Background Upland cotton (G. unigenes were allocated to chromosome 26. Anchoring was carried out through an overgo hybridization approach and all anchored ESTs were functionally annotated via blast analysis. Conclusion This integrated genomic map explains the first pair of homoeologous chromosomes of an allotetraploid genome in which BAC contigs were identified and partially separated through the use of chromosome-specific probes and locus-specific genetic markers. The approach used in this study should show useful in the construction of genome-wide physical maps for polyploid herb genomes including Upland cotton. The identification of Gene-rich islands in the integrated map provides a platform for positional cloning of important genes and the targeted sequencing of specific genomic regions. Background Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the leading fiber crop worldwide and an important oil crop. Cotton is usually a diploidized allopolyploid species made up of two subgenomes designated At and Dt. It is a model system to study polyploidization and post-polyploidization of plants. To develop tools essential for the genetic improvement of cotton and research in polyploid herb genetics, a number of genetic linkage maps have been developed [1-8]. As buy GBR 12783 dihydrochloride of this statement, 6,921 specific loci including 440 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) [9], have been recognized from 24 different genetic maps. Many characteristics of agronomic importance to cotton production have been mapped with these important genomic resources. In addition, a number of large-insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and herb transformation-competent binary large-insert plasmid clones (BIBAC) libraries have been constructed [10-13]. A large number of expressed sequence tags (ESTs), with a particular focus on fiber development, have been generated [14-16]. However, essential genomic tools are still in shortage, hindering further improvements in such areas as DNA marker development for fine-scale mapping of genes and QTLs, genome-wide mapping of fiber ESTs, and large-scale genome sequencing. Genome-wide integrated genetic and physical maps have provided powerful tools and infrastructure for advanced genomics research of human and other animal and herb model species. They are not only crucial for large-scale genome sequencing, but also provide powerful platforms required for many other aspects of genome research, including targeted marker development, efficient positional cloning, and high-throughput EST mapping [17]. Whole-genome physical maps have been constructed for Arabidopsis thaliana [18], rice [19], maize [20], and soybean [21]. However, no genome-wide physical map or chromosome contig map has been reported buy GBR 12783 dihydrochloride for any Gossypium species including Upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.). Genomics research of cotton has lagged behind that of other major crop plants such as maize, soybean, and Rabbit Polyclonal to Tau wheat. Upland cottons are thought to have created about 1C2 million years ago by hybridization between an “A” genome G. arboreum or G. herbaceum and a “D” genome G. raimondii [22] or G. gossypioides [23]. The haploid genome size of Upland cotton has been estimated to be about 2,250 Mb [24]. Because genomes of the extant diploid species are only distantly related buy GBR 12783 dihydrochloride to those of cultivated tetraploid cottons, and Upland cottons account for more than 90% of world production, the International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI)[25] has proposed that the cotton research community develop a genome-wide physical map of Upland cotton (At and Dt subgenomes) that is based on the genetic standard ‘TM-1’ (inbred Upland germplasm collection and one of the parents of the publically used mapping populace TM-1 3C79) to facilitate integrated genomics research of cotton. Allotetraploidy of Upland cotton presents a challenge in developing a strong integrated physical and genetic map and to specifically allocate contigs to their respective subgenomes. Chromosomes 12 and 26 have more genetic markers than the other pairs of chromosomes (Xu et al., unpublished) and were proved to be homoeologous chromosomes by genetic markers [5]. In this study, we test the feasibility of anchoring a wide diversity of existing genetic map data to a contig-based physical map and accurately assigning contigs to specific subgenomes and chromosomes. In doing so, all available genetically mapped cotton.