Argentinian scientists who cloned a male horse garnered two offspring – one of which was female. This is the first time a female foal has occurred from somatic cell nuclear transfer (“cloning”) from a male donor.
Cloning is an asexual reproductive technique; the cloned offspring should contain all of the same genetic material as the donor horse. Though this is the first time it has occurred in equines, sex-reversed offspring have occurred in other species, said Dr. Mariana Suvá.
Both horses had identical genetic profiles, which confirmed they were clones of the same animal, reported the study team. Molecular testing indicates a “spontaneous Y chromosome loss” in the filly. The lost chromosome was confirmed through a polymerase chain reaction test.
Additional genetic testing of blood and skin proved that the foal's chromosomal constitutions were identical.
Though the exact cause is unknown, the possibility of sex reversal in cloned horses holds promise for the preservation of endangered species, the creation of new breeding techniques, and the development of specific sport-related equines, the study team reported.
The foals were born in November 2020 and the filly showed no anatomic abnormalities. As a 2-year-old, she has normal external genitalia, but an ultrasound showed that she has small, underdeveloped ovaries with no evidence of corpora lutea. Her uterus is normal.
Read more at HorseTalk.
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