Fine-mapping of coccidia-resistant quantitative trait loci in chickens

Two commercial, pure broiler lines with different susceptibility to coccidiosis were used to fine-map QTL associated with the previously identified marker LEI0101, located at 259 cM on chromosome 1 and shown to be significantly associated with disease resistance. Eight additional microsatellite markers linked to LEI0101 were used for genotyping of F-1 parents and F-2 offspring (n=314), and their associations with oocyst shedding, as a marker of disease resistance, were determined in birds experimentally infected with Eimeria maxima. Single-point analysis of 4 families showed that logarithm of odds (LOD) scores at all marker loci were > 0.5, with the exception of marker LEI0071, located at 242 cM (LOD score=2.45). Multipoint analysis showed a maximum LOD score between LEI0071 and LEI0101 at 254 cM (LOD score=3.74). Although the LEI0071 marker was mapped near LEI0101 by linkage analysis, the physical location of LEI0071 was not identified. Further studies to determine the physical locations of these and other markers will allow additional application association mapping techniques using single nucleotide polymorphism markers.