Using molecular sizes of simple sequence repeats vs. discrete binned data in assessing probability of ancestry: application to maize hybrids.

Most inferential methods for profiling genotypes based upon the use of DNA fragments use molecular-size data transcribed into discrete bins, which are intervals of DNA fragment sizes. Categorizing into bins is labor intensive with inevitable arbitrariness that may vary between laboratories. We describe and evaluate an algorithm for determining probabilities of parentage based on raw molecular-size data without establishing bins.

Assessing probability of ancestry using simple sequence repeat profiles: applications to maize inbred lines and soybean varieties.

Determining parentage is a fundamental problem in biology and in applications such as identifying pedigrees. Difficulties inferring parentage derive from extensive inbreeding within the population, whether natural or planned; using an insufficient number of hypervariable loci; and from allele mismatches caused by mutation or by laboratory errors that generate false exclusions. Many studies of parentage have been limited to comparisons of small numbers of specific parent-progeny triplets.

Assessing probability of ancestry using simple sequence repeat profiles: applications to maize hybrids and inbreds.

Determination of parentage is fundamental to the study of biology and to applications such as the identification of pedigrees. Limitations to studies of parentage have stemmed from the use of an insufficient number of hypervariable loci and mismatches of alleles that can be caused by mutation or by laboratory error and that can generate false exclusions. Furthermore, most studies of parentage have been limited to comparisons of small numbers of specific parent-progeny triplets thereby precluding large-scale surveys of candidates where there may be no prior knowledge of parentage.

Tightly regulated long-term erythropoietin expression in vivo using tet-inducible recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors.

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors containing an improved tetracycline (tet) system of transcriptional regulation are an efficient strategy for the control of long-term therapeutic gene expression. In vivo studies with the original tet-off and tet-on vectors, while promising, have failed to demonstrate complete repression in the uninduced state. To address this issue, we incorporated the tTS(kid) fusion of the tet repressor and a KRAB-derived transcriptional silencer into the tet-on system in the context of rAAV vectors.