A high-resolution radiation hybrid map of the proximal region of rat Chromosome 4

Radiation hybrid (RH) mapping has been used to produce genome maps in the human and mouse, but as yet the technique has been applied little to other species. We describe the use of RH mapping in the rat, using a newly available rat/hamster RH panel, to construct an RH map of the proximal part of rat Chromosome (Chr) 4. This region is of interest because quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for defective insulin and catecholamine action, hypertension, and dyslipidemia map to this region. The RH map includes 23 rat genes or microsatellites previously mapped to this part of Chr 4, one rat gene not previously mapped in the rat, and markers for four new genes, homologs of which map to the syntenic region of the mouse genome. The RH map integrates genetic markers previously mapped on several rat crosses, increases the resolution of existing maps, and may provide a suitable basis for physical map construction and gene identification in this chromosomal region. Our results demonstrate the utility of RH mapping in the rat genome and show that RH mapping can be used to localize, in the rat genome, the homologs of genes from other species such as the mouse. This will facilitate identification of candidate genes underlying QTLs on this chromosomal segment.