ZOO-FISH and R-banding reveal extensive conservation of human chromosome regions in euchromatic regions of river buffalo chromosomes

Commercially available human chromosome (HSA) painting probes were hybridiz ed on river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n = 50) chromosomes by using FISH an d R-banding techniques. Clear hybridization FITC-signals revealed extensive conservation of human chromosome regions in this species and demonstrated that human chromosome probes primarily paint euchromatic regions (R-bands). The present results are discussed in the light of previous gene mapping da ta obtained in river buffalo and ZOO-FISH data in cattle, and in relation t o the standard bovine chromosome nomenclatures. In particular, HSA 8, HSA 1 0, HSA 11, and HSA 16+7 paint, respectively, BBU Ip, BBU 4p, BBU 5p, and BB U 24, which are homoeologous, respectively, to cattle chromosomes 25, 28, 2 9 and 27. Thus, these river buffalo chromosome arms can serve as markers to resolve discrepancies in the nomenclature of cattle and related species.