MAPPING IN PIG OF GENES INVOLVED IN SEXUAL-DIFFERENTIATION - AMH, WT1, FTZF1, SOX2, SOX9, AHC, AND PLACENTAL AND EMBRYONIC CYP19

Intersexuality has been reported in pigs and investigations are in pro gress to identify and physically map the genes involved in sex-reversa l. In this study we have mapped on porcine chromosomes seven genes whi ch might be implicated in this developmental pathway. Four genes were mapped by radioactive in situ hybridization: AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormo ne) and WT1 (Wilms' Tumor gene 1) were both mapped to pig chromosome 2 (SSC2) in the q14 --> q21 and p14 --> q11 regions, placental CYP19 (c ytochrome P450, subfamily XIX) and FTZF1 (fushi tarazu factor [Drosoph ila] homolog 1, alias SF1 [steroidogenic factor 1]) to pig chromosome 1 (SSC1) in the q14 --> q17 and q210 --> q211 regions respectively. Fo ur other genes were regionally located by PCR analysis on a cytogeneti cally characterized porcine somatic cell hybrid panel: a second CYP19 gene (expressed in embryo) was mapped to porcine 1q12 --> q17, AHC (al ias DAX1, adrenal hypoplasia congenital) to porcine Xp24, SOX2 and SOX 9 (SRY sex determining region Y-box 2 and 9) to 13q23 --> q41 and 12p1 3 --> p11 respectively. These results are in global agreement with map ping data available in other mammalian species.