Interspersed repetitive element polymerase chain reaction product mapping using a mouse interspecific backcross

We have developed a rapid method of generating and simultaneously mapping interrepeat polymerase chain reaction products using DNA from interspecific backcross animals derived from mating C57BL/6J and Mus spretus mice. This method is based on the high degree of B1, B2, and L1 dispersed repeat position polymorphism found between these two species of mouse. We have mapped 13 new loci to 9 different chromosomes and have found no evidence of clustering among these loci. The advantages of this approach are that no prior knowledge of sequence is required, a single PCR reaction generates many markers which can be mapped simultaneously, and only 50 ng of each backcross DNA (a finite resource) is required. We anticipate that many more markers remain to be characterized in this valuable new source of polymorphism.