METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR GENOTYPING CATTLE FOR RED FACTOR

摘要

Provided are methods, and compositions for carrying out the methods, for determining whether a gene for the red factor, which provides red coat color, is present in the genome of a domesticated mammal, especially one of genus Bos (cattle). The methods can be applied with DNA obtained from gametes, zygotes, cells, embryos, fetuses or whole animals. The methods are based on the discovery that coat color genes in genus Bos are alleles of the gene for the melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor and the discovery of primers that permit amplification of the segment of that gene that includes the differences between alleles that provided black hair color and those that provide red hair color.