CA2026926C - Y-chromosome specific polynucleotide probes for prenatal sexing - Google Patents

Abstract

Y-chromosome specific hybridization probes for prenatal sexing are provided capable of hybridizing only to Y-chromosome specific DNA sequences of bovine and other ruminants and are suitable for sexing embryos at or before the time of embryo transfer with essentially 100%
accuracy.

Description

~~2~~~~
PATENT APPLICATION of For Y-Chromosome Specific Polynucleotide Probes For Prenatal Sexing Field of the Invention The present invention relates to determination of genetic sex of mammals, more particularly to ruminant sex determinatian using Y-specific polynucleotide probes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The ability to determine the sex of an embryo soon after fertilization would provide numerous advantages in the live-stock and dairy industries as well as in veterinary medicine.
In the dairy and beef cattle industry advances in embryo trans-fer has resulted in a great demand for a method of quickly determining the sex of embryos and cells taken from embryos at early stages of development. The commercial efficiency of livestock and dairy operations would be greatly improved by allowing gestation to be established with embryos of the desired sex. Given the advantage to the dairy industry of a preponderance of female progeny, it would be advantageous if the sex of embryos could be routinely determined prior to embryo transplant into a maternal host. The advantages of sexed embryos are numerous including the selection of replacement of stock based ~~1~~~~

on desired characteristics, such as size, weight. increased milk production. etc. In addition, certain diseases. such as X-chromo-some-linked diseases in humans and similar diseases in other mammals, affect individuals of only one sex, Early determina-tion of the sex of an embryo which, if carried to term, would likely be an individual with such a disease would be particularly advantageous and provide valuable information on which to base a decision to allow further development.
Efficient determination of the sex of a conceptus in vivo is also of significant economic importance, and would have important commercial applications. In the dairy and livestock industries, in pregnancies which arise via artificial insemination or natural mating, early determination of the sex of an embryo or fetus would allow for termination of the pregnancy if an embryo or fetus of the desired sex was not obtained.
In situations where, for health or economic reasons. a determination of the sex of an embryo or fetus is indicated, it is important to determine the sex as soon as possible after fer-tilization. There is a substantial increase in risk to the life and health of a female if abortion is induced late in gestation.
Wfth livestock, it is commercially inefficient, both because of reduced reproductive efficiency and dangers to the life and health of the female, to carry an embryo longer than necessary.
With advances in reproductive biology, it would be feasible to avoid all risks and costs associated with pregnancy and abor-tion if it were possible to determine the sex of an embryo, whether produced in vivo or in vitro prior to or at the time of transfer, and also to determine as early as possible with cer-tainty the sex of an embryo or fetus in vivo.
The sex of a mammal is determined by the presence or absence of the entire Y-chromosome or some functional portion thereof. Genes present on the Y-chromosome govern formation and the development of the male phenotype. The sex of an individual mammal is therefore dependent upon whether or not its genome contains particular DNA sequences, especially those sequences comprising that part of the Y-chromosome which encode genes responsible for sex determination.
The sex or presumptive sex of a mammal can therefore be determined by analysis for Y-specific genes in the DNA of the individual mammal. Alternatively, sex can be determined by unrelated but genetically linked sequences which are associated specifically with the Y-chromosome, preferably on sequences linked closely to the male-determining genes to reduce possible errors in analysis due to genetic recombination.
Prior to the present invention a number of investigators have identified DNA sequences which hybridize preferentially or exclusively to male DNA. See Kunkel et al., Science 191, 1189-1190 (1976); Bishop et al., Nature 303. 831 (1983);
vergnaud et al., Brit. Med. J. 289. 73-76 (1984); Lau et al., The Lancet, Jan. 7, 1984, pp 14-16; Golden et al., The Lancet, ~~~~~2~
Dec. 25, 1982, pp 1416-1919; Bostick et al., Nature 272, 324 (1978). These DNA sequences have not been functionally char-acterized, and it is unknown whether these sequences are capable of hybridization to non-human species.
The isolation of sperm separated according to the sex chromosome they contain, and using these sperm to fertilize ova is one method currently used to control embryo-sex. Such sperm isolation methods are significantly limited due to the diffi-culty of obtaining preparations of sperm in which more than 99~
of the sperm carry the sex chromosome of only one of the sexes.
At present, known techniques for separating sperm according to sex are not practical for obtaining mixtures of sperm with more than about 75~ harboring the same sex chromosome. Therefore determining sex by segregating sperm is limited by economic and commercial considerations.
Karyotyping fetal cells obtained after several weeks ges-tation by amniocentesis, chorion biopsy, and other procedures is another known method of determining sex. Such procedures are limited, however. in commercial application due to the expense, risk of infection, and time required to carry out this type of analysis.
Other prior art attempts to deal with this problem have been indirect and incomplete. U.S. Patent No. 4,769,319 issued to Ellis et al. discloses male specific nucleic acid hybridi-ration probes which have sequences complementary to sequences of ~9~~~~~~
segments in bovine male specific DNA. These nucleic acid sequences are stated to be useful as hybridization probes for sexing embryos and fetuses. Australian Patent Application No.
59561/86 discloses bovine DNA probes which hybridize prefer-entially to male DNA, and are also stated to be useful in sexing embryos and fetuses. These DNA sequences are indicated to be species specific. International Patent Application No.
PCT/AU87/00254, discloses a 307 base pair nucleic acid sequence designated BRY.1 comprising Y-specific DNA which is capable of hybridizing with male bovine and ovine derived DNA but not with DNA isolated from female animals. PCT Application No.PCT/AU
89/0029 discloses nucleic acid isolates capable of hybridizing to Y-specific DNA sequences of ruminants.
Moreover, there is nothing in the prior art to indicate that any like DNA segments exist which could be used to provide the basis of a polynucleotide probe to sex by nucleic acid hybridi-zation. with as few as 2 cells, with virtually 100% accuracy, in an extremely short time period, a mammalian embryo at a morula or blastocyst stage, at or before transfer of the embryo for further development.
SiJMMARY OF THE INVEWTIOid The present invention arises from the discovery of segments of Y-chromosome specific DNA sequences, designated SEQ ID N0:1;
BtYl and SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 and corresponding RNA sequences that make possible the rapid, virtually 100% accurate sexing of bovine embryos by nucleic acid hybridization with an amount of DNA
equal to the amount obtained from 2 or fewer embryonic cells.
The sequences are repeated to varying degrees, with a repeat number differing between unrelated species, and are stably inherited. Furthermore, with the nucleic acid probes of this invention embryos may be sexed in less than one day at an early stage, at or before the time embryo transfer is carried out.
With the present invention, the benefits of early and essen-tially certain sexing of bovine embryos can be achieved.
The present invention accomplishes this by providing sensi-tive Y-chromosome probes, designated SEQ ID N0:1: BtYl and SEQ ID
N0:3; BtY2, making possible the rapid, reliable, and economical sexing of cells obtained from an embryo. Probes of the present invention, which are sufficiently sensitive to sex a ruminant/
bovine with DNA from as few as 2 of its cells, can also be used to sex fetuses and embryos. While sexing of fetuses by nucleic acid hybridization or karyotyping is essentially 100 accurate, it occurs after several weeks of gestation and involves significant risks to the fetus and mother. Thus, these known procedures for sexing fetuses have significant disadvantages compared with early embryo sexing made possible by the present invention.
The polynucleotide probes of the present invention were described through their association with male bovine DNA. Cer-tain of these sequences are more efficacious than the prior art for determining the genetic sex of ruminants due to their prefer-ential binding to male, in comparison to female, DNA of species of the genus Bos (bovine). Their superiority also results because they exist in higher copy number, axe present in multiple copies in males but not in females, and show stronger sequence similar-ity between individual elements than have been sequenced.
In addition, the present invention encompasses methods for applying such DNA sequences in determining the sex of ruminant/
bovine and isolating, from male DNA of such species, nucleic acid sequences which hybridize to significantly greater extent with the nucleic acids of the male rather than the female of the species. Such sequences provide for nucleic acid hybridization probes for sexing embryos and cells.
Definitions and Abreviations DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid RNA - ribonucleic acid A-adenine T-thymine , G-guanine C-cytosine U-uracil Polynucleotide - single or double-stranded DNA or RNA
EDTA Ethylenediamine tetra acetate Tris Tris (hydroxymethyl) amino methane ~v~~~2~
rpm rotations per minute mPi millimolar, Molar mm millimetre O.D. Optical density measured at X nanometers DEAE Diethyl amino ethane TE 10 mM Tris HC1 pH 8.0 1 mM EDTA
DTT Dithiathreitol M9 minimal plates, see Maniatis et. al. (1982) Molecular Cloning, A Lab Manual for formula LB Luria Bertani broth ATP Adenosine triphosphate amp ampicillin cased at 150 mg/ml SSPE See Maniatis et. al.
Denhardts (100 X formula in Maniatis et. al) SDS Sodium dodecyl sulphate DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION
The present invention includes nucleic acids which are use-ful as hybridization probes for prenatally sexing mammals; the probes may be labeled sa as to be detectable in a hybridiza-tion methodology or utilized in unlabeled form; methods of isolating and identifying such nucleic acids and probes; and procedures for using the probes in prenatal sexing of mammals axe also disclosed.
The nucleic acid sequences of this invention can be single-stranded or double stranded DNA or RNA, or hybrids between DNA

and RNA. The sequences may be labeled or unlabeled. The sequence of the labeled nucleic acid is the sequence the nucleic acid would have if each labeled nucleotide in the sequence were replaced with the corresponding unlabeled nucleotide. For example, if a DNA is labeled with a non-radioactive marker such as biotin on the 5-position of deoxyuridylate residues, the sequence of the labeled DNA is the same as that of the DNA where all of the biotin labeled deoxyuridylates are replaced with thymidylates. The sequences of a DNA and a RNA are the same if every deoxyribonucleotide, except thymidylate in the DNA is replaced with the corresponding ribonucleotide in the RNA and every thymidylate in the DNA is substituted in the RNA by uridylate.
The preferred nucleie acid probes, according to the inven-tion. hybridize to a significantly greater extent with total male DNA than total female DNA of a bovine species, when hybridi-zations are carried out under similar conditions. The probes of this invention will not hybridize detectably to total female bovine DNA in an hybridization under stringent conditions over a hybridization period during which detectable hybridizations with total male bovine DNA occur.
Preferably the nucleic acid probes, according to the inven-tion, are hybridized under stringent conditions with chromosomal DNA derived from cells of an embryo of the species being tested.
The probes correspond to all or part of a DNA sequence found on to the Y-chromosome of at least one of bovine, ovine, and caprine animals.
The fundamental feature of the nucleic acids of the in~ren-tion, both unlabeled and labeled, is that, when in single stranded form, they hybridize with a probability greater than 0.99 preferentially with total male DNA rather than total female DNA of a bovine species under substantially the same hybridiza-tion conditions.
In particular, there are provided and defined two nueleic acid isolates from male bovine that are capable of hybridizing only to sequences of nucleic acid from bovine which contain the Y-chromosomal DNA sequences. The nucleic acid isolates corres-pond to DNA sequences comprising part of tine Y-chromosomal DNA
of bovine mammals, and are referred to as SEQ TD N0:1; BtYl and SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2, respectively.
It is well known in the nucleic acid hybridization probe art that nucleic acids with different sequences may, under the same conditions, hybridize detestably to the same °°target°° nucleic acid. Two nucleic acids hybridize detestably, under stringent conditions over a sufficiently long hybridization period because one comprises a segment of at least about 12 nucleotides in a sequence complementary or nearly complementary to the sequence of at least one segment of the target nucleic acid, The physical basis for hybridization is base-pairing between these comple-mentary or nearly complementary segments. If the time during which hybridization is allowed to occur is held constant, at a value which, under stringent conditions, two nucleic acids with exactly complementary base-pairing segments hybridize detectably to each other, increasing departures from exact complementarity can be made into the base-pairing segments, but sufficient base pairing will still occur to an extent to make hybridization detectable, as the base-pairing segments of two nucleic acids becomes larger and as the conditions of the hybridization become less stringent. Moreover, segments outside of the probing seg-meat of a probe nucleic acid may be altered significantly in sequence without substantially diminishing the extent of hybrid-ization between the probe and its target so long as the altera-tion does not introduce a probing segment complementary or nearly complementary to a target segment in a different target present in samples to be probed. If segments outside the probing seg-ment are changed substantially in length. the rate of hybridi-zation may also be altered. 'the term "substantially the same sequence" is used within the meaning of the present specifica-tion to mean that two single stranded nucleic acid segments (a) both form a base-paired duplex with the same segment, and (b) the melting temperatures of said two duplexes in a solution of 0.5 x SSPE differ by less than 10 degrees Celsius. mwo double-stranded nucleic acid segments have "substantially the same sequence" if either strand of one of the segments has "substantially the same sequence" as one of the strands of the other segment. Any labeling method known in the art would be suitable in the practice of the present invention.
Application of a nucleic acid as a hybridization probe in accordance to the invention may be made by the labeling of the probe in order to facilitate detection. Preferably the nucleic acids of the invention are detestably labeled with a non-radioactive label such as biotin. Other non-radioactive labels such as bromodeoxyuridine may also be used.
Radioactive isotopes may also be used for labeling the nucleic acid probes of this invention. Preferably the probes are labeled with 32P. However. other radioactive labels may also be conveniently employed such as 3H, 14C. 35S, or 125I.
Labeling may be easily accomplished by nick-translating a sample of the DNA for example, in the presence of one or more deoxy-nueleoside-5-triphosphates which are labeled with the isotope.
An alternative to the use of non-radioactive or radio-active labels is the chemical labeling of the nucleic acid of this invention. Fox example. conventional nick-translation of the nucleic acid in the presence of deoxyuridylate biotinylated at the 5-position of the uracil moiety to replace thymidylate resi-dues is suitable. The resulting labeled probe will include the biotinylated uridylate in place of thymidylate residuals. The resulting labeled probe will include biotinylated uridylate in ~3 place of thymidylate residues and is detectable via the biotin moieties by any of a number of commercially available detection systems utilizing the binding of streptavidin to the biotin.
See. for example, Singer and Ward, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
79, 7331-7335 (1982). Detection systems are commercially avail-able from, e.g., Bethesda Research Laboratories, Inc., Gaithers-burg, MD., U.S.A. and Enzo Biochemicals, Inc., New York, NY, U.S.A.
The present invention also includes any contiguous portion of 12 or more nucleotides or any and all of the sequences illustrated in SEQ ID NOS: 1-4. Such nucleic acids may be used as hybridization probes to detect any of the illustrated sequences or similar sequences in bovine and non-bovine species.
Such nucleic acid sequences may also be constructed syntheti-cally using commercially available DNA synthesizers, such as the Applied Biosystems 380A DNA Synthesizer, obtained from Applied Biosystems, Inc., Foster City, CA, U.S.A. Such nucleic acid probes which comprise less than about 12 nucleotides have limited usefulness as hybridization probes. Therefore the preferred probes, according to the invention, are those nucleic acid isolates comprising any contiguous portion of 12 or more nucleotides of any and all of the sequences described herein.
Various embodiments include the use of recombinant DNA molecules constructed from all or part of the shown sequences and include a vector capable of propagation in host prokaryotic or eukarylotic cells for the purpose of cloning, amplification and/or express-14 ~~~~~~6 ion of the claimed sequences. Any number of a wide range of vector molecules may be used depending on the intended use of the nucleic acid. Examples of such vectors include molecules such as pT218u or pTZl9u, and Bluescript (Stratagene), however, vector molecules include both eukaryotic and prokaryotic vectors, plasmids, phagemids, shuttle vectors, bacteriophage, and the like.
RNA corresponding to all or part of the sequences as described may be produced using any method well known in the art including but not limited to in vitro transcription systems, utilizing for example, the RNA polymerases of bacteriophage.
Numerous commercially available polymerases are suitable such as T3, T7 or SP6. See Melton, et al. Nuc. Acid. Res., 12, 7035-7056 (1984), and Taylor, et al. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 442, 324-330. Therefore, in various embodiments, the nucleic acid isolates of the invention include both DNA and RNA seq -uences which preferentially hybridize to Y-chromosome-specific DNA and RNA sequences and hence are useful in the determina-tion of the genetic sex of a mammal. , SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl is a 1.859 kb Pst I fragment cloned from bovine DNA. The restriction fragment SEQ ID NO:le BtYI was sub-cloned and subsequently shown by hybridization to Southern blots of genomic DNA from individual male and female mammals to be generally conserved, male-specific, arid repeated in bovines and other ruminants. SEQ ID N0:2 shows double-stranded RNA corresponding to the DNA sequence of SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl where ''~~~~~~
is thymidine of the corresponding DNA in SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl is replaced by uracil.
SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 is a 3.71 kb SacI fragment cloned bovine DNA. The SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl fragment was used to isolate SEQ ID
N0:3; BtY2 and is contained within the SEQ ID N0:3 BtY2 fragment.
The SacI restriction fragment of SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 was sub-cloned and subsequently shown by hybridization to Southern blots of genomic DNA from individual male and female mammals to be generally conserved. SEQ ID N0:9 shows double-stranded RNA
corresponding to the DNA sequence of SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 where thymidine of the corresponding DNA in SEQ ID N0:3 BtY2 is replaced by uracil, and repeated in bovines.
The terms SEQ ID N0:1 BtYl and SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 refer to.
where provided, the specific sequences set forth in SEQ ID
NOS:1 and 3. These terms also include closed circularized and linearized SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl and SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 and variants where nucleotides have been substituted, added to, or deleted from. the relevant sequences shown, so long as the variants hybridize with all or part of any of the sequences SEQ ID
NOS:1-4. Such variants may be naturally occurring allelic and/or eis variants which may arise within a population of individuals by virtue of insertions, deletions, or point muta-tions of DNA sequences, by recombination or by rearrangement.
Alternatively, such variants may be artificially produced, for example, by deletion of fragments of DNA by exonuclease, by site-directed mutagenesis, or by the addition of DNA sequences by ligating portions of DNA together, or template-independent or template-dependent DNA polymerase.
Making and using the nucleic acids of the invention axe described in detail in the following examples.
The nucleic acid isolates, according to the preferred embodiment, are used as hybridization probes to detect Y-chromosome specific DNA and RNA sequences and therefore the sex of, for example, embryo or fetal cells of bovine or other ruminants. In a related application. the nucleic acid probes of this invention may be used to detect variations in amounts and/or variations in sequence of corresponding sequences in individual mammals. Such applications are useful in, for example. paternity testing of male offspring. Various types of cells may be analyzed using the nucleic acid isolates and methods described herein, a useful example being their applica-tion to fractionated sperm where various fractions may be tested for sperm bearing a Y-chromosome using the nucleic acid isolates of the present invention.
In a preferred method of determining the sex of an embryo, fetus. or the sex chromosome content of sperm or other cells using the nucleic acid probes of the invention, a sample of cells is removed for assay. DNA and/or RNA may be extracted therefrom using known methods. See Maniatis, et al. (1980 Molecular 1~ ~~~~~2~
Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The isolated DNA and/or RNA may then be applied and fixed directly to a membrane such as nitrocellulose, or a derivative thereof.
Alternatively, the DNA and/or RNA may be electrophoresed through a gel matrix and then transferred and fixed to a similar mem-brine.
The nucleic acids so bound to the membrane are then hybrid-ized with any or all of the nucleic acid isolates of the inven-tion which are labeled with a detectable marker as previously described. The labeled nucleic acid isolate which binds to nucleic acid on the membrane is detected by conventional tech-niques well known in the art, for example. by autoradiography.
If the labeled isolate hybridizes to similar sequences in the target sample, sex can be conclusively designated as male.
Using this method, amplified target DNA may be used. See Saiki, et al., Science 230. 1350-1354 (1986), and Saiki, et al., Nature 324, 163-166 (1986).
An alternative method using the nucleic acid probes of the invention utilizes nucleic acids which are not extracted from the sample of cells removed for assay. Such cells are heated in alkaline solution and the resultant solution is filtered onto a charge-modified nylon membrane such as a Zeta-Probe membrane (trademark of Bio-Rad). DNA fixed to the membrane is hybrid-ized with nucleic acid isolates) of the invention as described in the method described above.

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Another method, according to an embodiment of the inven-Lion, is useful for the determination of the sex chromosome constitution of a tissue or cell sample comprising, isolating DNA from the tissue or cell sample, immobilizing the isolated DNA onto a support matrix, hybridizing the immobilized DNA with a nucleic acid isolate of this invention, washing the unbound nucleic acid isolate from the support matrix, and then detecting the binding of the nucleic acid isolate to the bound DNA by con-ventional methods. If determining the Y-chromosome presence or absence in interphase or metaphase chromosome, or in fixed cells, a preferred methodology comprises hybridizing chromosome spreads of such cells with the Y-chromosome specific nucleic acid isolates of the invention under conditions enabling the nucleic acid isolate to bind to complementary DNA sequences.
Unbound nucleic acid is washed away, and detecting binding of the nucleic acid isolates using conventional techniques of in situ hybridization, such as those described in Saiki, et al., Science 230. 324, 163-166 (1986), may be applied.
Conventional methods useful for amplifying the levels of target DNA may also be utilized in combination with the nucleic acid probes of the invention. For example, DNA isolated from the tissue or cell sample is denatured to separate the respec-tive coding and non-coding strands, annealing the denatured DNA
with a synthetic polynucleotide corresponding to 12 or more 19 ~~~'i~~~~
nucleotides from any of the nucleic acid probe sequences of the invention. incubating the annealed DNA with DNA polymerase to to extend the polynucleotide through the sequences, and repeat-ing this sequence as many times as desired to amplify levels of target DNA. Subsequent detection of the target DNA i,n the amplified sample may be made by any number of conventional methods well known in the art. For example, immobilizing the DNA onto a support matrix, hybridizing the immobilized DNA with a nucleic acid of the invention under conditions permitting the labeled nucleic acid probe to bind to complementary sequences, washing unbound probe from the support matrix, and then detect-ing binding of the nucleic acid probe to the bound DNA.
Alternatively, if labeled nucleotide precursors are used in the incubation with the DNA polymerase, the sample may be frac-tionated by electrophoresis in a gel matrix with subsequent detection of the labeled target DNA sequences. Hybridizations are carried out under standard conditions well known in the art. See Maniatis et al., (1982), Molecular Cloning, A Labora-tory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Amplification of target DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) prior to hybridization with the nucleic acid probes of the invention is another method useful in determining the sex of an embryo. fetus, or the like. Polynucleotide primers from a target sequence are used to amplify the DNA sequence occurring between the primer sequence of the target DNA. The amplified target sequences may be detected following their fixation to a membrane and analyzed using conventional hybridization techniques as previously described. The amplified target sequences may also be visualized using electrophoresis where the sequence is immobil-ized and stained in the gel matrix using standard stains such as silver reagent or ethidium bromide and subsequent visualization under ultraviolet light.
The nucleic acid isolates of the invention may be further used to comprise or form part of a kit for detecting the presence or absence of Y-chromosome specific sequences in a wide variety of tissue or cell samples. The nucleic acid isolates may be labeled with a wide variety of labels including radioactive or non-radioactive markers. The kits may also com-prise a well known number of suitable components including but not limited to buffers for diluting reagents. labeled compounds, solid support for assays, and the like.
EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLES
Preparation of Genomic DNA
Blood samples (FML) were collected by accepted veterinary procedures in sterile containers (Vacutainer Becton-Dickinson) containing 0.07 ml of 15% potassium EDTA and transferred into sterile 50 ml culture tubes. Red blood cells were lysed by the addition of 35 ml of 17 mM Tris HC1. pH 7.65, 140 mM ammonium chloride solution (prewarmed to 37 deg.C) and incubated at 37 deg.C for 10 minutes. Samples were centrifuged at 2,000 rpm in the swinging bucket rotor of an IEC Centra-8R centrifuge at 4 deg.C for 10 minutes. The pellet. consisting mainly of nuc-leated white cells. was resuspended in saline (0.85% NaCl in sterile H20) and spun as above. Saline supernatant was removed and the pellet was resuspended in 2 ml of 100 mM Tris HC1, pH 8Ø 40 mM sodium EDTA. An equal volume of lysis mixture (100 mM Tris HC1. pH 8.0, 40 mM EDTA and 0.2% SDS) was added and the sample was chilled overnight at 4 deg.C. Four ml of 10 mM
Tris HC1. pH 8Ø to which Proteinase K (Boehringer Mannheim) was added to a concentration of 1 mg per ml was added to the lysed cell suspension and incubated at 65 deg.C for 2 hours with inter-mittent mixing. Standard phenol chloroform isoamyl alcohol (PCI) extraction was performed as follows: Redistilled phenol (BRL) was saturated with Tris HC1, pH 8Ø until the pH of the phenol was raised above pH 7.5. Hydroxyquinoline was added to 0.1%.
Phenol was added to an equal volume of chloroform; isoamyl alcohol (24:1). The mixture (PCI) was added, in equal volume, to the sample to be extracted: Genomic DNA: PCI mixtures were mixed by slow rotation (50 rpm on a commercial rotating device) for 20 minutes. All other DNA's were mixed with PCI by vigorous vortexing. Samples were spun at 10.000 rpm in a HB4 rotor of a Sorvall centrifuge for 10-20 minutes at room temperature.
The upper. aqueous phase containing DNA was removed with a wide-bore pipette and reextracted sequentially as above until no interphase was detectable between the aqueous DNA phase and the organic PCI phase. DNA was precipitated by the addition of 1/lOth volume of 3M sodium acetate (pH 7.0) and 2-2.5 volumes 95% ethanol. Genomic DNA was pelleted by centrifugation at 5,000 rpm in an HB4 rotor at 4 deg. (all other DNA's were pelleted at 10,000 rpm). Ethanol was removed and the DNA was redissolved in 1 ml sterile H20 and reprecipitated as above.
These pellets were washed two times with 70% ethanol, dried in vacuo and dissolved in sterile H20. DNA concentration was determined by measuring the O.D. 260 in a spectrophotometer.
Genomic DNA was stored at 4 deg.C until use (all other DNA's were stored frozen -20 deg.C).
Genomic DNA (50-100 ug) was digested with a four-fold excess (i.e. 4U enzyme/ug DNA) of either PstI or SacI restric-tion endonucleases (New England Biolabs), in buffers supplied by the manufacturer, for 4 hours at 37 deg.C. Disgested DNA
was purified by standard PCI extraction and ethanol precipita-tion. DNA was dissolved in sterile H20 at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml.
Electrophoresis Genomic DNA was electrophoresed in agarose gels (0.8-1.2%
agarose, Bio Rad Molecular biology-grade) using the Bio Rad Horizontal DNA Sub Cell. Tank buffers were 40 mM Tris acetate pH 8.0, 2 mM EDTA and 0.5 ug/ml ethidium biomide. DNA was visualized by UV transillumination. Size-cuts of digested genomic DNA were isolated using commercially available molecular weight markers as a guide. Slits across the gel lane were intro-duced. into which DEAE cellulose paper (NA45, Schleicher and Schuell) was placed. Electrophoresis was continued until all the fluorescence had absorbed to the paper. By sticking paper strips at intervals up the gel lane, discreet size fractions were isolated. A similar method was used to isolate DNA frag-ments from digested clones. The paper strips were washed 2x by vortexing in T.E. DNA was eluted by heating strips in TE
supplemented to 1M with respect to NaCl and heating for 20 minutes at 65 deg.C. The buffer, containing the DNA of interest, was PCI
extracted by standard procedures and ethanol precipitated. DNA
was redissolved in sterile H20 and stored at -20 deg.C until use.
Preparation of Vector DNA
Plasmid DNA's were prepared by standard procedures using alkaline lysis and cesium chloride gradient centrifugation (see Maniatis). All fragments were subcloned into either Bluescript~+
KS or Bluescript~ + SK vectors (Stratagene). Vector DNA (5 ug) was digested with a four-fold excess (20 units) of appropriate restriction endonuclease. DNA was PCI extracted by standard procedures and precipitated with ethanol. DNA was resuspended in 200 ul 10 mM Tris, pH 8.3, 5 mM MgCl and 0.1 mM ZnCl2 heated to 75 deg. C and quick cooled on ice. Calf intestinal alka line phophatase (CIAP-Boehringer Mannheim-molecular biology grade) f 24 C ~?
was added at 0.5 U/ug of DNA and incubated at 42 deg.C for 30 min-utes, 55 deg.C for 30 minutes and heated to 75 deg.C .for 10 min-utes before cooling on ice. An additional 2U of phosphatase was added and incubated as above. SDS was added to 0.1~ and the mixture was extracted repeatedly with PCI, by standard procedures, and ethanol precipitated. DNA was dissolved at a concentration of 0.5 ug/ul in sterile H20, heated to 75 deg.C for 15 minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature before storage at -20 deg.C prior to use.
Lidation of Inserts to Vector DNA
Recombinant DNA molecules were prepared as follows. Vector and insert DNA were mixed at a 3:1 molar ratio. For a ZO ul ligation reaction, 2 ul of a solution containing 25 mM Tris HC1 (pH 7.6), 50 mM MgCl2, 5 mM DTT and 259 polyethylene glycol 8000 was added. One microlitre each of 10 mM ATP and T4 DNA
ligase (6-10 units) were added, the total volume was adjusted to 10 ul with sterile H20 and the mixture was incubated at 12 deg.C for a minimum of 8 hours. Ligation of blunt ended mole-rules (typically for subcloning fragments) was performed using 1/lOth the above concentration of ATP. double the amount of T4 DNA ligase and incubation at room temperature overnigh~. TE
(90 ul) was added to ligation reactions, which were then purified by standard PCI extraction and ethanol precipitation. DNA was dissolved in 10-20 ul sterile H20 and stored at 4 deg.C until its use for transformation of competent cells.

Preparation of Competent Bacterial Cells and DNA Transformation Single colonies of Escherichia coli (strain JM 109) grown on M9 plates were inoculated into LB broth and grown overnight with shaking at 37 deg. C. Overnight cultures were diluted 1:100 with fresh LB broth. Cells were grown at 37 deg.C with vigorous agitation to an O.D. 600 of 0.5. Cells were chilled on ice 10 minutes and centrifuged at 4,000 x g for 10 minutes at 4 deg.C.
The supernatant was aspirated off and cells were resuspended in the original volume with water followed by centrifugation as above. The process was again repeated with one half the original volume of H20. Cells were then resuspended in 1/50th the original volume of 10% glycerol and spun, as described above.
Cells were resuspended in 1/500th the original volume of 10%
glycerol (greater than 5x1010 cells/ml) and either used directly for transformation with cloned genomic DNA or frozen for further subcloning of cloned DNA fragments. Transformation of bacterial cells with bovine genomic DNA/vector constructs was performed by high voltage electroporation using a Gene Pulser~apparatus (Bio Rad). DNA (up to 500 ng in a volume of 2 ul or less was mixed with 40 ul competent cells on ice for 1 minute, added to a pre-chilled (4 deg.C) electroporation cuvette and pulsed according to manu-facturers settings. Immediately after pulsing, 1 ml SOC medium, pre-warmed to 37 deg.C, was added to cells which were transferred to 15 mi polypropylene culture tubes and shaken at 37 deg.C for 1 hour. Cells were pelleted at 4,000 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature, resuspended in 1 ml of LB amp and grown for 1 hour (approximately 3 cell doubling times), mixed with 0.4 ml of 100%
glycerol, frozen in a dry ice ethanol bath and stored at -70 deg.C.
Aliquots were then filtered for accurate CFU determination before plating for colonly hybridization.
Colony Hybridization Transformed bacteria (3,000-5,000 cfu) were suspended in 2 ml of LB amp which was plated on LB amp plates (185 mm) and incubated at 37 deg.C until colonies were 0.5-1.5 mm in diameter.
Plates were chilled at 4 deg.C for one hour prior to being over-lain with 182 mM Nylon Filters (Hybond N+ Amersham). Needle pricks were used to mark alignment of plates and filters. Filters were placed of 1.5M NaCl and 0.5M NaOH soaked filter paper for 7 minutes to denature bacterial DNA and transferred to filter paper soaked in 1.5M NaCl, 0.5M Tri~s HC1 (pH 7.2) and 1 mM EDTA
for 3 minutes. The final step was repeated one time, after which filters Were rinsed briefly in 2 x SSPE and dried at 80 deg.C for 1 hour in an oven.
Southern Blotting of DNA and Filter Hybridization Southern blots of agarose gels were prepared by the capillary method (see Maniatis et.al. 1982) to nylon membranes (Hybond N+
Amerham) using NaOH (0.4M) as the transfer buffer by the proced-ure recommended by the manufacturer. Filters (either blotted DNA
or circles containing colony lifts) were pre-incubated in a solu-tion containing 50% deionized formamide, 4 x SSPE, 5'x Denhards solution. 0.5% SDS and 500 ug/ml yeast RNA for 1-4 hours at 42 deg.C. Probe was added at a concentration not exceeding 10 ng/ml of prehybrid solution. Filters were incubated for 12-18 hours at 42 deg.C. Filters were washed once with 2 x SSPE, 0.1% SDS at room temperature for 30 minutes, twice for 15 minutes each with 1 x SSPE, 0.1% SDS at 65 deg.C and finally once for 10 minutes with 0.1 x SSPE, 0.1% SDS at 65 deg.C. This latter step is a high stringency wash and was not always performed. Filters were dried and exposed to Kodak XAR X-ray film with a "Lightening Plus intensifying screen (Kodak) at -70 deg.C for varying amount of time.
Preparation of Radiolabeled Probes Radiolabeled probes were prepared as originally described by Hodgson and Fisk (1987, NAR pg. 6295) without modification.
Probes were purified by Sephadex~G-75 chromotography (Pharmacia) and denatured at 100 deg.C for 10 minutes prior to use in hybrid-izations.
SubcioninQ of Recombinant DNA's To facilitate DNA sequence analysis. recombinant clones were thoroughly mapped with a number-of restriction endonucleases.
Fragments to be subcloned were isolated on DEAE cellulose paper as described above. Vector DNA was prepared with the appropriate restriction endonucleases and treated with CIAP as described above. Fragments were inserted into both Bluescript + SK and KS
to facilitate sequencing from either end. Fragments whose ends were not compatible with restriction sites in the vector poly-linker region were converted to blunt ended fragments by treat-ment with the Klenow fragment of E coli DNA polymerase I (see Maniatis for method). These fragments were then cloned into Bluescript KS digested with either Sma I or Eco RV whose restrict-ion sites were also inside in the polylinker.
DNA Seguence Determination Single colonies picked from M9 ampicillin plates (150 ug/ml) were used to inoculate 2 ml of LB/ampicillin media and grown over-night at 37 deg.C. Ten ul was then inoculated into 1 ml LB amp.
shaken for 4 hours at 37 deg.C before addition of 2 ul of helper-phage strain M13K07 and continued shaking for one hour. The culture was transferred to a disposable 50 ml culture tube contain-ing 10 ml LB amp/Kanamycin (70 ug/ml) and shaken vigorously at 37 deg.C for 12-18 hours. Following centrifugation at 10.000 rpm for 15 minutes, 8 mi of supernatant were added to 1.4 ml PEG/NaCl and incubated for a minimum of one hour on ice. Phage were pelleted for 20 minutes at 10,000 x g and resuspended in 400 ul TE. DNA was isolated by standard PCI extraction and ethanol pre-cipitation (procedure described above). DNA was dissolved in 50 ul sterile H20. Nucleotide sequence determination was per-formed using a commercially available T7 DNA polymerase based dideoxynucleotide system (Sequenase 2Ø United States Biochem-icals) according to manufacturer's instructions. Nucleotide sequence ladders were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophor-esis (see Maniatis). DNA sequences were assembled using the Micro-m genie sequence analysis package (Beckman). Data base searches were performed with the Genbank on line service (Intelligenetics Inc., Stanford) using the 'Fasts' sequence analysis program.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

~~a~i~~
SEQUENCE LISTING
SEQ ID N0:1; BtYt shows the double stranded DNA sequence of BtYl; and in this illustration, C refers to deoxycytidine-5'-phosphate; G refers to deoxyguanosine-5'-phosphate; A refers to deoxyadenosine-5'-phosphate; and T refers to deoxythymidine-5'-phosphate.
SEQ ID N0:2 shows the double-stranded RNA sequence correspond-ing to the DNA sequence of SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl. In this illustra-tion, C refers to cytidine-5'-phosphate; G refers to guanosine-5'-phosphate; A refers to adenosine-5'-phosphate; and U refers to uridine-5'-phosphate.
SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 shows the double-stranded DNA sequence of BtY2; and in this illustration C,G,A, and T are the same as in SEQ ID N0:1; BtYl.
SEQ ID N0:4 shows the double-stranded DNA sequence correspond-ing to the DNA sequence of SEQ ID N0:3; BtY2 where C,G,A, and U
are the same as in SEQ ID N0:2.

SEG1 TD No ~ l C~TGCAGAGCT TCAGGCAGGG TTGGAAATGC TCGCCCTGGA CAGCTGAATG AGTTCTGCCT 60 CCr~I'TGCCTG TGCATTCTCT CAGGGGACCA GAAAACAAGG ACGTCTGGGC TCAGCTGACT 180 CACATACAAG AACACGGTAG AAATGGTGAG TGTGTTTTTG TATTTCATCT CATGGCAGAT 1800.

~EI~IU ~~l4;at 32 ~~~~(~~~

GCP.~)UCUAUA UUCUCCCAUU ACCUUGGACA GCUUCACAGU ACCAGUCACA CUGGCCUGAU 120 CCACAGGGGC AUCCAAGACU GUCACCUGGA AUGCAGCUUC CUUCUGAGUG UCAGCUGGUG 900, ,spa zo nra:.~ ; ~* r~, CTfTGTGTGT ACCAGGGCTG GTGTCTATGT AGTTCCATCT CTTTAAGTGA TGCTGTTACC 120 SEQ ID N0:3; 8tY2 34 AC. :GGTGT GATCCAATGT TGTGAAGAAG GTGCCCATAG ATAGAGGGTC TCTTCTGAAA 2040 i CCCAGGTCCT CTGTATCCAC ATCCACCATT TCCGCCTGCC AGCCCATGTC CCCACAGG~T 318f~J' GTGGGCTCCA CAGGCGGTGG TTTTAAAGCC TCACTCCACC TGATTTGCCC TGGGTGAATC
3240;°

S~G2 r D ~Yo= ~

CVuUGCCACU GUCUGGACAC CAGCACUCAU ACGAGAAGCU UAUCCUUGGC AUGAAGGCAA 180 s~ r~ No: ~ ~
36 ~;~~ J

CI~Ir~GGCAUGA AGCCCGAGAC CAUAAUGGUA AGGUGGCAUU CCUACAGGUG GUCCCUUCUG 2100

Claims (16)

1. A labeled or unlabeled Y-chromosome specific nucleic acid isolate which comprises the same sequence as that of either strand of an isolate selected from the group consisting of:
(1) one or both strands of the PstI fragment SEQ ID
NO:1; BtY1, and (2) one or both strands of the SacI fragment SEQ ID
NO:3; BtY2.

2. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 1, which is radioactively labeled with 3H, 35S, 32P, or 125I.

3. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 1, which is non-radioactively labeled with biotin or bromodeoxyuridine.

4. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the nucleic acid is DNA.

5. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.

6. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 4, wherein the DNA comprises the same sequence as that of either strand of a DNA selected from the group consisting of closed circular SEQ ID NO:1, BtY1 and linearized SEQ ID
NO:1, BtY1.

7. The nucleic acid isolate according to claim 4, wherein the DNA comprises the same sequence as that of either strand of a DNA selected from the group consisting of closed circular SEQ ID NO:3, BtY2 and linearized SEQ ID
NO:3, BtY2.

8. A replicable vector comprising the nucleic acid isolate according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A replicable vector comprising a nucleic acid isolate encoding SEQ ID NO:3, BtY2.

10. A method for the determination of the presence or absence of a Y-chromosome in a ruminant, the method comprising:
isolating DNA from a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant;
immobilizing said DNA onto a support matrix;
hybridizing the immobilized DNA with a nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing the nucleic acid isolate to bind to complementary sequences;
washing unbound nucleic acid isolate from the support matrix; and detecting nucleic acid isolate binding to DNA immobilized on the support matrix.

11. A method for determining the presence or absence of a Y-chromosome in fixed cells or chromosomes in the interphase or metaphase stages of nuclear division of a ruminant, the method comprising:
hybridizing said fixed cells or interphase or metaphase chromosomes of a ruminant with the nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing the nucleic acid isolate to bind to complementary sequences;

washing away unbound nucleic acid isolates; and detecting binding of the nucleic acid isolate to the complementary.sequences in the fixed cells or interphase or detecting binding of the nucleic acid isolate to the complementary sequences in the fixed cells or interphase or metaphase chromosomes.

12. A method for determining the presence or absence of a Y-chromosome in a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant, the method comprising:
isolating DNA from a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant and denaturing the isolated DNA;
annealing the denatured DNA with a synthetic polynucleotide comprising 12 or more nucleotides from the nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing the synthetic polynucleotide to bind to a target DNA;
amplifying the target DNA;
immobilizing the amplified target DNA onto a support matrix;
hybridizing the immobilized amplified target DNA with the nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing the nucleic acid isolate to bind to complementary sequences;
washing unbound nucleic acid isolate from the support matrix; and detecting binding of the nucleic acid isolate.

13. A method for determining the presence or absence of Y-chromosomes in a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant, the method comprising:
isolating DNA from a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant and denaturing the isolated DNA;

annealing the denatured DNA with a synthetic polynucleotide comprising 12 or more nucleotides from the nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing the synthetic polynucleotide to bind to a target DNA;
incubating labeled nucleotide precursors with a DNA
polymerase;
amplifying the target DNA;
hybridizing an amplified target DNA with a nucleic acid isolate of any one of claims 1 to 7 under conditions allowing binding to complementary sequences;
fractionating the sample by electrophoresis in a gel matrix; and detecting labeled nucleic acid isolates.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the nucleic acid isolate is labeled with a detectable marker selected from 3H, 35S, 32P, 125I, biotin or bromodeoxyuridine.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the ruminant is selected from the group consisting of bovine, ovine and caprine.

16. A kit for detecting the presence or absence of Y-chromosome specific sequences in a tissue or cell sample of a ruminant, comprising the nucleic acid isolate according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a buffer.