Meeting Abstract

P3.59  Friday, Jan. 6  Development of Resources for Peromyscus Laboratory Research FELDER, M.R.*; VRANA, P.B.; SZALAI, G.; SHORTER, K.; LEWANDOWSKI, A.; University of South Carolina; University of South Carolina; University of South Carolina; University of South Carolina; University of South Carolina felder@biol.sc.edu

Peromyscines are among the most common and speciose of North American mammals. The Peromyscus maniculatus species complex is particularly wide-spread and varied. These characteristics along with their relative longevity and their adaptability to colony conditions makes this group well suited for studies of natural genetic variation. The Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center (PGSC) maintains multiple species stocks derived from natural populations as well as numerous variants within the P.m. species complex. To further their usefulness as a mammalian model system, the PGSC is developing further resources, including: 1) a medium density genetic map covering the entire genome (currently ~350 markers), 2) ESTs from multiple tissues and developmental timepoints, and 3) greater assisted reproductive technologies such as the ability to transfer and cryopreserve embryos. These resources are being generated using the PGSC P. maniculatus bairdii BW stock and the P. polionotus subgriseus PO stock (http://stkctr.biol.sc.edu/index.html). Further, our NHGRI accepted proposal for sequencing of four Peromyscus genomes is underway (http://www.genome.gov/10002154). The BW sequencing is complete; assembly and annotation is underway. Most of the genomic data is already available (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomeprj/53865). Sequencing of the PO and three other Peromyscus genomes has also been completed. Here we will present overviews of progress in all these areas.