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Naturally monozygotic quadruplets in a Braford cow confirmed by DNA analysis: A case report
Author(s) -
RogbergMuñoz Andrés,
Castillo Nadia S.,
Zappa María E.,
Crespi Julián A.,
VillegasCastagnasso Egle E.,
Gómez Paula M.,
PeralGarcía Pilar,
Giovambattista Guillermo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/rda.13778
Subject(s) - zygosity , biology , quadruplets , sire , zygote , genetics , monozygotic twin , multiple birth , in utero , pregnancy , andrology , embryo , fetus , embryogenesis , gestation , zoology , medicine
Cattle are a monotocous species, despite naturally conceived multiple births are sometimes observed. Although the number of twins has consistently increased, triplet and quadruplet pregnancies represent 0.015% and 0.004% of the total births, respectively. Multiple births are the result of multiple ovulation and/or the spontaneous cleavage of one fertilized oocyte, which is known as monozygotic (MZ) twinning. In cattle, approximately 5% to 14% of all twin births are MZ, and births with more than two MZ calves are extremely rare. Monozygotic animals are genetically identical, and those derived from two or more zygotes are genetically different. Furthermore, the presence of placental vascular anastomosis can result in foetal chimerism. Notwithstanding, animals born as single calves can be chimeras when one of the foetal twins dies undetected in utero. Here, we used DNA testing to study the zygotic condition of an unusual female quadruplet born from a Braford cow bred in a multi‐sire natural mating system without hormone stimulation. Two tissues with different embryological origin were sampled to test zygosity and possible chimerism. The results showed an identical genotype, confirming they all originated in an MZ pregnancy and suggesting the lack of chimerism in all animals. The use of MZ twins in breeding and selection systems provides an alternative to the conventional progeny testing. Some works have suggested a genetic background of MZ twins in humans. This female and her daughters could be the founders of a lineage to study the possible inheritance of MZ multiple births in cattle.