Abstract
Eight B1 progeny produced by backcrossing fertile female mules and hinnies with donkeys or horses, were assessed for levels of esterase isozyme in their sera. Four bands are found in horses, three fast moving (E3) and one slow (E1), while donkeys show only the slow E1 band. Mules and hinnies, the F1 hybrids of the horse and donkey, show both the E1 and E3 bands. Among the eight tested backcross (B1) progeny, a variety of different combinations are found, depending on whether or not the horse band (E3) has been trasmitted by the mule or hinny parent. The significance of this result is because it shows that irregular patterns of segregation of the horse and donkey chromosomes exist between different F1 hybrids, contrary to some hypotheses proposed previously.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Anderson, W S. (1939). Fertile mare mules. J Hered, 30, 549–551.
Chandley, A C. (1981). Does ‘affinity’ hold the key to fertility in the female mule? Genet Res Camb, 37, 105–109.
Eldridge, F, and Suzuki, Y. (1976). A mare mule-dam or foster mother?. J Hered, 67, 353–360.
Hu, N, and Wan, X. (1985). The Application of Isozyme Techniques. Human Science and Technology Press, Beijing, pp. 158–161.
Kaminski, M, and Gajos, E. (1964). Comparative examination of carboxylic esterases in sera of horse, donkey and their hybrids. Nature, 201, 716–718.
Rong, R, Chandley, A C, Song, J, McBeath, S, Tan, P P, Bai, Q, and Speed, R M. (1988). A fertile mule and hinny in China. Cytogenet Cell Genet, 47, 134–139.
Ryder, O A, Chemnick, L G, Bowling, A T, and Benirschke, K. (1985). Male mule foal qualifies as the offspring of a female mule and jack donkey. J Hered, 76, 379–381.
Zheng, L. (1987). The Principles and Methods for Classification of Animals. Higher Education Press, Beijing, pp. 73–79.
Zong, E, and Fan, G. (1989). The variety of sterility and gradual progression to fertility in hybrids of the horse and donkey. Heredity, 62, 393–406.
Zong, E, Fan, G, Yin, H, Wang, B, Zang, C, Sun, M, and Jiao, S. (1985). A study of chromosomes in hybrids B1's between horses and donkeys. China Agric Sci, 1, 83–85.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fan, G., Zong, E. & Zhao, Z. A genetic study of esterase activity in mules, hinnies and their backcross progeny. Heredity 68, 89–92 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1992.11
Received:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1992.11
