"Since testis determination appears to be a conserved function of the mammalian Y, we would search for 1A2 sequences having homologs on the Y chromosomes of a wide range of animals. To this end, we prepared 'Noah's ark blots." Onto these genomic DNA transfers "went one pair, male and female, of [many] beasts, clean and unclean, of birds and of [many things] that crawl on the ground, two by two" (Genesis 7:8-9), including humans, great apes (e.g., chimpanzee, gorilla), Old World monkeys (e.g., rhesus monkey), New World monkeys (e.g., owl monkey), rodents, rabbits, dogs, goats, horses, and cattle."
Page et al. (1987) The sex-determining region of the human Y chromosome encodes a finger protein. Cell 51 (Dec 24): 1091-1104.
(Btw, their findings were rejected a few years later in light of a mistake they made. oops.)
