The Journal of Heredity 2001:92(3)
© 2001 The American Genetic Association 92:274-276
Brief Communication |
Extension of the CastleWright Effective Factor Estimator to Sex Linkage and Haplodiploidy
From the Department of Biology, University of Rochester, ochester, NY, 14627. C. Jones is now at the Section of Evolution and Ecology, #1080, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616.
Address correspondence to the author at the current address above or E-mail: cojo{at}ucdavis.edu.
The CastleWright effective factor estimator gives a minimum estimate of the number of genes underlying complex traits. Because the CastleWright estimator does not rely on genetic markers, it is especially useful in genetically undeveloped species. In this article I describe two extensions of this estimator. The first corrects the estimator in heterogametic (XY) species with a partially sex-linked trait. In this case the traditional estimator underestimates gene number in F2 males and overestimates it in F2 females and backcross females and males. The second extension adapts the CastleWright equation to haplodiploid species.