Method to predict the pattern of locomotion in horses

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for predicting the pattern of locomotion in a horse including the ability of a horse to use different gaits and the ability to trot at a fast speed. The methods comprise determining in a sample of DNA obtained from a horse the presence or absence of at least one genetic marker, wherein said at least one genetic marker is located on horse chromosome 23, said marker being associated with the ability to use different gaits. The invention further provides primers that amplify markers being associated with the ability to use different gaits and hybridization probes to detect markers being associated with the ability to use different gaits and the ability to trot at a fast speed.

1 . A method for predicting the pattern of locomotion in a horse including the ability to use alternative gaits, to trot or pace at a fast speed, and to perform in dressage, said method comprising steps of;
 i) extracting DNA from a sample obtained from a horse,   ii) determining in said DNA the presence or absence of at least one genetic marker, wherein said at least one genetic marker is located in the region between the flanking SNPs at nucleotide positions 22,628,976 and 23,315,071 base pairs on horse chromosome 23.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one genetic marker is located in the region between the flanking SNPs at nucleotide positions 22,919,878 and 23,011,289 base pairs on horse chromosome 23. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the genetic marker is selected from the genetic markers listed in Table 4, Table 5, Table 7, and Table 8. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the genetic marker is selected from the genetic markers listed in Table 8. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2  comprising identifying in said DNA the nucleotide in one or more specific position selected from the positions
 22,919,878; 22,920,361; 22,920,434; 22,920,646; 22,920,717; 22,921,203; 22,922,079; 22,922,780;22,923,569; 22,924,120; 22,924,142; 22,924,299; 22,924,380; 22,924,407; 22,926,098; 22,926,188; 22,926,872; 22,927,387; 22,927,607; 22,928,220; 22,928,537; 22,928,587; 22,929,137; 22,930,011; 22,932,024; 22,932,895; 22,933,218; 22,936,034; 22,940,759; 22,942,423; 22,945,643; 22,946,599; 22,948,774; 22,949,055; 22,949,108; 22,949,240; 22,949,710; 22,956,846; 22,960,132; 22,960,528; 22,960,710; 22,964,042; 22,965,059; 22,967,119; 22,967,656; 22,967,915; 22,968,898; 22,973,984; 22,974,589; 22,979,124; 22,980,014; 22,982,879; 22,984,588; 22,985,746; 22,988,210; 22,988,991; 22,993,092; 22,994,591; 22,999,058; 22,999,655; 23,002,606; 23,003,956; 23,008,772; 23,008,789; 23,009,648; 23,010,164; and 23,011,289, on horse chromosome 23. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising determining in said DNA the presence or absence of:
 i) the nucleotide C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 939 in SEQ ID NO: 1, 
 ii) the nucleotide A in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 939 in SEQ ID NO: 3, 
 iii) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 5, 
 iv) the nucleotide A and/or G in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 6, 
 v) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 7, 
 vi) the nucleotide G and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 8, 
 vii) the nucleotide A and/or G in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 9, 
 viii) the nucleotide T and/or G in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 10, 
 ix) the nucleotide T and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 11, 
 x) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 12, 
 xi) the nucleotide A and/or G in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 13, 
 xii) the nucleotide A and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 14 
 xiii) the nucleotide G and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 15, 
 xiv) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 16, 
 xv) the nucleotide G and/or A in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 17, 
 xvi) the nucleotide G and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 18, 
 xvii) the nucleotide C and/or A in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 19, 
 xviii) the nucleotide T and/or C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 20, 
 xix) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 21, 
 xx) the nucleotide C and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 22, 
 xxi) the nucleotide C and/or A in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 23, 
 xxii) the nucleotide C and/or G in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 24, and/or 
 xxiii) the nucleotide A and/or T in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 51 in SEQ ID NO: 25. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4  comprising determining in said DNA the presence or absence of:
 i) the nucleotide C in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 939 in SEQ ID NO: 1, and/or 
 ii) the nucleotide A in a nucleotide position corresponding to position 939 in SEQ ID NO: 3. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method for predicting the pattern of locomotion in a horse including the ability to use alternative gaits, to trot or pace at a fast speed, and to perform in dressage, said method comprising steps of;
 i) extracting protein from a sample obtained from a horse, and   ii) determining in said protein sample the presence or absence of a truncated form of the DMRT3 protein.   
     
     
         9 . The use of the method according to any of  claims 1 - 8  for paternity testing. 
     
     
         10 . The use of the method according to any of  claims 1 - 8  for selection a horse for breeding, 
     
     
         11 . A method for selection a horse for breeding, said method comprising determining in a DNA sample obtained from said horse the allele of at least one genetic marker, wherein said at least one genetic marker is located in the region between the flanking SNPs at nucleotide positions 22,628,976 on horse chromosome 23.