent handling mechanism that can be used to apply a
reagent, typically a liquid, to the solid support.
[0244] The high-throughput system can also include a mechanism
effective for moving a solid support and a detection mechanism.
Estimating Breeding Value
[0245] Any one of a number of statistical methods are used to
estimate breeding value in the method of the present invention,
preferably using computational means, including resampling
approaches e.g., randomisation tests and bootstrapping, which allow
for the construction of confidence intervals and proper tests of
significance e.g., Best Liner Unbiased Predictors (BLUP; Henderson
In: "Applications of Linear Models in Animal Breeding", University
of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Lynch and Walsh, In: "Genetics
and Analysis of Quantitative Traits", Sunuaer Associates,
Sunderland Mass., USA, 1998); the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
approach (Geyer et al., Stat. Sci. 7, 73-511, 1992; Tierney et al.,
Ann. Statist. 22, 1701-1762, 1994; Tanner et al., In: "Tools for
Statistical Analysis", Springer-Verlag, Berlin/New York, 1996); the
Gibbs sampler (Geman et al., IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach.
Intell. 6, 721-741, 1984); Bayesian posterior distribution (e.g.,
Smith et al., J. Royal Statist. Soc. Ser. B55, 3-23, 1993). Such
methods are well known to those skilled in the art.
[0246] Preferably, EBVs are calculated using a method designated
"Bayes2" by Meuwissen et al., Genetics 157, 1819-1829 (2001). The
Bayes 2 method allows some chromosome segments to have a larger
effect on the trait than others. The statistical model could also
fit the effect of each position on the genome using, for instance,
BLUP to calculate the effect of any QTL alleles present at that
position in all gametes represented in the population.
Alternatively, the average relationship between the animals can be
estimated from the marker alleles they have been inferred to carry,
possibly weighting each position on the genome for its importance
in controlling the trait. This assumes that each chromosome segment
is derived from a key ancestor or founder within minimal or no
recombination within the segment, an assumption that holds when the
number of generations between the ancestor or founder and the
individual of interest is low i.e., less than about 10 generations.
For example, the matrix can be an identical-by-descent (IBD) matrix
whose elements gij are the expectation of the number of chromosome
segments carried by individual j that are IBD with a randomly
sampled allele from individual i, conditional on pedigree
information and the marker data. The IBD matrices can be computed
for different chromosome segments e.g., spaced throughout the
genome. The IBD matrices can also be averaged across positions and
chromosomes. Different numbers of chromosome segments can be used
to compute an IBD matrix. The accuracy of evaluation can be
computed as the correlation between the true and the estimated
breeding values.
[0247] For calculating EBV from genome-wide DNA markers, it is
convenient to consider the process as comprising three steps:
[0248] 1. Using the markers to deduce the genotype of each animal
at each QTL; [0249] 2. Estimating the effect of each QTL genotype
on the trait; and [0250] 3. Summing the QTL effects for selection
candidates to obtain their genomic EBV (GEBV). These steps are
described in more detail in the following paragraphs.
Using the Markers to Deduce the Genotype of Each Animal at Each
QTL
[0251] The simplest method to deduce QTL genotypes is to treat the
markers as if they were QTL and to estimate the effects of the
markers alleles or genotypes. The key parameter here is the
proportion of the QTL variance explained by the markers (r.sup.2).
This is dependent on the LD between the QTL and one marker or a
linear combination of markers. The extent of LD and hence r.sup.2
are highly variable. Average r.sup.2 declines as the distance
between the two loci increases. For example, in Holstein cattle the
average r.sup.2 when loci are 50 kb apart is 0.35. To obtain an
average spacing of 50 kb requires 60,000 evenly spaced markers. As
the markers are unlikely to be evenly spaced, and due to the
variable nature of LD, we could still not expect that all QTLs
would have a SNP in complete LD with them. This suggests we need
denser markers than are currently available. The technology to
achieve this is available (eg. Parks et al. Nature Genet. on line
publication Jun. 6, 2007).
[0252] An alternative to using single marker genotypes is to
construct haplotypes based on several markers. A QTL that is not in
complete LD with any individual marker may be in complete LD with a
multi-marker haplotype. For example, using 9323 SNP genotypes from
Angus cattle, and considering a randomly chosen SNP as a surrogate
for a QTL, the proportion of variance explained by a haplotype of
surrounding markers can increase from 0.2 for the nearest marker to
0.58 for a 6-marker haplotype. The use of multiple marker genotypes
but without deducing haplotypes, for example with multiple marker
regression, will generally be between these two limits. Typically
there are many haplotypes present in a population and so the amount
of data with which to estimate the effect of each one is reduced
and this will reduce the accuracy with which each haplotype effect
is estimated. However, the increase in QTL variance explained from
using marker haplotypes more than compensates for the decrease in
accuracy of estimating a greater number of haplotype effects, so
that haplotypes predict the effect of the QTL alleles more
accurately than a single marker. The advantage of haplotypes over
single markers decreases as the r.sup.2 between adjacent markers
increases. At r.sup.2=0.215 between adjacent markers, the haplotype
approach and single marker approach provide very similar
accuracies.
[0253] As the total number of animals with phenotypes and marker
genotypes increases, the accuracy of estimating marker genotype
effects will approach 1.0 and so will the accuracy of estimating
haplotype effects. But the accuracy for haplotype will approach 1.0
more slowly than the accuracy of estimating SNP effects because
there are more than 2 haplotypes effects per QTL to be estimated.
Therefore the advantage of haplotypes over single markers increases
as the amount of data for estimation increases, especially at lower
marker densities. The accuracy of using single markers can be
greater than using marker haplotypes if there is a limited number
of phenotypic records to estimate the effects and the level of LD
between the single markers and QTLs is very high.
[0254] An alternative to treating a haplotype of markers as if it
were a QTL allele is to treat every gamete as carrying a different
QTL allele but to estimate the correlation among the effects of
these alleles based on the surrounding markers. A linkage analysis
traces the QTL alleles through the known pedigree using the markers
and calculates the probability that any two alleles are identical
by descent (IBD) from a common ancestor or founder within the
pedigree. The probability that two QTL alleles are IBD due to a
common ancestor or founder outside the pedigree can be assessed
from the similarity of the marker alleles surrounding the QTL by
assuming an evolutionary model for the linkage disequilibrium
between the markers and the QTLs. The linkage analysis and the LD
analysis can be combined to estimate a matrix of IBD probabilities
between all QTL alleles and this can be used to estimate the
effects of all QTL alleles. Errors in the positioning of markers on
the genome will reduce the accuracy of inferring haplotypes, and
the therefore the accuracy of GEBVs resulting from both the
haplotype and IBD approaches.
[0255] At low marker densities (eg. r.sup.2 between adjacent
markers less than 0.2) the IBD approach is preferred over the
haplotype approach or single marker approach. At high marker
densities, the three methods provide approximately the same
accuracy.
Estimating the Effect of Each QTL Genotype on the Trait
[0256] Genetic gain is greatest if the estimate of breeding value
(g) has the property GEBV=E(g|"data"). Since the EBV is calculated
by summing the estimated effects of all QTLs (u), the desired
property for the EBV is achieved by estimating each QTL effect
by:
u=E(u|"data"), wherein the appropriate estimator is:
u ^ = .intg. u * p ( data | u ) p ( u ) u .intg. p ( data | u ) p (
u ) u ##EQU00002##
wherein: 1. p(data|u) is a likelihood; and 2. p(u) is a prior
distribution of QTL effects.
[0257] Accordingly, the estimator of the QTL effects depends on the
prior distribution of QTL effects. Since we typically test for a
QTL at many positions (e.g. 10,000 SNPs), we expect that there is
no QTL at most of those positions. Therefore, the prior
distribution p(u) must have a high probability for p(0) for the
trait in question. For example, milk production traits in dairy
cattle are estimated as being determined by at least about 150 QTLs
and the distribution of their effects is estimated to be
approximately exponential.
[0258] Alternatively, a least squares method is employed to
estimate the effect of each QTL on a trait. Least squares estimates
correspond to assuming a prior distribution of QTL effects with an
infinitely large variance. Using least squares, only a QTL with
large effect will be detected and used, and thus not all of the
genetic variance will be captured by the markers. By assuming that
the QTL effects are drawn from normal distribution with constant
variance across chromosome segments, a BLUP estimate is derived
wherein all effects are estimated simultaneously thereby deriving
estimates that are better correlated with the true BVs. However, a
Bayesian analysis that uses a more appropriate prior distribution
of QTL effects is preferred. For situations where most `QTLs` have
zero effect, least squares and BLUP result in these zero effects
being estimated to be small but non-zero and their cumulative
effect adding noise to the estimates.
[0259] Better estimates are obtained where many possible QTLs are
estimated to have zero effect or, equivalently, excluded from the
model. If all the QTL effects were from a reflected exponential
distribution (i.e. without extra weight at zero), an estimator
called the LASSO is preferred (Tibshirani et al., J. Royal Stat.
Soc. Ser. B 58, 267-288, 1996). However, in the situation where
many true effects are zero, LASSO still estimates too many non-zero
effects. A pragmatic alternative is to exclude from the model all
but the most highly significant effects e.g., by setting a
significance threshold so that only one false positive per genome
is expected to provide an EBV highly correlated with BV. However,
if the effects of these significant QTL are estimated by least
squares, the effects will still be overestimated and may require
correction by using cross validation e.g., as described by
Whittaker et al., Genet. Res. 69, 137-144, (1997). This involves
estimating the effects in two independent parts of the data, and
calculating the regression of one set of solutions on the other.
The solutions are then regressed back by this regression
coefficient to give unbiased estimates. Cross validation can also
be used to choose between competing models. Within a dataset adding
extra QTLs increases the accuracy of prediction but the accuracy of
GEBVs in an independent dataset can be used to judge whether the
accuracy has actually increased.
[0260] Preferably, an explicit prior is employed wherein it is
assumed that QTL effects are drawn from a normal distribution but
that the variance of that distribution varies between QTLs, and
that the distribution of variances follows an inverted chi-square
distribution. An advantage of using the explicit prior is that the
estimates of the biggest or most significant QTLs are not
overestimated. This means that the effects can be estimated from
all available data regardless of whether the data was part of that
used to discover the QTL or not. This provides an important
advantage as genomic selection becomes implemented in industry and
it becomes impossible to clearly distinguish between discovery data
(where least squares estimates are biased) and independent,
validation data (where they are unbiased).
[0261] In all of the above methods to estimate BV, a polygenic term
can be added to the model to account for the genetic variance not
explained by the markers. When one marker at a time is tested for
significance, omission of the polygenic term from the model
produces about twice as many false positives occur as indicated by
the significance threshold. This is because, within a dataset, all
markers and QTLs are correlated through the pedigree relationship
among the animals. Consequently, any marker can, by chance, be
correlated with a QTL some distance away or even on another
chromosome and so appear to have an effect which is actually an
artifact of the pedigree structure. Even when all QTLs are fitted
simultaneously, it may be desirable to fit a polygenic effect, as
this will capture, to some extent, those QTL that are not
associated with markers or haplotypes at high levels of
r.sup.2.
[0262] Preferably, large numbers of animals with marker genotypes
and phenotypes are employed to estimate QTL effects, preferably
about 2000 records or a greater number.
Database Construction
[0263] It will be apparent from the description herein that the
present invention provides for the storage of information
pertaining to several parameters produced by or used in performance
of the invention genotyping and selection methods in the form of
one or more databases. Exemplary databases comprise data selected
from the group consisting of: [0264] (i) estimated breeding values
for one or more individuals of a population e.g., a population
having a small effective population size; [0265] (ii) data on
ancestors for individuals; [0266] (iii) data on chromosome segments
for individuals in the current population; [0267] (iv) data on
chromosome segments for ancestors of individuals in the current
population; [0268] (v) data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome
segment(s) for individuals, e.g., data on marker genotype(s) of one
or more ancestors from one or more minimum sets of ancestors each
of which is representative of a population having a small effective
population size wherein the marker genotypes are arrayed in linkage
groups, and/or data on marker genotype(s) of one or more
individuals of a population having a small effective population
size and one or more minimum sets of ancestors representative of
the one or more individuals and optionally the lineages between the
marker of the one or more individuals and the ancestors, wherein
the marker genotypes are optionally arrayed in linkage groups;
[0269] (vi) data on marker genotype(s) in chromosome segment(s) for
ancestors; [0270] (vii) data on lineages between the marker
genotype(s) and/or chromosome segment(s); [0271] (viii) data on
reproductive or regenerative material obtained by performing a
process of the invention according to any embodiment described
herein; [0272] (ix) data on pedigree and phenotype e.g., obtained
from one or more record(s) of pedigree and/or phenotype; and [0273]
(x) combinations of any two or more of (i) through (ix).
[0274] Preferably, a database of the present invention comprises
information regarding the location and nucleotide occurrences of
genetic markers e.g, SNPs for significant ancestors or breeding
individuals in a population and, more preferably, information
pertaining to genetic markers used in the high-throughput system of
the present invention or data pertaining to sufficient markers to
be representative of a genome of a population i.e., spanning the
genome and comprising sufficient polymorphisms to be useful for
genome-wide screening. The data may be arrayed in linkage groups,
optionally according to a chromosome segment with which they are in
linkage disequilibrium.
[0275] Information regarding genomic location of a marker can be
provided for example by including sequence information of
consecutive sequences surrounding a polymorphism, or by providing a
position number for the polymorphism with respect to an available
sequence entry, such as a Genbank sequence entry, or a sequence
entry for a private database, or a commercially-licensed database
of DNA sequences. The database can also include information
regarding nucleotide occurrences of polymorphic markers.
[0276] A database of the present invention can include other
information regarding markers or haplotypes, such as information
regarding frequency of occurrence in a population.
[0277] A database can be divided into multiple parts, wherein each
part comprises information that is different in nature e.g., one
part for each of (i) through (ix) supra or alternatively, one part
for storing sequence data and another part for storing information
regarding the sequences e.g., data pertaining to the ancestor
founder or individual from which the sequence is derived.
[0278] A database may also contain records representing additional
information about a marker, for example information identifying the
genome in which a particular marker is found, or nucleotide
occurrence frequency data, or characteristics of a library or clone
or individual which generated the DNA sequence, or the relationship
of the sequence surrounding a polymorphic marker to similar DNA
sequences in other species.
[0279] A database of the present invention can be a flat file
database or a relational database or an object-oriented database.
The database can be internal i.e., a private database not
accessible to external users, and typically maintained behind a
firewall, by an enterprise. Alternatively, the database can be
external i.e., accessible to external users by virtue of being
located outside an internal database, and typically maintained by a
different entity than an internal database.
[0280] A number of external public biological sequence databases,
particularly SNP databases, are available and can be used with the
current invention. For example, the dbSNP database available from
the National Center for Biological Information (NCBI), part of the
National Library of Medicine, USA can be used with the current
invention to provide comparative genomic information to assist in
identifying SNPs from a wide variety of different breeding
populations.
[0281] In a further example, the database comprises a population of
information that can be modified by users to include new
information e.g., actual breeding values from artificial selection
or breeding programs, newly-identified markers, haplotypes, traits,
chromosome segments, and their associations. The population of
information is typically included within a database, and can be
identified using the methods of the current invention. For example,
a population of information can include all of the SNPs and/or
haplotypes of a genome-wide SNP map for a particular set of
ancestors and/or individuals in a population having a small
effective population size.
Computer System
[0282] A computer system of the present invention comprises a
database as described herein and a user interface capable of
receiving entry of data e.g., for querying the database and
displaying results of a database query. The interface may also
permit population of one or more fields of data in the database
where a user has authority to populate information. The interface
can be a graphic user interface where entries and selections are
made e.g., using a series of menus, dialog boxes, and/or selectable
buttons. The interface typically takes a user through a series of
screens beginning with a main menu. The user interface can include
links to access additional information, including information from
other external or internal databases.
[0283] A computer system of the present invention that processes
input data and displays the results of a database query will
typically comprise a processing unit that executes a computer
program, such as, for example, a computer program comprising a
computer-readable program code embodied on a computer-usable medium
and present in a memory function connected to the processing unit.
The memory function can be ROM or RAM. The computer program is
typically read and executed by the processing unit. The
computer-readable program code relates to a plurality of data files
stored in a database.
[0284] For example, the computer program can also comprise a
computer-readable program code for providing a user interface
capable of allowing a user to input nucleotide occurrences of the
series of SNPs, locating data corresponding to the entered query
information, and displaying the data corresponding to the entered
query.
[0285] Data corresponding to the entered query information is
typically located by querying a database as described above.
[0286] In another example, the computer system and computer program
are used to perform a method of the present invention, such as a
method for estimating the breeding value of an individual.
[0287] A computer system of the present invention can be a
stand-alone computer, a conventional network system including a
client/server environment and one or more database servers, and/or
a handheld device. A number of conventional network systems,
including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN),
are known in the art. Additionally, client/server environments,
database servers, and networks are well documented in the
technical, trade, and patent literature. For example, the database
server can run on an operating system such as UNIX, running a
relational database management system, a World Wide Web
application, and a World Wide Web Server. When the computer system
is a handheld device it can be a personal digital assistant (PDA)
or another type of handheld device, of which many are known.
[0288] The present invention is further described with reference to
the following non-limiting example.
Example 1
Model Artificial Selection Method for a Holstein Cattle
Population
Rationale
[0289] Many breeds of livestock have a small effective population
size of 50-100, including the Holstein cattle population. This
means that most chromosome segments found in animals of the current
generation trace back to one of less than about 100 key ancestors
within a few generations. This short coalescence time means that
the chromosome segments are large and could be recognised by their
haplotype at a group of markers. Consequently we can carry out `in
silico` genotyping as follows: [0290] 1. Genotyping key ancestors
for a dense set of markers; [0291] 2. Genotyping individuals of the
current population/generation for sufficient markers to permit
chromosome segments to be matched to the segments carried by the
key ancestors; and [0292] 3. Inferring genotypes of individuals in
the current population/generation to be the same as those of the
key ancestor or founder for the matching chromosome segment.
[0293] By this means, it is possible to genotype large numbers of
individual in the current population for a moderate number of
markers, albeit by obtaining in silico genotypes for a large number
of markers. As the cost of genome (re)sequencing drops, this in
silico genotyping is extendible to in silico sequencing. That is,
the key ancestors are sequenced and then the full genome sequence
is imputed for chromosome segments in current animals that match
the chromosome segment in key ancestors.
[0294] The in silico genotyping and sequencing of the present
invention makes use of the known relationships between individual
of the current population and the key ancestors thereby reducing
the number of markers that must be genotyped on the individuals of
the current population.
[0295] This method reduces the cost of genomic selection by
reducing the number of markers needed to be typed on selection
candidates. The method also identifies the causal polymorphisms
underlying QTL. If each QTL is attacked separately, the genome
sequencing is targeted to a particular region. However, since there
are so many QTL affecting many traits of interest, this is a very
inefficient approach and it is therefore desirable to perform
complete genome (re)sequencing and search for many QTL
simultaneously. By performing the in silico methods of the present
invention, it will be possible to infer the sequences of thousands
of genomes within 5 years e.g., by genotyping a large sample of
animals that had been recorded for many traits of interest (eg
disease traits) for a moderate number of markers, sequencing the
genomes of the key ancestors, tracing the chromosome segments of
the individuals of the current population back to their ancestors,
inferring the full genome sequence on each animal, and performing
genome-wide analysis of sequence (GWAS) based on the inferred full
genome sequence. Proceeding on this basis, the method for the
present invention is useful for identifying large numbers of
mutations affecting disease susceptibility or other traits.
Methods and Results
[0296] The present invention provides a method of artificial
selection comprising: [0297] 1. Identifying the minimum set of key
ancestors that represent most of the chromosome segments in a
current population; [0298] 2. Genotyping the key ancestors for a
dense set of markers; [0299] 3. Genotyping one or more individuals
of a current population for sufficient markers to thereby permit
chromosome segments to be matched to the segments carried by the
key ancestors; [0300] 4. Tracing the chromosome segments of the one
or more individuals of the current population cattle to a key
ancestor; [0301] 5. Inferring the genotypes of markers within one
or more chromosome segments of the one or more individuals in the
current population to be the same as those of the key ancestor; and
[0302] 6. Using the inferred genotype of the one more individuals
in the current population to estimate the breeding value of said
one or more individuals.
[0303] These steps are described in more detail with reference to
the artificial selection of Holstein cattle.
1. Identifying the Minimum Set of Key Ancestors that Represent Most
of the Chromosome Segments in a Current Population
[0304] Key ancestors for a population of Holstein cattle are
determined e.g., based on known pedigrees and/or by estimating the
relationships between animals from DNA marker linkage analysis. The
estimation of key ancestors based upon DNA markers provides a more
accurate estimate of relationships between animals than the `known`
pedigree which is often incomplete and contains errors. Preferably,
an A matrix estimated from the DNA markers, and/or the
pedigree-derived A matrix is used to identify the key
ancestors.
[0305] By using the additive relationship matrix (A) described
herein above the key ancestors provided in Tables 2 and 3 were
obtained for a population of 2300 Holstein cattle.
2. Genotyping the Key Ancestors for a Dense Set of Markers
[0306] As we did not have genotypes on the key ancestors of the
Holstein cattle population under study, we modelled the ancestor
population using a founder population of 425 animals without sire
and dam both known. In practice, fewer key ancestors would be
needed than this because either more complete pedigrees are
available or relationships are more readily deduced from the marker
data.
[0307] We then inferred the genotypes of the founders based on
genotypes of their relatives for 11 microsatellite markers spanning
2.9 cM of chromosome 21, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
method described originally by Schafer, J. L. (1997), Analysis of
Incomplete Multivariate Data, New York: Chapman and Hall. In this
approach, the genotype of each animal is sampled from a posterior
distribution conditional on the genotypes of parents, grandparents,
offspring, grand offspring and mates. One sample from the posterior
distribution of genotypes was used and the inferred genotypes on
the founder animals were then deemed to be the actual
genotypes.
[0308] Preferably, the dataset of genotypes from ancestors listed
in Table 2 or 3 would be derived for a dense set of markers by
standard genotyping approaches using semen as a source of genetic
material for the genotyping and/or based on available genotype
data, and optionally combined with an MCMC method to infer or
impute the missing values.
3. Genotyping One or More Individuals of a Current Population for
Sufficient Markers to Thereby Permit Chromosome Segments to be
Matched to the Segments Carried by the Key Ancestors
[0309] We used a dataset of 2300 Holstein cattle that had been
genotyped for up to 11 microsatellite markers spanning 2.9 cM of
chromosome 21. Ten of these markers were treated as the markers
that have been genotyped on the current population and on the
founders. The remaining (11th) marker was treated as a marker that
had been genotypes only on the founder population, along with other
unknown markers that are genotyped only on founders. We reasoned
that this was sufficient to rigorously test the method of the
invention, because this 11th marker has five (5) almost
equally-common alleles and, as a consequence, represented a
difficult marker at which to predict a genotype. Genotypes at other
markers, such as SNPs, would be easier to predict than the example
provided herein.
[0310] To test the accuracy of the method of the invention in this
model system, we then defined a subset of "selection candidates"
from the current population as those animals having no progeny but
with a known sire and dam. The selection candidates had been
genotyped at the 11th marker in the 2.9 cM region of chromosome 21,
however that known marker genotype was then masked or hidden from
the analysis, such that the selection candidates were assumed to be
known for a maximum of only 10 microsatellite markers in this
region of the chromosome. Such a blind analysis of the markers for
the selection candidates was performed to permit us to compare the
true marker genotype with the marker genotype predicted by the
analysis i.e., when the missing value was hidden.
4. Tracing the Chromosome Segments of the One or More Individuals
of the Current Population Cattle to a Key Ancestor
[0311] In the model system, because a specific segment of
chromosome 21 was employed to model the accuracy of the method, it
was not strictly necessary to trace the chromosome segments of the
selection candidates back to a key ancestor.
[0312] Notwithstanding this limitation, we compared the genotypes
of the selection candidates within the 2.9 cM region of chromosome
21 for a limited subset of markers for which they had been
genotypes to the inferred the genotypes of the founders in the same
chromosome region and aligned the markers to thereby trace the
chromosome segments of the one or more individuals of the current
population cattle to a particular founder.
[0313] The chromosome segments were traced through the pedigree
from the selection candidates to the founders based on the 10
markers using the same MCMC program as above.
5. Inferring the Genotypes of Markers within One or More Chromosome
Segments of the One or More Individuals in the Current Population
to be the Same as Those of the Key Ancestor
[0314] The missing i.e., hidden genotype on the selection
candidates were inferred by the MCMC program because it traces the
origin of each chromosome position in a selection candidate back to
one of the founders on which the 11th marker genotype was known. In
96% of cases the predicted genotype agreed with the true genotype.
Data are available on request.
[0315] In this example, the marker genotypes of the founders were
actually inferred from genotypes of relatives, but ideally they
would be known. They were inferred from relatives in this example
because DNA for genotyping the founders was not available. Thus, we
tested the method under unfavourable conditions and conclude that
in more favourable conditions where the genotypes of the founders
or ancestors are known, the method would deliver results that are
equal to those of the present example or better.
[0316] A number of other analytical methods could be employed to
infer the missing genotypes of the selection candidates e.g. a
pedigree-based peeling algorithm including multiple iterative
peeling such as that described by Meuwissen et al., Genetics 161,
373-379, 2002).
[0317] Alternatively, or in addition, a method designed for
unrelated animals eg using the fastPHASE algorithm available from
University of Washington, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48109-2029, USA. The
fastPHASE algorithm implements methods for estimating haplotypes
and missing genotypes from population SNP genotype data. When used
on related animals, fastPHASE recognizes common haplotypes derived
from key ancestors. For example, we have also tested the accuracy
of fastPHASE in the inventive method, using the same dataset as
above. We analysed a dataset from 680 animals for which 6 or more
out of the 11 marker genotypes were known. One-half these animals
were used as an experimental set and one-half were selection
candidates. The genotype at marker 5 was hidden from the fastPHASE
analysis. In this variation, 91% of missing genotypes were
predicted correctly using fastPHASE.
[0318] The present invention also encompasses the use of two steps
to infer genotypes on selection candidates from those in key
ancestors. For example, 100 key ancestors can be genotyped for all
known markers (eg 1,000,000 markers), or fully sequenced. All males
used for breeding or all stud males used for breeding can be
separately genotyped for a subset of the known markers e.g., 50,000
markers, and the selection candidates genotyped for fewer markers
e.g., only 2000 markers. The chromosome segments in the selection
candidates can be traced over one or a few generations to the
breeding males and they can be traced to the key ancestors. This
makes use of high throughput genotyping (50,000 markers) on a small
fraction of the total population.
6. Using the Inferred Genotype of the One More Individuals in the
Current Population to Estimate the Breeding Value of Said One or
More Individuals.
[0319] Standard methods as described herein are used to predict
breeding value of the selection candidate from the inferred
genotypes of the markers. These all use an equation that predicts
BV from marker genotypes that is derived from the analysis of a
sample of animals that have both genotypes and either estimated
breeding values (EBVs) or phenotypic records. A preferred method
described herein calculates the expected value of the BV
conditional on the marker genotypes and on a prior distribution of
the effects of genes on the trait of interest. Methods for
estimating this prior distribution are publicly available.
CONCLUSIONS
[0320] The model described herein for a population of Holstein
cattle is readily extrapolated and applicable to whole genome
studies employing ancestors as opposed to founders. In the method
of the invention a group of key ancestors would be genotyped for
many markers; selection candidates would be genotyped for a smaller
number of markers; the chromosome segments of the selection
candidates would be traced back to those of the key ancestors and
this would allow all the marker genotypes known on the key
ancestors to be imputed for the selection candidates. In the
exemplificaotin provided herein, we treated all the animals with
known genotypes for up to 11 markers as the selection candidates,
and then traced the known pedigree of these animals as far as
possible to identify 425 founders that did not have two known
parents. These 425 founders thus are truly representative of key
ancestors in this example. This is a larger number of key ancestors
than normal, however the larger size of the founder population is a
consequence of incomplete pedigree data and poor genotype data for
the ancestors shown in Tables 2 and 3. Ten of the markers were
considered equivalent to the small number of markers typed on
selection candidates. One of those markers was treated as an
example of the many markers typed on the key ancestors that we
desire to impute on the selection candidates. Because the key
ancestors have not been genotyped for the 11 markers, we employed
MCMC modelling to deduce the marker genotypes of the 425 founders.
We then ran the MCMC program again with the 11.sup.th marker
genotype deleted on the selection candidates and used the MCMC
program to impute the missing genotype. We inferred only one
missing genotype but it is a typical example because, had the
founders been genotyped for 110 markers it would have been possible
to infer the missing 100 markers as accurately as the one marker
actually inferred by iteration of the process. For example, the
method can be tested on an additional dataset from the genotypes of
about 700 Holstein bulls for 50,000 SNP markers using an Illumina
assay, which form the selection candidates, from which data on all
but about 2000 SNPs are hidden or masked; and the genotypes of key
ancestors of these bulls determined and used to impute/infer the
missing 48,000 genotypes on the selection candidates.
[0321] We expect the method of the invention to perform better than
in this model because, in our model the need to infer the genotypes
of key ancestors from those of their relatives means that the
genotypes on key ancestors may contain some errors. In an ideal
application the pedigree would be known and/or genotypes on the key
ancestors would be known, thereby permitting selection candidates
to be traced back to a smaller number of key ancestors. Thus, the
exemplification herein demonstrates that the method will work even
in an unfavourable situation where the genotypes of key ancestors
have to be inferred from those of their relatives.
* * * * *