[Mapping the chicken genome: problems and perspectives].

Various molecular methods are now used to map the chicken genome, including chromosome scraping, flow cytofluorimetry, zonal centrifugation, construction of chromosome-specific libraries, genetic analysis with polymorphic DNA markers, and in situ hybridization. Two main drawbacks are characteristic of existing maps of chicken chromosomes. First, classic genetic maps (i.e., linkage groups of genes for morphological, physiological, and biochemical characters), physical maps of chromosomes, and new genetic maps constructed on the basis of polymorphic DNA markers (RFLP, RAPD, VNTR, SSR, and CR1-PCR) do not coordinate with one another. Second, a relatively low number of genes is present in classic genetic maps and physical chromosome maps. Application of cytogenetic methods to chromosome mapping in birds is limited because of some specific features characteristic of the organization of avian genomes. For the same reason, studying the location and expression of avian genes is very important. Since mammalian and avian genomes differ in structure, revealing their possible common functional characteristics will provide for a better understanding of the general mechanisms that control biologically important characters in higher animals.