A new centric fusion translocation in cattle: rob (13;19)

A new Robertsonian translocation has been found in cattle. A bull from Marc higiana breed (central Italy) was found to be a heterozygous carrier of a c entric fusion translocation involving cattle chromosomes 13 and 19 accordin g to RBA-banding and cattle standard nomenclatures. CBC-banding revealed th e dicentric nature of this new translocation, underlining the recent origin of this fusion. In fact, both the bull's parents and relatives had normal karyotypes. In vitro fertilization tests were also performed in the bull ca rrying the new translocation, in two bulls with normal karyotypes (control) and in four other bulls carrying four different translocations.