Genetic markers for individual identification and parentage testing have been used by the horse industry since the early 1960s to validate pedigree records or to solve cases where parentage is questioned. Before the advent of DNA genotyping technologies, the procedures were based on blood group and biochemical polymorphisms assayed by serologic and electrophoretic methods.

The development of the PCR method and the discovery of polymorphic microsatellite DNA sequences in the horse genome allowed the implementation of robust and cost effective procedures that became the standard for horse genotyping in the late 1990s.

  • The Genometry Equine Genotyping Kit® has been developed for accurate parentage verification, with the genotyping of fluorescently-labeled STRs via microsatellite analysis.
  • The kit is used to amplify 17 STRs that are commonly used for horse parentage testing and identification, including the 9 loci recommended by the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG).
  • Extracted DNA is amplified using a multiplex PCR with 17 sets of fluorescently-labeled primers, to genotype markers for VHL20, HTG4, AHT4, HMS7, HTG6, AHT5, HMS6, ASB23, ASB2, HTG10, HTG7, HMS3, HMS2, ASB17, LEX3, HMS1, CA425 located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 15, 21, 24, 28, 25, 30 and X.
  • Markers are presented in one multiplex assay (S1), in order to reduce the risk of sample mishandling. Upon amplification, mix subjected to incubation and run in a single capillary.
  • The distinct character of the peaks obtained from microsatellite analysis and the low incidence of “stutter” peaks allows accurate analysis of results.

Sample

DNA Extraction

20 min.

PCR Amplification

190 min.

Electrophoresis - Analysis

40 min.

Result