Use of DNA fingerprinting in paternity analysis of closely-related Exmoor ponies.

This study uses DNA fingerprinting techniques to establish the paternity of an Exmoor pony foal born in a paddock shared by one female and two closely-related male ponies. The findings suggest one male (Colt M6) is more likely the father, and the other (Colt M3) probably the uncle.

Research Background and Methodology

• The research sought to determine the parentage of a foal born to Exmoor ponies, a breed of horse native to the British Isles. A particular challenge here was the close genetic relation among the potential parents: the two potential sires were three-quarter siblings, and furthermore, both were half-siblings to the mother of the foal.
• The researchers used DNA fingerprinting, a technique that reveals the unique genetic ‘signature’ of an individual creature, to try and resolve the issue of the foal’s parentage. The methodology involved southern hybridisation of Exmoor pony DNA with human mini-satellite probes.
• A feature of this investigation was a high band share between the individuals involved, meaning there was a significant level of genetic similarity amongst them. This was due to their close relatedness, with a band share of 70 per cent.

Key Findings

• The DNA fingerprinting was effective in resolving the paternity dispute despite the high degree of genetic similarity between the potential parents. By looking at the specific bands, or DNA fragments, the researchers could determine which male was more likely the father.
• The analysis indicated that one of the males, called Colt M6, was twice as likely (an exact factor of 2.06) to be the foal’s father than its uncle.
• On the other hand, the other male, Colt M3, was 477 times more likely to be the foal’s uncle than its father. In other words, the DNA fingerprint matched more with Colt M6 as the father and Colt M3 as the uncle.

Implication of the Study

• This research has implications for the field of animal breeding and conservation, especially for closely related animals where standard parentage tests might struggle. DNA fingerprinting can reliably identify parentage in cases where there is a high degree of genetic similarity amongst potential parents.