Renewal is sought for a Program Project in statistical and quantitative genetics at North Carolina State University, with subcontracts to the University of California at Davis, and oklahoma State University. The objectives of the proposal are to conduct research in statistical and quantitative genetics, with an ultimate goal of developing a methodology for understanding the genetic basis of complex characters, and the evolution of such characters and of molecular sequences. The program consists of eight projects, the first of which is an administrative core. This provides administrative, computing and statistical services to the other projects and maintains communication among all projects. Three projects are housed within the Department of Statistics. One is concerned with methodology for the location of human disease genes and the use of DNA markers for individual identification. A second develops methods for using information from genetic maps to locate genes affecting quantitative traits. The composite interval mapping method will be extended to outbred populations. The third establishes statistical methods for characterizing variation of preferred residues among sequence sites, and looks at the interplay between protein secondary structure and evolution. Two projects are within the Department of Genetics. One concerns a unified theory for the development and evolution of complex morphological structures. The evolution of transcription factors will be studied, and rates of development early and late in postnatal ontogeny of the mouse will be characterized. The other uses the model of bristle number in Drosophila to determine the genetic basis of quantitative variation in phenotypes in terms of additive, dominance, pleiotropic and epistatic effects of alleles at individual quantitative trait loci. The project in the Department of Animal Science is on the genetic basis of obesity in the mouse. Genes responsible for the trait will be mapped, with an emphasis on the effects of environmental factors such as diet. The Forestry Department project will locate genes responsible for lignin content in pine, and compare these genes with those known to control activity of enzymes in the monlignol biosynthetic pathway.
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