Somatic cell mapping and restriction fragment analysis of bovine alpha and beta interferon gene families.

DNA from bovine x hamster hybrid cells preferentially segregating bovine chromosomes has been analyzed by blot hybridization with alpha and beta interferon probes. Retention or loss of bovine interferon genes was compared to segregation of bovine isozyme loci representing previously described syntenic groups. Families of bovine alpha (IFNA) and beta (IFNB) interferon genes were segregated in concordance with each other and with aconitase-1 (ACO1) on bovine syntenic group U18. This syntenic relationship is conserved on human chromosome 9p and on the portion of mouse chromosome 4 proximal to the centromere. In addition, cattle restriction fragment length polymorphisms were identified with both IFNA and IFNB probes. Of particular interest is a polymorphism apparently due to duplication of IFNB genes.