Hybridization profiles and restriction fragment length polymorphisms for bovine and ovine interferon genes

Abstract

Bovine α‐ (IFNA), β‐ (IFNB), ω‐ (IFNW), trophoblast (IFNT), and γ‐(IFNG) interferon (IFN) cDNA probes were hybridized to bovine and ovine DNA samples digested with a panel of 7 restriction enzymes to characterize the hybridization patterns and genetic variability of IFN genes in these two species. Sixty percent of probe‐enzyme combinations identified RFLPs in cattle compared to 46% of the combinations in sheep. The presence of polymorphic bands in each probe‐enzyme combination was compared between species. Bovine IFNA and IFNW RFLPs were observed in cattle with all 7 enzymes while ovine IFNA and IFNW RFLPs were found with 5 and 2 enzymes, respectively. IFNG RFLPS were observed with HinD III (61% of cattle screened), Taq I (28% of sheep) and Pst I (56% of sheep). IFN hybridization profiles were more complex in sheep, but RFLPs were more common in cattle. The most useful enzyme to screen for IFN RFLPs was found to be HinD III in cattle and Taq I in sheep.