Mendelian Inheritance (mendelian + inheritance)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Mendelian Inheritance

  • online mendelian inheritance


  • Selected Abstracts


    Detection of pathogenic gene copy number variations in patients with mental retardation by genomewide oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization,,

    HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 11 2007
    Yao-Shan Fan
    Abstract Genomic imbalance is a major cause of developmental disorders. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) has revealed frequent imbalances associated with clinical syndromes, but also a large number of copy number variations (CNVs), which have complicated the interpretation of results. We studied 100 consecutive patients with unexplained mental retardation and a normal karyotype using several platforms of CGH arrays. A genomewide array with 44,290 oligonucleotide probes (OaCGH44K) detected imbalances in 15% of cases studied with sizes ranged from 459,kb to 19,Mb while revealing a small number of CNVs (0.72/individual). Another platform with ,240,000 oligonucleotide probes (OaCGH244K) revealed a large number of CNVs (20/individual) in selected cases and their normal parents. We used a comprehensive approach for interpreting the results of aCGH, including consideration of the size, inheritance and gene content of CNVs, and consultation with an online Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Men (OMIM) for information on the genes involved. Our study suggests that genomewide oligonucleotide arrays such as the OaCGH44K platform can be used as a powerful diagnostic tool for detection of genomic imbalances associated with unexplained mental retardation or syndromic autism spectrum disorders. It is interesting to note that a small number of common variants were revealed by OaCGH244K in some study subjects but not in their parents and that some inherited CNVs had altered breakpoints. Further investigations on these alterations may provide useful information for understanding the mechanism of CNVs. Hum Mutat 28(11),1124,1132, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Making sense of cilia in disease: The human ciliopathies,

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 4 2009
    Kate Baker
    Abstract Ubiquitous in nature, cilia and flagella comprise nearly identical structures with similar functions. The most obvious example of the latter is motility: driving movement of the organism or particle flow across the epithelial surface in fixed structures. In vertebrates, such motile cilia are evident in the respiratory epithelia, ependyma, and oviducts. For over a century, non-motile cilia have been observed on the surface of most vertebrate cells but until recently their function has eluded us. Gathering evidence now points to critical roles for the mono-cilium in sensing the extracellular environment, and perturbation of this function gives rise to a predictable panoply of clinical problems. We review the common clinical phenotypes associated with ciliopathies and interrogate Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) to compile a comprehensive list of putative disorders in which ciliary dysfunction may play a role. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome: New mutation with a mild phenotype

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2002
    Chitra Prasad
    Abstract Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, OMIMÔ, 2001, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/ for SLOS, MIM 270400) is an autosomal recessive disorder of cholesterol biosynthesis caused by mutations of the 3,-hydroxysterol ,7 -reductase gene, DHCR7. We report on a female infant with an exceptionally mild phenotype of SLOS, in whom molecular studies identified a new mutation in DHCR7. The proposita initially presented with feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, hypotonia, mild developmental delay, and oral tactile aversion. She had minor facial anomalies and 2,3 syndactyly of her toes in both feet. The plasma cholesterol was borderline low at 2.88 mmol/L (normal 2.97,4.40 mmol/L). Elevated plasma 7-dehydrocholesterol level of 200.0 ,mol/L confirmed the clinical diagnosis of SLOS. Molecular analysis demonstrated compound heterozygosity for IVS8-1G ,C and Y280C, a new missense mutation in DHCR7. Since the other mutation in this patient is a known null mutation, this newly discovered mutation is presumably associated with significant residual enzyme activity and milder expression of clinical phenotype. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Analysis of phosphatase and tensin homolog tumor suppressor interacting proteins by in vitro and in silico proteomics

    PROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 5 2005
    David K. Crockett
    Abstract The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) tumor suppressor is a multifunctional protein deregulated in many types of cancer. To date, a comprehensive documentation of PTEN interacting proteins has not been performed. The goal of our study was to characterize the PTEN interactome using affinity pull-down and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Wild-type PTEN cDNA was inserted into pTRC-His2 vector to create a 6-His tagged protein, which was expressed in Escherichia coli. Lysate from a human lymphoma cell line was used in pull-down assays, utilizing affinity for nickel-agarose beads. Bound proteins were eluted with imidazole, digested and analyzed on an LCQ DecaXP ion trap mass spectrometer. The nickel affinity pull-down efficiency was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis. Acquired data were searched against the NCBI nr.fasta nonredundant protein database using the SEQUEST algorithm and screened using INTERACT and ProteinProphet. All experiments were performed in duplicate with 6-His- lacZ serving as control. A total of 79 proteins were identified in the wild-type 6-His-PTEN pull-down by MS/MS. We further validated a subset of the proteins present in the PTEN interactome by performing immunoprecipitation using an anti-PTEN antibody and establishing the presence of the proteins in the immunocomplex by Western blot analysis. A search of published PTEN interactions was also performed using Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Human Protein Reference Database, the IntAct Project database, and PubMed. This in silico analysis confirmed 42 out of 79 (53%) of the proteins identified by MS/MS. The remaining 37 proteins represent probable PTEN interactions not previously documented in public databases or reported in the literature. These results highlight the value of combining both in vitro biochemical approaches with in silico analyses for a comprehensive study of protein-protein interactions. [source]


    Identification of mouse heart transcriptomic network sensitive to various heart diseases

    BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 5 2008
    Seong-Eui Hong
    Abstract Exploring biological systems from highly complex datasets is an important task for systems biology. The present study examined co-expression dynamics of mouse heart transcriptome by spectral graph clustering (SGC) to identify a heart transcriptomic network. SGC of microarray data produced 17 classified biological conditions (called condition spectrum, CS) and co-expression patterns by generating bi-clusters. The results showed dynamic co-expression patterns with a modular structure enriched in heart-related CS (CS-1 and -13) containing abundant heart-related microarray data. Consequently, a mouse heart transcriptomic network was constructed by clique analysis from the gene clusters exclusively present in the heart-related CS; 31 cliques were used for constructing the network. The participating genes in the network were closely associated with important cardiac functions (e. g., development, lipid and glycogen metabolisms). Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database indicates that mutations of the genes in the network induced serious heart diseases. Many of the tested genes in the network showed significantly altered gene expression in an animal model of hypertrophy. The results suggest that the present approach is critical for constructing a heart-related transcriptomic network and for deducing important genes involved in the pathogenesis of various heart diseases. [source]


    Genetic and clinical heterogeneity of ferroportin disease

    BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2005
    Laura Cemonesi
    Summary Ferroportin is encoded by the SLC40A1 gene and mediates iron export from cells by interacting with hepcidin. SLC40A1 gene mutations are associated with an autosomal type of genetic iron overload described as haemochromatosis type 4, or HFE4 (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man number 606069), or ferroportin disease. We report three families with this condition caused by novel SLC40A1 mutations. Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography was employed to scan for the SLC40A1 gene. A D181V (A846T) mutation in exon 6 of the ferroportin gene was detected in the affected members of an Italian family and shown to have a de novo origin in a maternal germinal line. This mutation was associated with both parenchymal and reticuloendothelial iron overload in the liver, and with reduced urinary hepcidin excretion. A G80V (G543T) mutation in exon 3 was found in the affected members of an Italian family with autosomal hyperferritinaemia,. Finally, a G267D (G1104A) mutation was identified in exon 7 in a family of Chinese descent whose members presented with isolated hyperferritinaemia. Ferroportin disease represents a protean genetic condition in which the different SLC40A1 mutations appear to be responsible for phenotypic variability. This condition should be considered not only in families with autosomal iron overload or hyperferritinaemia, but also in cases of unexplained hyperferritinaemia. [source]


    Short rare MUC6 minisatellites-5 alleles influence susceptibility to gastric carcinoma by regulating gene,

    HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 8 2010
    Jeong-Ah Kwon
    Abstract The human MUC6 gene, which is reported to be expressed in the stomach and gall bladder, is clustered on chromosome 11p15.5 with other secreted mucins. In this study, the genomic structure of MUC6 has been analyzed and five VNTR (minisatellites; MS1,MS5) were identified. These minisatellites were analyzed in genomic DNA extracted from 1,103 controls, 470 gastric cancer patients, and multigenerational families. Five novel minisatellites were found to be polymorphic and transmitted through meiosis by Mendelian inheritance in families. We evaluated allelic variation in these minisatellites to determine if such variation affected the susceptibility to gastric cancer. A significant association (odds ratio [OR]=7.08) between short rare MUC6,MS5 alleles and relative risks were observed for gastric cancer (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43,35.19; P=0.005). To investigate the function of minisatellite alleles of MUC6,MS5, we examined the effects on gene expression from luciferase reporters when inserted with minisatellites. Interestingly, when the shortest allele (7TR) was inserted in the promoter, the expression level decreased over 20-fold (P<0.001) in normal and cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the cancer-specific rare allele (TR8) also showed decreased expression levels in cancer cells. Therefore, we suggest that the short rare MUC6,MS5 alleles may be related to cancer development by the regulation of MUC6 expression. Hum Mutat 31:1,8, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Mining an Ostrinia nubilalis midgut expressed sequence tag (EST) library for candidate genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)

    INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
    B. S. Coates
    Abstract Genes expressed in lepidopteran midgut tissues are involved in digestion and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin resistance traits. Five hundred and thirty five unique transcripts were annotated from 1745 high quality O. nubilalis larval midgut expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Full-length cDNA sequence of 12 putative serine proteinase genes and 3 partial O. nubilalis aminopeptidase N protein genes, apn1, apn3, and apn4, were obtained, and genes may have roles in plant feeding and Bt toxin resistance traits of Ostrinia larvae. The EST library was not normalized and insert frequencies reflect transcript levels under the initial treatment conditions and redundancy of inserts from highly expressed transcripts allowed prediction of putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Ten di-, tri- or tetranucleotide repeat unit microsatellite loci were identified, and minisatellite repeats were observed within the C-termini of two encoded serine proteinases. Molecular markers showed polymorphism at 28 SNP loci and one microsatellite locus, and Mendelian inheritance indicated that markers were applicable to genome mapping applications. This O. nubilalis larval midgut EST collection is a resource for gene discovery, expression information, and allelic variation for use in genetic marker development. [source]


    Molecular tests for coat colours in horses

    JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 6 2009
    Stefan Rieder
    Summary Colour phenotypes may have played a major role during early domestication events and initial selection among domestic animal species. As coat colours mostly follow a relatively simple mode of Mendelian inheritance, they have been among the first traits to be systematically analysed at the molecular level. As a result of the number of genetic tools developed during the past decade, horse coat colour tests have been designed and are now commercially available for some of the basic phenotypes. These tests enable breeders to verify segregation within particular pedigrees, to select specific colour phenotypes according to market demand or studbook policies and to avoid complex inherited diseases associated with some of the colour patterns. This paper reviews the relevance of the topic, describes all currently available tests for coat colours in horses and addresses also ongoing research in this field. [source]


    Geographic variation in diapause induction and mode of diapause inheritance in Tetranychus pueraricola

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2006
    Akiyuki Suwa
    Abstract:, Diapause induction and photoperiodic response curves were determined for 33 strains of Tetranychus pueraricola derived from kudzu vine at three constant temperatures (15, 18 and 20°C) under a short-day condition (10 : 14 h; light : dark). Females of all but one of the strains entered diapause at all three temperatures with little variation in diapause percentages among the strains. The exception was the southernmost strain, which was found to be a non-diapause (ND) strain. The critical photoperiod gradually decreased towards the south at a rate of about 1 h for each 5 degrees of latitude. The diapause strains (D1 and D2) exhibited 100% diapause, whereas the ND strain exhibited 0% diapause. By crossing these strains, we determined that ,non-diapause' was a dominant character over ,diapause' and the character was controlled by simple Mendelian inheritance. To clarify why the female progeny from the crosses between the D1 and ND strains did not segregate into the diapause and non-diapause phenotypes in a 1:1 ratio in the B1 generation, round-robin crosses were carried out among the three strains. The results showed that the F1 generation was reproductively compatible and showed high egg hatchability with a female-biased sex ratio. In the B1 generation, the crosses between the D1 and ND strains and between the D1 and D2 strains exhibited extremely low egg hatchability and produced mostly female progeny, whereas offspring from the crosses between the D2 and ND strains showed more than 50% hatchability for B1 eggs and a female-biased sex ratio. Thus, the absence of segregation observed in the crosses between the D1 and ND strains appears to be due to the severe hybrid breakdown that occurred in the B1 generation. [source]


    Polymorphism and signature of selection in the MHC class I genes of the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2006
    H. Schaschl
    The role and intensity of positive selection maintaining the polymorphism of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes in the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus was investigated. The highly polymorphic set of MHC class I genes found was organized in a single linkage group. Between 5 and 14 sequence variants per individual were identified by single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Segregation analysis studied in 10 three-spined stickleback families followed the expected pattern of Mendelian inheritance. The gamete fusion in three-spined stickleback thus seems to be random with respect to the MHC class I genes. The DNA sequence analyses showed that the expressed MHC class I loci are under strong selection pressure, possibly mediated by parasites. Codons that were revealed to be under positive selection are potentially important in antigen binding. MHC class I sequences did not form significant supported clusters within a phylogenetic tree. Analogous to MHC class II genes, it was not possible to assign the class I sequences to a specific locus, suggesting that the class I genes may have been generated by recent gene duplication. [source]


    Variable number of tandem repeats in the growth hormone gene of Sparus aurata: association with growth and effect on gene transcription

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2004
    R. Almuly
    The GH gene of Sparus aurata(saGH) contains variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR). The hyper-variable minisatellites in the first and third introns segregate in a Mendelian manner and exhibit numerous alleles. Analysis by PCR and sequencing of the two introns in several wild Sparidae species revealed comparable minisatellites with some variations. ,Zoo blot' with the first intron unit as a probe showed this sequence to be characteristic of several families from the Perciformes order. Unexpectedly, a similar minisatellite was found in the first intron of the GH gene in flounder, which belongs to a different order. Transfection of constructs containing a reporter gene and first intron of different length to four cell lines resulted in an inhibitory effect of the longer intron relative to the short intron. A (CA)n microsatellite (saGHpCA) is found in the GH promoter. A similar repeat at the same location is present in GH promoters of several other fish species. High variability (11 alleles) of the saGHpCA was found in a hatchery population. Full-sib family genotyping showed a Mendelian inheritance of these alleles. A significant association was found between allele distribution and body mass in large and average size fishes from a hatchery population. The intron minisatellites may serve as markers for hybrid population and parental assignment. Its presence in families and orders of the higher teleosts may help solving classification uncertainties. Their conservation and inhibitory effect suggest a biological role. The saGHpCA is correlated with growth and may be a good candidate for predicting growth performance. [source]


    Transferability and characterization of nine microsatellite markers for the tropical tree species Tabebuia roseo-alba

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 1 2009
    JULIANA MASSIMINO FERES
    Abstract Microsatellite loci that were previously developed in the tropical tree Tabebuia aurea were used for the genetic analysis of Tabebuia roseo-alba populations. Nine of 10 simple sequence repeat markers were amplified, and the polymorphism was assessed in 58 individuals sampled from two stands in southeastern Brazil. All loci were polymorphic with Mendelian inheritance. The allele numbers were high, ranging from 5 to 13 in population I and 3 to 7 in population II, with means of 8.9 and 5.5, respectively. We conclude that these markers can be efficiently used for parentage and gene-flow studies. [source]


    STORM: software for testing hypotheses of relatedness and mating patterns

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 6 2008
    TIMOTHY R. FRASIER
    Abstract Storm is a software package that allows users to test a variety of hypotheses regarding patterns of relatedness and patterns of mate choice and/or mate compatibility within a population. These functions are based on four main calculations that can be conducted either independently or in the hypothesis-testing framework: internal relatedness; homozygosity by loci; pairwise relatedness; and a new metric called allele inheritance, which calculates the proportion of loci at which an offspring inherits a paternal allele different from that inherited from its mother. STORM allows users to test four hypotheses based on these calculations and Monte Carlo simulations: (i) are individuals within observed associations or groupings more/less related than expected; (ii) do observed offspring have more/less genetic variability (based on internal relatedness or homozygosity by loci) than expected from the gene pool; (iii) are observed mating pairs more/less related than expected if mating is random with respect to relatedness; and (iv) do observed offspring inherit paternal alleles different from those inherited from the mother more/less often than expected based on Mendelian inheritance. [source]


    Isolation of new microsatellite markers and application in four species of mouse lemurs (Microcebus sp.)

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 2 2003
    A. Hapke
    Abstract We report the development of 13 new microsatellite markers for mouse lemurs (Microcebus sp.). Two markers were isolated from the fat tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) and 11 from the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). A total of 561 individuals from four different species of mouse lemurs was genotyped with the newly developed markers. All markers showed Mendelian inheritance in 21 families of mouse lemurs. All markers show polymorphism in several species of mouse lemurs and seven amplified in C. medius. Among these new markers are the first 10 published for M. berthae and the first 11 for M. griseorufus. [source]


    Neurological aspects of osteopetrosis

    NEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
    C. G. Steward
    The osteopetroses are caused by reduced activity of osteoclasts which results in defective remodelling of bone and increased bone density. They range from a devastating neurometabolic disease, through severe malignant infantile osteopetrosis (OP) to two more benign conditions principally affecting adults [autosomal dominant OP (ADO I and II)]. In many patients the disease is caused by defects in either the proton pump [the a3 subunit of vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase, encoded by the gene variously termed ATP6i or TCIRG1] or the ClC-7 chloride channel (ClCN7 gene). These pumps are responsible for acidifying the bone surface beneath the osteoclast. Although generally thought of as bone diseases, the most serious consequences of the osteopetroses are seen in the nervous system. Cranial nerves, blood vessels and the spinal cord are compressed by either gradual occlusion or lack of growth of skull foramina. Most patients with OP have some degree of optic atrophy and many children with severe forms of autosomal recessive OP are rendered blind; optic decompression is frequently attempted to prevent the latter. Auditory, facial and trigeminal nerves may also be affected, and hydrocephalus can develop. Stenosis of both arterial supply (internal carotid and vertebral arteries) and venous drainage may occur. The least understood form of the disease is neuronopathic OP [OP and infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, MIM (Mendelian inheritance in man) 600329] which causes rapid neurodegeneration and death within the first year. Although characterized by the finding of widespread axonal spheroids and accumulation of ceroid lipofuscin, the biochemical basis of this disease remains unknown. The neurological complications of this disease and other variants are presented in the context of the latest classification of the disease. [source]


    A vernalization protocol for obtaining progenies from regenerated and transgenic tall fescue plants

    PLANT BREEDING, Issue 6 2003
    Z. Y. Wang
    Abstract Tall fescue is an important outcrossing forage and turf grass species that requires vernalization to flower. A reproducible protocol was developed for vernalization of regenerated, transgenic and seed-derived tall fescue plants. Following the vernalization scheme that involved gradual changes of temperature and daylength, seeds were routinely produced from vernalized plants under greenhouse conditions. Molecular analyses of progenies obtained from crosses between transgenic and seed-derived plants revealed stable meiotic transmission of transgenes following Mendelian inheritance in transgenic tall fescue. [source]


    A standard panel of microsatellites for Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

    ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 2 2010
    Z. Y. Zhu
    Summary Microsatellites are the most popular markers for parentage assignment and population genetic studies. To meet the demand for international comparability for genetic studies of Asian seabass, a standard panel of 28 microsatellites has been selected and characterized using the DNA of 24 individuals from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. The average allele number of these markers was 10.82 ± 0.71 (range: 6,19), and the expected heterozygosity averaged 0.76 ± 0.02 (range: 0.63,1.00). All microsatellites showed Mendelian inheritance. In addition, eight standard size controls have been developed by cloning a set of microsatellite alleles into a pGEM-T vector to calibrate allele sizes determined by different laboratories, and are available upon request. Seven multiplex PCRs, each amplifying 3,5 markers, were optimized to accurately and rapidly genotype microsatellites. Parentage assignment using 10 microsatellites in two crosses (10 × 10 and 20 × 20) demonstrated a high power of these markers for revealing parent-sibling connections. This standard set of microsatellites will standardize genetic diversity studies of Asian seabass, and the multiplex PCR sets will facilitate parentage assignment. [source]


    AFLP-based genetic linkage maps of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

    ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 4 2007
    D. Lallias
    Summary We report the construction of the first genetic linkage map in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis. AFLP markers were used in 86 full-sib progeny from a controlled pair mating, applying a double pseudo-test cross strategy. Thirty-six primer pairs generated 2354 peaks, of which 791 (33.6%) were polymorphic in the mapping family. Among those, 341 segregated through the female parent, 296 through the male parent (type 1:1) and 154 through both parents (type 3:1). Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests revealed that 71% and 73% of type 1:1 and 3:1 markers respectively segregated according to Mendelian inheritance. Sex-specific linkage maps were built with mapmaker 3.0 software. The female framework map consisted of 121 markers ordered into 14 linkage groups, spanning 862.8 cM, with an average marker spacing of 8.0 cM. The male framework map consisted of 116 markers ordered into 14 linkage groups, spanning 825.2 cM, with an average marker spacing of 8.09 cM. Genome coverage was estimated to be 76.7% and 75.9% for the female and male framework maps respectively, rising to 85.8% (female) and 86.2% (male) when associated markers were included. Twelve probable homologous linkage group pairs were identified and a consensus map was built for nine of these homologous pairs based on multiple and parallel linkages of 3:1 markers, spanning 816 cM, with joinmap 4.0 software. [source]


    Inheritance and reliability of random amplified polymorphic DNA-markers in two consecutive generations of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 2 2010
    Noel D Novelo
    Abstract Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers have been used in a variety of genetic studies in fisheries and aquaculture. Most population studies are performed without preliminary data demonstrating the Mendelian inheritance and reproducibility of RAPD markers. In this study, the inheritance and reproducibility of RAPD markers was examined in two consecutive generations of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. Variability and segregation of RAPD markers were investigated in one F1 progeny and three F2 progenies. Seventy-four RAPD markers were generated by five primers using DNA extracted from the initial ornamental (koi) common carp female and wild-type colour common carp male. Fifty-five of these RAPD markers were transmitted to the F1 progeny and the inheritance patterns were analysed. Twenty RAPD markers were fully reproducible and demonstrated dominant simple Mendelian inheritance patterns in two consecutive generations. Twenty-four RAPD markers were not reproducible in all progenies. Thirteen markers displayed inheritance ratios in the progenies that did not fit simple Mendelian inheritance patterns. Non-reproducibility of RAPD markers and distorted ratios may be caused by the absence of amplification, poor amplification or by the appearance of artefact bands. Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers with poor reproducibility and non-Mendelian inheritance can lead to misinterpretations of data in population studies, resulting in errors in the estimation of genetic diversity within and between individual populations. Therefore, it is recommended to first identify the set of reproducible RAPD markers that demonstrate Mendelian inheritance before application of the RAPD technique in population studies. [source]