GENETICS AND RESEARCH UNIT, U.S. MEAT ANIMAL RESEARCH CENTER ARS, USDA. USA.
RESUMEN (ABSTRACT)
The objective of this review is to describe the impact of the use of molecular markers in animal production. Advances in genomics have been due to the availability of molecular markers. There have several types of molecular markers. The most commonly used are microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Microsatellites have been used to detect chromosomal regions associated with the traits of interest, through linkage analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms have been used in marker association studies. Whole genome analysis uses also SNP. Information from whole genome analysis has been useful in improving the reliability of genetic merit in dairy cattle. It is expected that it will also be useful in improving reliability of genetic merit in other species.