PARIS-- A physical map of the mouse genome has been constructed by an international consortium grouping several us, canadian and British universities and research institutes whose work was reported sunday in the magazine****Nature**** online,AFP reported.

Such a map is an essential guide for navigation allowing the location of any gene or other landmark in the chromosomal DNA, the article in nature said.

The map provides a framework on which researchers will now assemble the whole-genome shotgun sequence data, the article said.

"The human sequence may be used to facilitate construction of other mammalian genome maps using the same strategy," and "as an added benefit, the mouse map may now be used as a reference to close gaps in the map of the human genome," the team said.

When it is complete, the sequence of the mouse genome "will have a huge impact on biological research and human health," they went on.

The mouse is a key biological model used by researchers worldwide to determine how diseases occur and evolve in humans as the rodents can develop or be induced to develop a large number of human ailments.

The unravelling of the mouse's genetic material is an important stage in understanding the specificity of the human genome. the two mammals -- mice and men -- only recently diverged in the evolution of the species and possess up to 90 percent of identical genes.