Definition

Noun: A diagram that shows the relative positions of genes on a chromosome. It represents the linear order of genes and the approximate distances between them, based on recombination frequencies or other genetic data.

Usage

A genetic map is used to visualize the organization of genes. It is a fundamental tool in genetics for understanding inheritance patterns, locating genes associated with traits or diseases, and planning further research. - Scientists created a detailed genetic map of the fruit fly chromosome. - The genetic map helped researchers identify the region responsible for the inherited disorder.

Advanced Usage

• High-resolution genetic map: A map with many markers, providing very detailed positional information.
  • The new high-resolution genetic map allowed for the precise localization of the gene.
• Comparative genetic map: A map that compares gene order between different species to study evolution.
  • The comparative genetic map revealed conserved genomic regions between mice and humans.

Variants and Related Words

• Linkage map: A type of genetic map constructed by analyzing how frequently genes are inherited together (linked). This is often used synonymously with "genetic map."
  • The linkage map showed that the two traits were closely linked on the same chromosome.
• Physical map: A different type of map that shows the actual physical locations of genes or markers on a chromosome, measured in base pairs of DNA, not recombination frequency.
  • The genetic map was aligned with the physical map to confirm the gene's location.

Synonyms

• Chromosome map
• Linkage map (in many contexts)

Related Phrases and Terms

• Map distance: The distance between genes on a genetic map, measured in map units (centimorgans, cM).
  • The map distance between the two markers was 5 centimorgans.
• To map a gene: The process of determining a gene's location on a genetic map or chromosome.
  • The team's goal was to map the gene responsible for the condition.

Noun

1. graphical representation of the arrangement of genes on a chromosome