Six bovine cosmid-derived microsatellites mapping different syntenic groups are fluorescence in situ hybridization-mapped to six river buffalo chromosomes.

Six bovine cosmid-derived microsatellites (IDVGA53, BTA3/U6; IDVGA61, U13; IDVGA41, BTA12/U27; IDVGA32, BTA15/U19; IDVGA59, BTA26/U26 and IDVGA71, U8), previously assigned to cattle chromosomes, were FISH-mapped to river buffalo chromosomes (BBU) 6q15, 8q34, 13q15, 16q25, 23q22 and 24q13 respectively. Sequential FISH/RBA-banding allowed the precise identification of chromosomes and localization of probe-signals on chromosome bands. These localizations allowed us to assign indirectly, for the first time, six bovine syntenic groups to river buffalo chromosomes, thereby extending its physical map. The localization of IDV-GA71 (bovine U8) to the marker BBU24 adds further information to resolve definitively cattle chromosome ambiguities involving cattle chromosomes 25, 27 and 29.