Länkagekartläggning

Länkagekartläggning, or linkage mapping, is a genetic technique used to determine the relative positions of genes on a chromosome. It relies on the principle that genes located close together on the same chromosome are less likely to be separated during meiosis, a process of cell division that produces gametes. These genes are said to be "linked."

The process involves observing the inheritance patterns of traits controlled by different genes across multiple generations of a population. By tracking how often specific traits are inherited together, scientists can infer the distance between the genes responsible for those traits. If two traits are frequently inherited together, their genes are considered to be close on the chromosome. Conversely, if they are often separated, their genes are further apart.

The unit of measurement for genetic distance in linkage mapping is the centimorgan (cM). One centimorgan represents a 1% chance that a crossover event will occur between two linked genes during meiosis. Linkage mapping is crucial for understanding chromosome structure, identifying disease genes, and developing genetic markers for various applications in agriculture and medicine. It forms the basis for constructing more detailed genetic maps, which are essential for genome sequencing and analysis.