The karyotype of the pig (Sus scrofa domestica), identified by quinacrine mustard staining and fluorescence microscopy

Abstract

The karyotype of the pig (Sus scrofa domestica) was characterized by means of quinacrine mustard staining and fluorescence microscopy. The material examined consisted of 15 pigs of the Danish Landrace, five boars and 10 sows, representing five boar lines and eight sow strains. Previously it had been possible to identify only six pairs of chromosomes and the Y chromosome among the 38 chromosomes of the pig. With the present method it was possible to identify both autosomes and sex chromosomes with great reliability. Fluorescence variants were not demonstrable.