Italian Journal of Animal Science (Apr 2010)

Chromosome fragility in Freemartin cattle

  • V. Barbieri,
  • L. Iannuzzi,
  • G. P. Di Meo,
  • G. Beneduce,
  • R. Buonerba,
  • S. Albarella,
  • V. Peretti,
  • F. Ciotola

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.1s.85
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 1s
pp. 85 – 87

Abstract

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The aim of the present study was to verify chromosome fragility in freemartin cattle using chromosome aberration (CA) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) tests. A total of eighteen co-twins were investigated. Fourteen animals were identified as cytogenetically chimeric (2n=60, XX/XY) while 4 were classified as normal. Freemartin cattle showed a higher percentage of aneuploid cells (18.64%) and highly significant statistical differences (P < 0.001) in mean values of gaps (4.53 ± 2.05), chromatid breaks (0.26 ± 0.51), and significant statistical differences (P < 0.005) in mean values of chromosome breaks (0.12 ± 0.43) when compared to 10 control animals from single births (aneuploid cells, 11.20%; gaps, 2.01 ± 1.42; chromatid breaks, 0.05 ± 0.22; chromosome breaks, 0.02 ± 0.14).

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