Zoo-FISH analysis: the American mink (Mustela vison) closely resembles the cat karyotype.

The 24 human chromosome-specific DNA probes were used to visualize segments of conserved synteny on metaphase chromosomes of the American mink (Mustela vison). A comparison with the hitherto known gene mapping data shows a high degree of correspondence. The human chromosomes were found conserved in only 34 segments of common synteny. The mink arrangement proved to be very similar to the arrangement found in the cat, thus corroborating the well-known high karyotype conservation described for Feloidea.