Project Number: 3635-31320-009-12
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Apr 16, 2012
End Date: Apr 15, 2017

Objective:
Refine the chicken genome assembly and annotation, and in turn, identify chicken genes and causative polymorphisms for Marek's disease resistance and specific developmental mutations associated with MDV.

Approach:
To identify genes and the underlying causative mutation, employ next generation sequencing on chickens of known phenotype and analyze the data to reveal polymorphisms that are linked or associated with the trait. Validate using standard molecular genetic techniques. For improving the genome sequence, continue collaborative efforts with Washington U. at St. Louis to obtain sequences and contigs that will fill gaps or missing microchromosomes.