I. Gustavsson

Comparative analysis of the cattle and human genomes: detection of ZOO-FISH and gene mapping-based chromosomal homologies

Comparative chromosome painting with individual human chromosome-specific libraries (CSLs) on cattle metaphase chromosomes delineated 46 homologous chromosomal segments between the two species. Continuous arrangement of these segments on individual cattle chromosomes demonstrates a nearly complete coverage of the bovine karyotype and shows physical boundaries of bovine chromosomal segments homologous to individual human chromosomes. Alignment of the available comparative gene mapping data with the homologous segments strongly supports the detected gross homologies between the karyotypes of the two species. In addition to cattle, four human CSLs were hybridized to sheep metaphase chromosomes also, to further verify the known karyotype homology within the Bovidae. Besides its application to karyotype evolution research, the comparative knowledge provides for rapid expansion of the much needed Type I locus-based bovine gene map.

A comparative map of the porcine and human genomes demonstrates ZOO-FISH and gene mapping-based chromosomal homologies

ZOO-FISH with chromosome-specific DNA libraries (CSLs) from individual flow-sorted human chromosomes was applied on porcine metaphase chromosomes to establish segment homology between the pig and human karyotypes. Forty-seven porcine chromosomal segments corresponding to all human chromosomes except the Y were delineated, resulting in a nearly complete coverage of the porcine karyotype. The syntenic segments detected were further confirmed by the gene mapping information available in the two species. A map demarcating physical boundaries of human homologies on individual pig chromosomes is complemented with a detail survey of the physical and genetic linkage mapping data in the two species. The resultant map, thus, provides a comprehensive and updated comparative status of the human and porcine genomes.

Zoo-FISH delineates conserved chromosomal segments in horse and man

Human chromosome specific libraries (CSLs) were individually applied to equine metaphase chromosomes using the fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH) technique. All CSLs, except Y, showed painting signals on one or several horse chromosomes. In total 43 conserved chromosoma segments were painted. Homoeology could not, however, be detected for some segments of the equine genome. This is most likely related to the very weak signals displayed by some libraries, rather than to the absence of similarity with the human genome. In spite of divergence from the human genome, dated 70–80 million years ago, a fairly high degree of synteny conservation was observed. In seven cases, whole chromosome synteny was detected between the two species. The comparative painting results agreed completely with the limited gene mapping data available in horses, and also enabled us provisionally to assign one linkage group (U2) and one syntenic group (NP, MPI, IDH2) to specific equine chromosomes. Chromosomal assignments of three other syntenic groups are also proposed. The findings of this study will be of significant use in the expansion of the hitherto poorly developed equine gene map.

Assignment of the porcine calcium release channel gene, a candidate for the malignant hyperthermia locus, to the 6p11----q21 segment of chromosome 6.

Several studies point to the possibility that malignant hyperthermia (MH) in pigs is caused by a defect in the calcium release channel (CRC) of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The locus for MH is closely linked to the glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) locus, near the centromere of chromosome 6. We demonstrate synteny of the genes for CRC and GPI using somatic cell hybrid lines, and assign the CRC gene to chromosome 6p11----q21 by in situ hybridization.

The PiGMaP consortium cytogenetic map of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica)

llNRA, Laboratoire de Grnrtique Cellulaire, BP27, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France 2Department of Functional Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands 3Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden 4Division of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark 5Division of Animal Genetics, Department of Animal Science and Animal Health, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark 6Department of Clinical Genetics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany 7Laboratoire de Cytomrtrie, CEA, Fontenay-aux Roses, France

cDNA sequence and chromosome localization of pig {alpha}1,3 galactosyltransferase

Human serum contains natural antibodies (NAb), which can bind to endothelial cell surface antigens of other mammals. This is believed to be the major initiating event in the process of hyperacute rejection of pig to primate xenografts. Recent work has implicated galoctosyl α1,3 galactosyl β1,4 N-acetyl-glucosaminyl carbohydrate epitopes, on the surface of pig endothelial cells as a major target of human natural antibodies. This epitope is made by a specific galactosyltransferase (α1,3 GT) present in pigs but not in higher primates. We have now cloned and sequenced a full-length pig α1,3 GT cDNA. The predicted 371 amino acid protein sequence shares 85% and 76% identity with previously characterized cattle and mouse α1,3 GT protein sequences, respectively. By using fluorescence and isotopic in situ hybridization, the GGTA1 gene was mapped to the region q2.10–q2.11 of pig chromosome 1, providing further evidence of homology between the subterminal region of pig chromosome 1q and human chromosome 9q, which harbors the locus encoding the AB0 blood group system, as well as a human pseudogene homologous to the pig GGTA1 gene.

Simultaneous detection of X‐ and Y‐bearing bull spermatozoa by double colour fluorescence in situ hybridization

Double colour fluorescence in situ hybridization with sex chromosome probes was applied on sperm cells of five Swedish Holstein‐Friesian bulls. It was demonstrated that cosmids with strong fluorescence signals and scraped chromosomes can successfully be used as markers in this type of study. X and Y segregated as expected according to a 1:1 ratio, and there were no interindividual variations. There was a tendency for there to be more Y‐ than X‐bearing spermatozoa, but this bias was assumed to be due to the markers used. Disomic spermatozoa occurred with a frequency of more than 0.1 % (0.067% XX, 0.029% YY, and 0.029% XY), which is considerably lower than the frequency in humans. Diploid sperm cells occurred with a frequency of 0.05 %. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 53:407–412, 1999.

Precise localization of the genes for glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), calcium release channel (CRC), hormone-sensitive lipase (LIPE), and growth hormone (GH) in pigs, using nonradioactive in situ hybridization

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied, using genomic DNA clones, to precisely localize the genes for GPI, CRC, LIPE, and GH on pig chromosomes. The porcine CRC gene was localized to band 6q12 using both genomic and cDNA clones. The GPI and LIPE genes, which are closely linked to the CRC gene, were also mapped to the same band (6q12), using genomic lambda clones. The mapping data are a refinement of earlier findings, wherein radioactive in situ hybridization was used and the assignments included both the short and long arms. Results of the present study clearly exclude the short arm as the location for the three genes. Further, using a genomic cosmid clone, the GH gene was mapped to band 12p14. Compared to the earlier assignments, which included almost the entire short arm of the chromosome due to the use of radioactive in situ hybridization, the present FISH findings provide a band-specific localization for the gene. A modified, simpler version of the posthybridization trypsin/EDTA banding method is also presented.

FISH on metaphase and interphase chromosomes demonstrates the physical order of the genes for GPI, CRC, and LIPE in pigs.

The porcine genes for glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), calcium release channel (CRC), and hormone-sensitive lipase (LIPE) map to the long arm of chromosome 6. Earlier studies, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), mapped the three loci to the same band, viz., 6q12. To ascertain the relative order of the three genes, we first conducted three double-color FISH experiments, cohybridizing two of the probes at a time. These experiments demonstrated that the gene order was cen-GPI-CRC-LIPE. This order was confirmed by cohybridizing the three probes to both metaphase and interphase chromosomes.

60,XY/60,XX chimerism in the germ cell line of mature bulls born in heterosexual twinning.

According to present knowledge there is a germ cell chimerism (XY/XX) in young bulls born in heterosexual twinning due to exchange of primordial germ cells in embryonic life. These germ cells were believed to have been eliminated in the young bull. Two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) identification of the sex chromosomes by biotinylated and digoxygenin labeled probes have been used. The material consisted of three bulls born in heterosexual twinning. The results obtained indicated that even mature bulls (more than two years old) demonstrate spermatogonial chimerism. Several authors state that the bulls with blood cell chimerism, originating from dizygous twinning, are characterized by decreased fertility. Changes of the sex ratio of offspring due to proliferation of the female cells have also been proposed. The present observations should give a renewed interest in checking the possibility of survival and differentiation of germ cells from the female partner in the germ cell lines.