Conservation of the syntenies between porcine chromosome 7 and human chromosomes 6, 14 and 15 demonstrated by radiation hybrid mapping and linkage analysis.

Comparative mapping studies facilitate the identification of genes located in quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions in domestic animals by utilizing information from the human genome. Radiation hybrid (RH) mapping is effective for this purpose because of its high resolution in ordered gene mapping on chromosomes. We constructed an RH map of pig chromosome 7, by adding 23 markers associated with genes. This RH map clearly demonstrated the mosaic of homology between pig chromosome 7 (SSC7) and human chromosomes 6, 14 and 15 at a 'gene' level, and was confirmed by linkage analysis. Clarification of the homology of SSC7 to human chromosomes will contribute to the elucidation of the gene(s) responsible for QTL detected on this chromosome.