• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1689-1693
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to develop a simplified, efficient, and accurate protocol for sexing goat embryos. Based on the amelogenin gene located on the conservation region of X- and Y- chromosomes, a pair of primers was utilized and the system of PCR was established to amplify a 262 bp fragment from the X- chromosome in female goats, and a 262 bp fragment from X- chromosome and 202 bp fragment from the Y- chromosome in male goats, respectively. The accuracy and specificity of the primers were assessed using DNA template extracted from goat whole blood sample of known sex. 100% (10/10) concordance was obtained by using the PCR assay. Fifty-one biopsied embryos were transferred into 25 recipient goats on the same day that the embryos were collected and sex of the kid was confirmed after parturition. Eighteen kids of predicted sex were born. The biopsied samples from 51 goat embryos were amplified with 100% efficiency and 94.7% accuracy. In conclusion, our results indicated that PCR sexing protocols based on the amelogenin gene is highly reliable and suitable for sex determination of goats.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2016

We developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular method for sexing and identification using sexual dimorphism between the Zinc Finger-X and -Y (ZFX-ZFY) gene and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome B (CYTB) gene in meat pieces and commercial sausages from animals of different origins. Sexual dimorphism based on the presence or absence of SINE-like sequence between ZFX and ZFY genes showed distinguishable band patterns between male and female DNA samples and were easily detected by PCR analyses. Male DNA had two PCR products appearing as distinct two bands (ZFX and ZFY), and female DNA had a single band (ZFX). Molecular identification was carried out using PCR-RFLP of CYTB gene, and showed clear species classification results. The results yielded identical information on the sexes and the species of the meat samples collected from providers without any records. The analyses for DNA isolated from commercial sausage showed that pig was the major source but several sausages originated from chicken and Atlantic cod. Applying this PCR-based molecular method was useful and yielded clear sex information and identified the species of various tissue samples originating from livestock.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.650-654
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• 2003

The accuracy of Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in sexing of sheep embryos was assessed in this study. A total of 174 ovine embryos produced in vitro at different stages of development (2, 4-8 cell stages, morula and blastocyst) were sexed. The universal primers (P1-5EZ and P2-3EZ) used in this assay amplified ZFY/ZFX-specific sequences and yielded a 445 bp fragment in both sexes. Restriction enzyme analysis of ZFY/ZFX-amplified fragments with Sac I exhibited polymorphism between sexes, three and two fragments in males and in females, respectively. For verification of accuracy, blood samples of known sex were utilized as positive controls in each test. The mean percentages of sex identification by this method at 2 cell, 4-8 cell, morula and blastocyst were $73.00{\pm}5.72$, $89.77{\pm}3.79$, $3.33{\pm}8.08$ and $79.6{\pm}9.09$, espectively with the over all male to female ratio of 1:0.87. It is concluded that the ZFY/ZFX based method is highly reliable for the sexing of sheep embryos.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.658-665
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• 2011

An wild boar species which has been known as an extinct species on Jeju Island, was recently observed in the surrounding areas of Mount Halla. Based on the molecular techniques, this study examines whether they are crossbred with domesticated pig breeds. Intraspecific genetic relationships with other wild boar populations and molecular sexing were examined as well. Total of four molecular markers on mitochondrial DNA(control region and ND2) and nuclear DNA(MC1R and KIT) were applied to test crossbreeding between with domesticated pig breeds, such as Landrace, Large White, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Duroc. All individuals of wild boar population had identical mtDNA control region(CR) sequences. In addition, the sequences were the same as those of some native pig breeds which are distributed in Northeast China, but different from those previously reported from the Korean Peninsula up to date. These results suggest that this population may have originated from a genetic lineage had been not previously studied and genetically related to Chinese native pig breeds. Molecular sexing results show that there are twice as many females as male. Thus the population is under expansion and its size will dynamically increase if not controlled.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.350-354
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• 2020

Many parrots are considered endangered species due to threats from human activities. Gender determination is of great importance for biological studies and the conservation of endangered parrots. However, like other birds, gender determination in parrots is hindered due to the lack of external dimorphism between males and females. A molecular approach using the chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein 1 (CHD1) gene is commonly used for sexing birds. This study aimed to determine the gender of parrots from Korean zoos based on amplification and visualization of the partial CHD1 gene. The samples of 13 parrot species were collected from three different zoos in Korea and the extracted DNA templates were amplified using CHD1 gene primers. The gender of 27 samples of 13 species was determined by visualizing the PCR products on an agarose gel. While male parrots were indicated by a single band, female parrots were indicated by double bands. The findings provide additional information, which might be helpful for the management and care of parrots in Korean zoos.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2008

Korean long-tailed goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus) is one of the most endangered species in South Korea. However, detailed species distribution and sex ratio data on the elusive goral are still lacking due to difficulty of identification of the species and sex in the field. The primary aim of this study was to develop an economical PCR-RFLP method to identify species using invasive or non-invasive samples from five Korean ungulates: goral (N. caudatus), roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), feral goat (Capra hircus), water deer (Hydropotes inermis) and musk deer (Moschus moschiferus). The secondary aim was to find more efficient molecular sexing techniques that may be applied to invasive or non-invasive samples of ungulate species. We successfully utilized PCR-RFLP of partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (376 bp) for species identification, and sex-specific amplification of ZFX/Y and AMELX/Y genes for sexing. Three species (goral, goat and water deer) showed distinctive band patterns by using three restriction enzymes (Xbal, Stul or Sspl). Three different sexing primer sets (LGL331/335 for ZFX/Y gene; SE47/48 or SE47/53 for AMELX/Y gene) produced sex-specific band patterns in goral, goat and roe deer. Our results suggest that the molecular analyses of non-invasive samples might provide us with potential tools for the further genetic and ecological study of Korean goral and related species.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.317-324
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• 2005

A method for sex determination of pigs was examined using polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Sex determining region Y(SRY) gene encoded on Y chromosome plays a key role for primary male development. Zinc finger X-Y(ZFX-ZFY) gene, one of the X-V homology gene group was found on the X and Y chromosomes, respectively, We tested for molecular sexing by amplification patterns of SRY and ZF genes. Genomic DNAs from various resources including porcine hairs and semen collected from domestic pig breeds and native pigs was used for PCR assay of each gene. The amplified products for porcine SRY gene were yielded only in males but not in females. On the other hand, two differential patterns were observed in amplification of ZF gene reflecting the chromosomal dimorphism by a length polymorphism between X and Y chromosomes. Of both, a common band was detected in all individuals tested so that this band might be amplified from ZFX gene as a PCR template, but another is specific for males indicated that from ZFY. The result of PCR assay provides identical information to that from investigation of phenotypic genders of the pigs tested. We suggest that this PCR strategy to determine porcine sexes using comparison of the amplification patterns of the SRY gene specific for Y chromosome and the dimorphic ZF gene between X and Y chromosomes may be a rapid and precise method for discrimination of two sexes and applied to DNA analysis of small samples such as embryonic blastomere, semen, and hairs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

This study was focused on discriminating the molecular sexes of red deer and elk by duplex polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using two primer sets. Sex differentiation of mammals is primarily dependent on the presence or absence of sex determining region Y(SRY) gene encoded on Y chromosome which plays a key role for male development. Zinc finger X-Y(ZFX-ZFY) gene, one of X-Y homology gene group was found on X- and Y- chromosomes, respectively. At first, the nucleotide sequences were characterized for the intron 9 flanking region of ZFX-ZFY genes. The intron 9 of ZFX and ZFY is 529-bp and 665-bp in length, respectively. A transposable element sequence similar to bovine SINE element Bov-tA was detected only in ZFY gene of Cervidae. Sexing analysis was conducted by duplex PCR assay for amplification of SRY and ZFX-ZFY genes. Two differentially amplified patterns were found: one for females has a common band amplified only from ZFX as a template, and another for males had three bands(a common ZFX and two male-specific ZFY and SRY). On the separate tests using each gene, the results was identical to those from duplex PCR assay. Moreover, the results from PCR assays provide also identical information to phenotypic investigation of individuals of red deer, elk as well as their hybridized progenies collected from two isolated farms. These results suggest that it may be a rapid and precise method for determining the sexes by duplex PCR amplification using Y-chromosome specific SRY and X- and Y- homologous ZFX-ZFY genes showing sexual dimorphism in red deer and elk without any other controls.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2024

This study aimed to find genetic markers for breed-independent identification of early- and late-feathering chickens. We explored the novel sequences of the ev21-K locus associated with late-feathering and investigated its characterization. Additionally, the genetic transmission pattern of the identified sequences were investigated to understand its potential application in auto-sexing lines. A total of 707 chickens from 5 chicken breeds were employed for the study. The ev21-K locus was identified through a comparative analysis of the ev21 gene and the K gene related to feather development. For analysis of identified loci, specific primers for the target sequences were prepared and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to obtain the products, and then their nucleotide sequences were analyzed. Crossbreeding tests of early-feathering and late-feathering chickens were conducted to examine the genetic transmission patterns of the identified sequences. The results showed that the identified 230 bp ev21-K locus, which named as ev21-related K specific sequences were 99% homology with the ev21 gene. PCR analysis confirmed its presence exclusively in late-feathering chickens. Comparative analyses across tissues, breeds, and ages demonstrated the sequences consistency in identifying late-feathering chickens. Genetic transmission patterns were investigated through crossbreeding tests, revealing sex-linked inheritance and consistent segregation with feathering phenotypes. The inheritance patterns of the ev21-related K specific sequences demonstrated that this locus follows the typical Mendelian inheritance pattern as a dominant gene. In conclusion, the novel sequences of ev21-K locus were a reliable molecular marker for identifying early- and late-feathering chickens across breeds.