Progeny testing of heterozygote carriers of the Robertsonian translocation1/29 in Bovidae

In our recent population study, 220 daughters of a heterozygote carrier of the Robertsonian translocation 1/29 were analysed by screening of metaphase spreads and typing of microsatellite markers. The segregation between mark ers near the centromere of chromosomes 1 and 29 and the fusion were analyse d. The microsatellite markers were selected from the USDA, MARC cattle geno me map. Analyses were done on AGLA17, BM6438, TGLA49, EMS 1928, BM8139, INR A117, BMS574, BMS711 and BMS4015 of chromosome 1, and on BM4602, BMC2228 an d BMS1857 of chromosome 29. The two markers BMC2228 and BMS4018 in the link age group originating from the fusion were able to either recognise or excl ude 167 daughters out of 220 as carriers of the Robertsonian translocation 1/29. Fifty-three daughters showed double heterozygote markers like their f ather, and were therefore not informative. The use of conventional cytogene tics in combination with molecular studies has allowed a more precise evalu ation of the Robertsonian translocation than either approach alone might ha ve alone.