Consensus and comprehensive linkage maps of the bovine sex chromosomes.

ory were 627, 2343, 972, 4577 and 1149, respectively. The number of marker loci submitted by each laboratory were 3, 5, 8, 23 and 10, respectively. A total of 9668 informative meioses from 30 microsatellite loci were represented in the combined data containing a total of 15 757 marker genotypes. Each data set was analysed independently using the TWOPOINT, FLIPS and CHROMPIC options. Genotypic data were then combined into a single data set using the MERGE option. The consensus linkage group was constructed using the BUILD option (LOD ˆ 3.0) followed by FLIPS5 analysis to test alternative marker orders. For the comprehensive map, markers were added using the BUILD option (LOD ˆ 1.0) again followed by FLIPS5 analysis. Markers not positioned by this criteria were added to the linkage group using the ALL option. The FLIPS5 was repeated until the best marker order was obtained. Map ®gures, number of meioses per marker (*.loc ®les), TWOPOINT and FIXED output ®les can be accessed at the http://aipl. arsusda.gov/maps.