Fourteen anonymous DNA markers of laboratory rats identified with arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR).

In order to develop genetic markers in rats, arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was performed with single primers originally designed for microsatellite loci, instead of primers with short-sized and arbitrary nucleotide sequences. Each primer generated reliable and reproducible segments under optimal conditions. The fourteen amplification products have been successfully mapped to rat chromosomes by either linkage analysis using backcross progeny or chromosomal assignment with somatic cell hybrids. All of the loci were located on different chromosomes from those of the microsatellite loci, suggesting that sequence-specifically designed single primers can produce anonymous segments of genomic DNA showing polymorphisms. These markers should contribute to finding linkages for traits of interest in rats.