TENTATIVE SYLLABUS
CRSS 8872 “QTL mapping and discovery”
Tifton and Athens Campus, Spring 2010
Instructor:
Dr. Peng W. Chee, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences; Office: Rm 119 NESPAL Building,
UGA Tifton Campus; Phone: (229) 391-2683; Email: pwchee@uga.edu
Office Hours:
Instructor do not have posted office hours but generally have an open door policy or can be
contacted readily by e-mail. If you have questions about course content, you are strongly
encouraged to contact the instructor.
Prerequisite:
A course in genetics, however, students are strongly encouraged to take CRSS 8871 before
enrolling in this course.
Textbook:
Required readings will be made available on eLC, as handouts, or as library reserve materials.
Course Objectives:
This course introduces graduate students to the concept and methodologies used in genetic
mapping and the dissection of complex traits. The proper applications of commonly used QTL
software programs will be examined.
Students should achieve an understanding of:
(1) the definition and concept of quantitative trait loci
(2) genetic populations suitable for QTL analyses
(3) the basic genotypic and phenotypic data organization required for QTL analyses
(4) how to construct a genetic map and perform QTL analyses
(5) the application of QTLs to facilitate marker-assisted breeding
Class Materials:
Lecture Powerpoints will be posted on eLC. These will only include main points, but not
necessarily the details that you will have to know in order to do well in this class. We highly
recommend that you take notes during class. Other class materials such as links to websites and
lab handouts also will be posted on eLC.
Grading:
A-F
40% on class participation
30% on project
30% on final exam
1
Course Outline:
Week
Lecture
Topic
1
1
What Are Complex Traits?
2
Genetic Mapping
3
What Are QTLs? Statistical Models for QTL analysis
4
Population Structures
5
Practical Exercise I: Preparing data for QTL analysis
6
Practical Exercise II: Analysis using QTL Cartographer
7
Practical Exercise III: Interpretation of QTL analysis results
8
Are The QTLs Detected Real? Strategies for QTL validation
9
QTL Mapping and Crop Improvement
10
Final Exam
2
3
4
5
P
Academic Honesty:
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty”
(http://www.uga.edu/honesty/). Each student is responsible to inform themselves about those
standards before performing any academic work.
The course syllabus is a general plan; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be
necessary.