Missense mutation in the ligand-binding domain of the horse androgen receptor gene in a thoroughbred family with inherited 64,XY (SRY+) disorder of sex development

Abstract

Disorders of sex development (DSD) have long been documented in domestic animal species including horses. However, there is only a single report of an androgen receptor mutation causative of such a DSD syndrome in a horse pedigree. Here, we present a new familial AR mutation in horses. A missense mutation (c.2042G>C) at AR exon 4 explains the segregation of the DSD in a Thoroughbred horse pedigree. The mutation, expected to affect the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor protein, led to complete androgen insensitivity of XY SRY+, testicular DSD individuals. Additionally, design of a PCR-RFLP technique provided an accurate molecular test for identification of horses carrying the mutation.