Pathology and molecular genetics of intersexual goats: A review

Abstract

Intersex traits are serious reproductive disorders in goats, and the intersexual goat can influence development of goat husbandry. In goats, the PIS (polled intersex syndrome) mutation is responsible for both the absence of horns and sex reversal, exclusively affecting XX individuals. PIS is caused by a large deletion of goat chromosome 1q43 that affects the transcription of the genes PISRT1 and FOXL2. Here, we aim to contribute to the discussion on the pathology and molecular genetics of goats’ intersex based on the characteristics of morphology.