Project Number: 5438-31000-083-01
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Apr 09, 2007
End Date: Sep 30, 2009

Objective:
To define the location(s) of genes affecting pork tenderness contributing to the QTL located on chromosome 2.

Approach:
A common set of microsatellite markers will be genotyped in the University of Illinois F2 Duroc-Berkshire resource population and the USMARC F2 Duroc-Landrace resource population for a region on chromosome 2 where a QTL affecting pork tenderness is segregating in both populations. The genotypes will be collected by the University of Illinois. USMARC will provide the DNA samples and pork tenderness data to the University of Illinois, while they will provide the genotypic data collected on USMARC animals to ARS. A statistical analysis will be conducted jointly on both populations. The data will be interrogated for multiple QTL located on chromosome 2 affecting pork tenderness and linkage disequilibrium among genetic marker alleles and different QTL alleles. Based on this large study and combination of germplasms used, the number of potential genes and their expected location on chromosome 2 affecting pork tenderness should be determined. The results of this study will be co-authored by both institutions and published in a scientific journal.