Genome mapping tools: current research and future prospects.

Abstract

Structure and function of every living organism in the biosphere are shaped and directed by its genome, respectively. The genome of an organism is an abode of all the genes and other DNA segments, known and yet to be known. To exploit a species as a biological resource to serve humankind in the form of goods and/or services primarily requires a thorough understanding of the genes and their location in the genome. Genome mapping is a technique that aides determining the location of the gene(s), and/or its (or their) marker(s), of interest in relation to the other gene(s), and/or its (or their) marker(s), within the genome. Since all the genes of commercial interest are not present in the same individual/taxa, it is essential to move the gene(s) of interest from the available source(s) to the required target(s), which is made easy with the knowledge of genome map. Genome mapping has wider applications in modern molecular biology; from the applied area, such as genetic improvement of organisms, to the fundamental research such as genome sequencing. It needs proper tools and techniques such as various kinds of markers and mapping populations. To choose an appropriate tool and technique requires a thorough knowledge of myriad basket of available genome mapping tools. The present chapter brings a complete and comprehensive updated information necessary to understand genome of interest and use appropriate mapping tools, such as markers and mapping populations, for mapping of genes of interest in the genome of an organism of interest, ultimately to help deriving useful product(s) and/or service(s) to meet various needs of humankind in the wake of everchanging environment and never receding human populations. This chapter also offers future prospects of genome mapping tools and opportunities to develop new tools in the light of advanced techniques available for DNA sequencing and rapid generation advancement of mapping populations.