A genome scan for quantitative trait loci in a wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Recent empirical evidence indicates that although fitness and fitness components tend to have low heritability in natural populations, they may nonetheless have relatively large components of additive genetic variance. The molecular basis of additive genetic variation has been investigated in model organisms but never in the wild. In this article we describe an attempt to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for birth weight (a trait positively associated with overall fitness) in an unmanipulated, wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus). Two approaches were used: interval mapping by linear regression within half-sib families and a variance components analysis of a six-generation pedigree of >350 animals. Evidence for segregating QTL was found on three linkage groups, one of which was significant at the genome-wide suggestive linkage threshold. To our knowledge this is the first time that a QTL for any trait has been mapped in a wild mammal population. It is hoped that this study will stimulate further investigations of the genetic architecture of fitness traits in the wild.     

Book review

A Bibliography of the Dinosauria (Exclusive of the Aves) 1677–1986, by Daniel J. Chure and John S. McIntosh, 1989. Museum of Western Colorado, 248 South 4th Street, Grand Junction, Colorado 81502, USA. 226 pages. US$25.00.

Problematic Fossil Taxa, edited by A. Hoffman and M. N. Nitecki, 1986. Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics No. 5, Oxford University Press, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA. 267 pages, US$85.00.     

History of ichnology

William Buckland not only was an eccentric scientist either liked or disliked by his peers but, in the early 1800s, was also the foremost authority on coprolites. The latter were a source of considerable amusement to some of his friends.     

Detection and Characterization of Plasmids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PAO

Using a variety of techniques, it has been established that the sex factor FP2 has a density of 1.717 g/cm(3) (corresponding to a guanine plus cytosine [G + C] content of 58%) and a mean circular contour length of 28.5 +/- 0.6 mum (corresponding to a molecular weight of 59 x 10(6)). Another sex factor FP39 has a density of 1.719 g/cm(3) (corresponding to a G + C content of 60%) and a mean circular contour length of 26.5 +/- 0.5 mum (corresponding to a molecular weight of 55 x 10(6)). It appears that all, or nearly all, of the FP sex factor deoxyribonucleic acid occurs as covalent circular molecules under the conditions employed. In addition, these procedures have been used to demonstrate that strain PAO, a naturally occurring female (i.e., FP(-)) strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, harbors a number of cryptic plasmids having similar densities to the bulk of the cell deoxyribonucleic acid (1.726 g/cm(3)) and occurring as covalent circular molecules.