P I G G E N O M E U P D A T E __________________________________________________________________ A Bimonthly Newsletter of the U.S. Pig Genome Coordination Program ************** No. 43 ************** * * * * * July 1, 2000 * ************************************** =========================================================================== 1. Swine Genetics Regional Research Committees Meet in Raleigh, NC 2. ISAG 2000 Is Comming 3. Buenos Dias, Spanish Animal Genetists Gathered in Caldes, Spain 4. Pig Genome Web Page and ANGENMAP Mail List 5. Recent Meeting of the Swine Committee of the National Animal Germplasm Program 6. The Plant and Animal Genome IX and The NRSP-8 Meetings 7. Other Upcoming Meetings =========================================================================== Swine genetics regional research committees meet in Raleigh, NC. The two swine breeding and genetics regional projects: NC210 - Positional and functional identification of economically important genes in the pig and NC220 - Integration of quantitative and molecular technologies for genetic improvement of pigs had a joint meeting to discuss each groups' progress. Attending stations included Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and guests from Clemson. The meeting included about 25 faculty and students. Research presented included results on QTLs for reproduction and meat quality in pigs and growth and fat in mice. Research on gene identification and mapping, candidate gene validation, comparative mapping tools, breeding value estimation, and practical aspects of genetic improvement were also presented. QTL, EST and other research projects under development were also discussed. One topic for discussion included the need to renew both regional research projects in the next two years. It was decided that NC220 and NC210 would write a new joint regional research project and plans were made to discuss this at the next regional project meeting. It was decided that NC 210 will next meet in San Diego with PAG. Officers for next year are Cathy Ernst, Jon Beever and Max Rothschild. o o o o o o o o o o o Only 3 weeks to go for ISAG 2000, the 27th International Conference on Animal Genetics, will be held July 22-26, 2000 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Schedule and registration information are available at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/research/isag2000/home.htm. Plans for the swine genome workshop (Sunday, July 23 from 1- 5 PM) are nearly complete. Speakers are being selected and topics will include activities of pig breeding and molecular genetics companies, discoveries of genes affecting dwarfism, vitamin C deficiency, RH panel and EST progress and some QTL results. If you have comments or questions on this workshop, please contact Dr. Gary Rohrer at rohrer@email.marc.usda.gov. The ISAG meeting includes some very good talks on topics including RN, and the posters are likely to be full of interesting results. Limited travel funding to help US participants and US graduate students may be available. Please contact the US Pig Genome Coordinator at mfrothsc@iastate.edu. o o o o o o o o o o o Buenos Dias! The 10th meeting of Spanish scientists for the genetic improvement of animals met recently in Caldes, Spain near Barcelona. The meeting combined quantitative and molecular genetics of several species. Some extremely excellent talks were given by international guests and Spanish researchers and their students on gene discovery, QTLs and genetic diversity in pigs. The research will be published in the near future. o o o o o o o o o o o Updating Web Pages! Like any information we generate, it sometimes becomes old. If you find information that is out of date on our Pig Genome Web pages, please send us a note so that we can work to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the web site. You need to be a member. Everyone must please subscribe to ANGENMAP prior to posting a message to the discussion group. This is because we want to eliminate junk mail that comes from non-subscribers. To join please see http://www.genome.iastate.edu/community/angenmap-info.html. o o o o o o o o o o o The swine committee of the National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP) recently met at the World Pork Expo in June. Terry Stewart has agreed to head up the swine committee that includes Roger Johnson, Daryl Kuhlers, Max Rothschild and others. Initial work will attempt to categorize U.S. breeds for diversity and level of threat to their existence. More details can be obtained at www.ars-grin.gov/nag/temp. o o o o o o o o o o o The Plant & Animal Genome IX (PAG-IX) and the NRSP-8 meetings are only 6 months away. Suggestions for next year's PAG speakers or other comments on the meeting can be emailed to Sue DeNise sdenise@ag.arizona.edu or me at mfrothsc@iastate.edu . o o o o o o o o o o o Upcoming meetings (for more details see: http://www.genome.iastate.edu/community/meetings.html) The 14th International Congress on Animal Reproduction, July 2-6, 2000, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 Uppsala, Sweden, Contact: Hans Gustafsson, at hans.gustafsson@og.slu.se . International Society of Animal Genetics: Minneapolis, MN, USA will be held July 24-27, 2000. Contact Brian Kirkpatrick at bwkirkpat@facstaff.wisc.edu. American Society of Animal Science National Meeting, July 24-28, Baltimore, MD. For details please contact http://www.baltimore2k.org. Plant and Animal Genome IX, joint with the NAGRP annual meetings, Jan. 14-17, 2001, Town & Country Convention Center, San Diego, CA. See: http://www.intl-pag.org/ Other events can be found at the following web site: http://www.agbiotechnet.com/calendar/index.asp/ <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> Contributions to Pig Genome Update 44 including short meeting announcements are always welcome. Please send by August 10. Max Rothschild U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator 2255 Kildee Hall, Department of Animal Science Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 50011 Phone: 515-294-6202, Fax: 515-294-2401 mfrothsc@iastate.edu cc: Dick Frahm, CSREES and Caird Rexroad II, ARS Paid for by funds from the NRSP8 USDA/CSREES sponsored Pig Genome Coordination Program.