title: Copy number variation of testis-specific protein, Y-encoded (TSPY) in 14 different breeds of cattle (Bos taurus).
abstract: Multi-copied gene families are prevalent in mammalian genomes, especially within the Y chromosome. Testis specific protein Y-encoded (TSPY) is present in variable copy number in many mammalian species. Previous studies have estimated that TSPY ranges from 50-200 copies in cattle. To examine TSPY localization on the Y chromosome we employed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and fiber-FISH. The results show a strong signal on the short arm of the Y chromosome (Yp). To investigate TSPY copy number we used relative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to analyze the DNA of 14 different cattle breeds. Variation both within and between breeds was observed. All breeds show significant variation in TSPY copy number among individual members. Brown Swiss (161 copies, CI = 133-195) had higher average levels of TSPY and Western Fjord Cattle (63 copies, CI = 45-86) had lower levels than some breeds. Overall, however, most breeds had a similar average TSPY copy number. The pooled average was 94 copies (CI = 88-100). The significance of the TSPY array remains uncertain, but as the function of TSPY is unraveled the purpose of the array may become clearer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Favetta
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Di Meo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Floriot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perucatti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peippo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kantanen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eggen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iannuzzi
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations / Q000235:genetics*; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins