Generation of rat "supersonic" congenic/conplastic strains using superovulation and embryo transfer

Methods Mol Biol. 2010:597:267-75. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-389-3_18.

Abstract

Congenic strains are routinely used for positional mapping of quantitative trait loci; while conplastic strains, derived by substitution of different mitochondrial genomes on the same nuclear genetic background of inbred rodent strains, provide a way to unambiguously isolate effects of the mitochondrial genome on complex traits. Derivation of congenic or conplastic strains using a traditional backcross breeding strategy (10 backcrosses) takes more than 3 years. There are two principal strategies to speed up this process: (1) marker-assisted derivation of "speed" congenic/conplastic strains and (2) derivation of "supersonic" congenic/conplastic strains using in each backcross generation embryos obtained from 4-week-old superovulated females; thus, each backcross generation takes only 7 weeks. Both strategies could also be combined. In the current chapter, a method for derivation of "supersonic" congenic/conplastic rat strains is described.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Congenic / genetics*
  • Embryo Transfer / methods*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Ovulation Induction / methods*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred BN / genetics
  • Rats, Inbred SHR / genetics
  • Rats, Inbred Strains / genetics*