MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF 60,XX PSEUDOHERMAPHRODITE POLLED GOATS FOR THE PRESENCE OF SRY AND ZFY GENES

The polled mutation is characterized by a recessive, incompletely pene trant, hermaphroditic effect associated with the dominant genetic fact or responsible for polledness in breeds of goat. The present study des cribes the external morphologoy, anatomy of the reproductive tract, hi stology, chromosomal constitution and Y chromosome screening of three intersex polled goats. The animals were tested for different Y-specifi c sequences, including SRY and ZFY. Using Southern blot and PCR amplif ication, no Y-derived sequences were detected in DNA from three 60,XX pseudohermaphrodite goats. This, therefore, excludes Y chromosome tran slocation and XX/XY chimaerism and mosaicism. This recessive mutation leading to sex reversal might be used to map and ultimately clone the autosomal genes implicated in the sex-determining pathway.