Species specific alleles at three microsatellite loci in yak and cattle

The species specific alleles at three microsatellite DNA loci of ILSTS013,ILSTS050 and SPS115 were verified using direct PCR product sequencing and/or cloning sequencing methods.The results confirmed that yak,taurine and indicine cattle had different sequence characteristics to each other in the alleles at these three loci,leading to species specific allele sizes in genotyping exercise.Therefore these three loci can be used for discriminating alleles originated from yak,taurine and indicine cattle in assessment of the level of genetic admixture between bovine species and in establishment of molecular traceability systems for beef and its products from different bovine species.