Conférence «Genomic selection: the tug-of-war between linkage disequilibrium and pedigree»

natacha.fontaine@sbf.ulaval.ca

Frais d'inscription: Site web: Conférentier: Contact: Genomic selection (GS), a quantitative genomics analytical approach is anchored on the presence of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and causal genes underlying complex traits. GS revolutionized animal breeding methods and has successfully became the mainstay approach replacing the traditional breeding methods. The striking success of GS in animal breeding prompted forest geneticists to explore its utility in forest tree breeding and selection programs. Deterministic simulations and several “proof-of-concept” investigations of GS in forest tree species produced results with varying success. However, the allure of attaining substantial and quick gains is still worth the risks of failure. While animal and tree breeding share many attributes, they substantially differ specifically in genome size, effective population size, and pedigree depth. The relation between genome size and complexity, and the number of SNPs (range: 3 to 70k) used in forest trees’ GS “proof-of-concept” investigations could be the cause for the reported mixed successes. Our white spruce and Douglas-fir GS studies, using the highest number of SNPs utilized in trees, indicate that the observed high predictive accuracies of the developed GS predictive models were driven by pedigree rather than LD, shedding doubts on the validity of this approach in forestry. The need for additional resources for deeper sequencing and the utilization of multiple populations and generations for many species are appropriate prerequisites for the successful implementation of GS in forest tree breeding.
Natacha Fontaine, coordonnatrice du pôle de Québec Centre d’étude de la forêt (CEF) Local 1122, Pavillon Abitibi-Price Tel : (418) 656-2131, poste 15028 Fax : (418) 656-3551
Yousry El-Kassabydoyen, associé aux études graduées et postdoctorales et professeur en génétique forestière appliquée et biotechnologie à l'University of British Columbia
http://www.cef-cfr.ca/
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