Sex differences in recombination and mapping adaptations

Since the raw material of marker based mapping is recombination, understanding how and why recombination rates evolve, and how we can use variation in these rates will ultimately help to improve map resolution. For example, using this variation could help in discriminating between linkage and pleiotropy when QTL for several traits co-locate. It might also be used to improve QTL mapping algorithms. The goals of this chapter are: (1) to highlight differences in recombination rates between the sexes, (2) describe why we might expect these differences, and (3) explore how sex difference in recombination can be used to improve resolution in QTL mapping.