Mapping of the olf89 and Rfp genes to the rat genome: comparison with the mouse and human and new insights into the evolution of the rodent genome

that these two genes delineate the UA/UB break point, and that this chromosome break occurred in the rodent lineage, before the mouse radiation. Our data indicate that this break occurred before the rat/mouse split, therefore before the Murinae radiation. The Rfp (ret finger protein) and Olf89 (olfactory receptor 89) genes were assigned to rat chromosomes 17 and 20, respectively. These two genes are syntenic in human (RFP and OLF89) as they both map to chromosome 6, less than 300 kb apart. The mouse homologs are located on two different chromosomes, namely 13 and 17, respectively. It was shown that these two genes delineate the UA/UB break point, and that this chromosome break occurred in the rodent lineage, before the mouse radiation. Our data indicate that this break occurred before the rat/mouse split, therefore before the Murinae radiation.