Chromosomal localization of the lysozyme gene cluster in river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L.).

Lysozyme (LYZ) is an antibacterial enzyme which allows the digestion of bacteria present in tears and saliva. In the true stomach of ruminants LYZ breaks open the bacteria of the foregut, which are subsequently digested by typical mammalian digestive enzymes, allowing the incorporation of nutrients from the bacteria. Southern analysis with a single exon from a cow lysozyme gene revealed that there are about 10 genes in ruminants (Irwin & Wilson 1989), while pig and primates have a single lysozyme gene (Swanson et al. 1991) and camels have two (Irwin et al. 1992). The higher number of LYZ genes in ruminants is believed to be the result of gene duplication associated with the evolution of foregut fermentation (Irwin et al. 1992). Recently, the genomic organization of the lysozyme gene family has been determined in domestic cattle, and, using a cocktail of genomic clones, the lysozyme gene cluster (LYZ/) was assigned to chromosome (Chr) 5, band 23 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) (Gallagher et al. 1993). In our continued effort to test the genetic homology of conserved chromosome banding regions between cattle and river buffalo, and to extend the river buffalo physical gene map, we have mapped the LYZ/ by FISH and R-banding.