Localization of uridine monophosphate synthase (UMPS) gene to river buffalo chromosomes by FISH

Uridine monophosphate synthase plays an important role in pyrimidine synthesis, converting orotic acid to uridine 5' monophosphate. In cattle, UMPS deficiency is inherited as a monogenic autosomal recessive trait. While heterozygous carriers are phenotypically normal, homozygotes are lethal in utero (Shanks et al 1992). UMPS has been mapped to human chromosome 3q13 (Qumsiyeh et al. 1989), sheep chromosome 1q (Burkin et al 1993) and cattle chromosome 1q31 (Ryan et al. 1994). In the present study we used a cattle genomic probe to localize UMPS to river buffalo chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization.