236
Sabine S. Loew
Minisatellite DNA (Jeffreys et al. 1985a, b)
Minisatellite DNA consists of highly conserved core areas of short oligonucleotide sequences (10–65 base pairs rich in GC nucleotides) that are strung together
in long arrays. These arrays of repetitive DNA vary considerably in size within
and between genomes due to differences in the number of tandem repeat units
(core areas) across 10–25 loci. Minisatellite DNA is inherited in a Mendelian
fashion. Consequently, RFLP analysis of minisatellite DNA reveals unique inherited banding patterns for each individual (“DNA fingerprints”) ideally suited for
assigning individual genetic profiles and parentage (Burke and Bruford 1987;
Burke et al. 1989; Rabenold et al. 1990; Westneat 1990; Morin and Ryder 1991;
Martin et al. 1992b).
Genetic variation associated with minisatellite DNA has been revealed by
means of multilocus and single-locus DNA fingerprinting (Bruford et al. 1992).
Multilocus DNA fingerprinting simultaneously assays genetic variation associated with numerous minisatellite loci through hybridization with a labeled minisatellite probe (Loew and Fleischer 1996). This relatively quick assay of multilocus variation is one of the major advantages of minisatellite DNA fingerprinting
over microsatellite DNA, especially when the study population is suspected to be
inbred. The detected polymorphism, can provide a snapshot of genetic variability
within populations and, in some cases, relative estimates of genetic similarity
between populations (Gilbert et al. 1990; Reeve et al. 1990). Useful applications
in conservation biology have been developed by Fleischer and co-workers (1994)
on the Palila, an endangered Hawaiian Honeycreeper, and by Fleischer and associates (1995) on endangered Clapper Rails, leading to recommendations for translocations between populations.
The complex banding pattern of multilocus DNA fingerprinting makes it less
suitable for population genetics studies for determining exact degree of relatedness beyond full sibs (Lynch 1988, 1990, 1991; Burke et al. 1991; Jin and Chakraborty 1993, 1994). Coancestry coefficients are generally correlated with bandsharing coefficients (Lynch 1988, 1990; Kuhnlein et al. 1990; Reeve et al. 1990;
Rave et al. 1994) and have been used to provide estimates of relatedness (Burke et
al. 1991; Piper and Rabenold 1992).
Examples of applications of DNA fingerprinting are provided by Rave and
colleagues (1994) for captive Hawaiian Geese, Brock and White (1992) for the
Puerto Rican Parrot, Ashworth and Parkin (1992) for Rothchild’s Mynah, and
Haig and co-workers (1994) who reconstructed the pedigree of all living Guam
Rails, a species that is extinct in the wild.
Single-locus fingerprinting resolves polymorphisms associated with different
hypervariable loci sequentially and therefore addresses most technical, statistical,
and theoretical difficulties associated with multilocus minisatellite DNA fingerprinting. Under very stringent conditions, a single-locus minisatellite probe
detects variation only at a specific hypervariable minisatellite locus, consequently
providing allelic diversity (= number of fragments per locus) and allele frequencies (= frequency of individual fragments within the population). Sequential
Sabine S. Loew
Minisatellite DNA (Jeffreys et al. 1985a, b)
Minisatellite DNA consists of highly conserved core areas of short oligonucleotide sequences (10–65 base pairs rich in GC nucleotides) that are strung together
in long arrays. These arrays of repetitive DNA vary considerably in size within
and between genomes due to differences in the number of tandem repeat units
(core areas) across 10–25 loci. Minisatellite DNA is inherited in a Mendelian
fashion. Consequently, RFLP analysis of minisatellite DNA reveals unique inherited banding patterns for each individual (“DNA fingerprints”) ideally suited for
assigning individual genetic profiles and parentage (Burke and Bruford 1987;
Burke et al. 1989; Rabenold et al. 1990; Westneat 1990; Morin and Ryder 1991;
Martin et al. 1992b).
Genetic variation associated with minisatellite DNA has been revealed by
means of multilocus and single-locus DNA fingerprinting (Bruford et al. 1992).
Multilocus DNA fingerprinting simultaneously assays genetic variation associated with numerous minisatellite loci through hybridization with a labeled minisatellite probe (Loew and Fleischer 1996). This relatively quick assay of multilocus variation is one of the major advantages of minisatellite DNA fingerprinting
over microsatellite DNA, especially when the study population is suspected to be
inbred. The detected polymorphism, can provide a snapshot of genetic variability
within populations and, in some cases, relative estimates of genetic similarity
between populations (Gilbert et al. 1990; Reeve et al. 1990). Useful applications
in conservation biology have been developed by Fleischer and co-workers (1994)
on the Palila, an endangered Hawaiian Honeycreeper, and by Fleischer and associates (1995) on endangered Clapper Rails, leading to recommendations for translocations between populations.
The complex banding pattern of multilocus DNA fingerprinting makes it less
suitable for population genetics studies for determining exact degree of relatedness beyond full sibs (Lynch 1988, 1990, 1991; Burke et al. 1991; Jin and Chakraborty 1993, 1994). Coancestry coefficients are generally correlated with bandsharing coefficients (Lynch 1988, 1990; Kuhnlein et al. 1990; Reeve et al. 1990;
Rave et al. 1994) and have been used to provide estimates of relatedness (Burke et
al. 1991; Piper and Rabenold 1992).
Examples of applications of DNA fingerprinting are provided by Rave and
colleagues (1994) for captive Hawaiian Geese, Brock and White (1992) for the
Puerto Rican Parrot, Ashworth and Parkin (1992) for Rothchild’s Mynah, and
Haig and co-workers (1994) who reconstructed the pedigree of all living Guam
Rails, a species that is extinct in the wild.
Single-locus fingerprinting resolves polymorphisms associated with different
hypervariable loci sequentially and therefore addresses most technical, statistical,
and theoretical difficulties associated with multilocus minisatellite DNA fingerprinting. Under very stringent conditions, a single-locus minisatellite probe
detects variation only at a specific hypervariable minisatellite locus, consequently
providing allelic diversity (= number of fragments per locus) and allele frequencies (= frequency of individual fragments within the population). Sequential