Fine-scale mapping in Neurospora crassa by using genome-wide knockout strains

Fine-scale genetic mapping is often hindered by the lack of adequate markers surrounding the locus of interest. In the filamentous ascomycete Neurospora crassa, the genome has been sequenced and an effort has been made to generate genome-wide deletion strains for the entire gene set. Accordingly, the hygromycin-resistant marker in each deletion strain can be used as a mapping locus in a classical three-point cross, along with the mapping target and a standard marker. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this fine-scale mapping approach in N. crassa by refining the location of r(Sk-2).