Identification of chromosome fragility using 5’azacytidine in cattle lymphocytes

Abstract

Common fragile sites are regions of the eukaryotic chromosome with a tendency to show breaks or gaps when inductors such as 5’azacytidine are added to the lymphocyte culture media. Recently, chromosome fragile sites have been correlated with hereditary defects affecting humans and domestic animals (mental retardation syndrome, parakeratosis, baldy calf syndrome and low fertility). A spontaneous fragile site in the sexual chromosome X (FRA Xq 3.1) was observed in lymphocyte cultures of Uruguayan Holstein-Friesian cattle. In the present study, the chromosome fragility expression in lymphocyte cultures of Uruguayan Holstein-Friesian female cattle treated with 5’azacytidine was analized. A number of different fragility regions were scored considering autosomes and sexual X chromosomes.