BAC Mapping Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

]The ultimate goal of the Human Genome Project is to establish the DNA sequence of human and model organism genomes as the critical first step in understanding disease, development and evolution. To accomplish this goal and a broad spectrum of applications requires integration of genome sequence information to genetic markers (expressed sequence tag/cDNA/gene transcripts content) and to reagents that can be seen through a microscope and linked to cytogenetic landmarks. Such linkage/integration should be dense large fragments and for reagents well characterized with respect to low-copy repeats that are present at multiple other points in the genome. Therefore, ideally, the same templates should be used as an integrating framework of entry points for sequencing and then applied to gene isolation and mapping, studies of genome organization and evolution, and a myriad of clinical applications (1 ).