We identified and characterized 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers suitable for routine testing (three in the MHC class I sub-region, four in MHC class II and four in the MHC class III sub-region) of dromedaries and Bactrian camels. In total, 38 dromedaries and 33 Bactrian camels were genotyped, and interspecific differences were observed in the numbers of alleles and in allelic frequencies, as well as in the observed heterozygosity. These loci may be used as markers to study the adaptive genetic diversity of the MHC region in Old World camels.

CEITEC VETUNI University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Brno Czechia

Department of Animal Genetics Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Brno Czechia

Department of Animal Morphology Physiology and Genetics Faculty of Agronomy Mendel University in Brno Brno Czechia

Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria

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