DNA fingerprints of sheep using an M13 probe

The bacteriophage M13 DNA was used to detect hypervariable minisatellites in several families of Booroola sheep as well as Merino and Suffolk sheep. Digestion of sheep DNA gave rise to three to eight fragments with different restriction enzymes demonstrating considerable polymorphism between the different breeds. The length of informative DNA fragments varied in size from 6 to 20kb. The DNA fingerprints generated were individual specific and allowed for differentiation between closely related animals. The pattern obtained with sheep DNA was different from that observed with humans and other vertebrates in the proportion of high molecular weight DNA fragments present. Pedigree analysis of DNA patterns of dams and their offspring for several sets of twins and triplets showed a clear distinction between individuals and failed to reveal the presence of monozygosity.