DETECTION OF A MALE-SPECIFIC SEQUENCE IN NONHUMAN-PRIMATES THROUGH USE OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Sex-specific DNA sequences are useful for detecting and monitoring chi merism in transplant recipients that had received sex-mismatched donor cells. Nonhuman primates are often used as experimental transplant mo dels because of their evolutionary proximity, and the similarity of th eir physical characteristics, to those of humans. Unfortunately, DNA-b ased molecular detection strategies to monitor engraftment in sex-mism atched transplants in monkeys and baboons have not been available. We describe development of a polymerase chain reaction-based assay to det ect a 174-bp male-specific sequence present in the rhesus monkey (Maca ca mulatta) and olive baboon (Papio cynocephalus). The assay is suffic iently sensitive to allow detection of 10 male cells against a backgro und of 10(4) female cells. Human sequence is not amplified under the d escribed assay conditions. The amplified DNA sequence is 82% homologou s to a sequence located near the testis-determining factor locus in th e human genome, suggesting a high degree of evolutionary conservation in this region.