New, male-specific microsatellite markers from the human Y chromosome

Seven novel microsatellite markers have been developed from a new cosmid li brary constructed from how-sorted human Y chromosomes. These microsatellite s are tetranucleotide GATA repeats and are polymorphic among unrelated indi viduals. Five of the seven markers are male-specific, with no PCR product b eing generated from female DNA. One marker produces male-specific, polymorp hic PCR products but occasionally produces a much larger, invariant product from female DNA. The remaining marker is polymorphic in both males and fem ales with many shared alleles between the sexes. This report of six new, ma le-specific markers doubles the number of tetranucleotide markers that are currently available for the human Y chromosome. These new markers will be v aluable where nonrecombining, gender-specific DNA markers are desired, incl uding forensic investigations as well as studies of populations and their e volutionary histories. (C) 1999 Academic Press.