The genetic diversity of both FecB gene and microsatellite GC101is associated with reproduction selection in sheep

Authors: ZHANGYUAN PAN, BAOYUN ZHANG, WENPING HU, RAN DI, QIUYUE LIU, XIANGYU WANG, DEHUA YIN, PINGQING WANG, MINGXING CHU

Abstract: The aims of study were to reveal the changes in genetic diversity in reproduction selection of sheep. Genetic polymorphisms of microsatellite GC101 locus and its linkage with the FecB gene were detected in Chinese local sheep (Small Tail Han and Hu sheep) and western sheep (Texel and Dorset) breeds. There was the same FecB mutation (A746G) in both Small Tail Han and Hu sheep as that in Booroola Merino ewes, but not in Texel and Dorset sheep. Seven alleles, from 192 bp to 210 bp, and 20 genotypes were detected at the GC101 locus in 447 individuals totally. The preponderant allele was 200 bp for Chinese sheep and 202 bp for western sheep.? Linkage analysis showed that there was strong linkage disequilibrium between the 200-bp allele of the GC101 locus and the B allele of the FecB gene (r² = 0.639). These results preliminarily implied that both the 200-bp allele of the GC101 locus and the B allele of FecB had been reinforced in reproduction selection of Chinese sheep. The differentiation of GC101 allele distribution between Chinese sheep and western sheep also indicated that the FecB of Chinese sheep might be derived from Chinese local areas.

Keywords: Sheep, GC101, FecB gene, prolificacy, reproduction selection

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