Gene expression levels in some candidate genes for mastitis resistance, milk yield, and milk quality of goats reared under different feeding systems

Authors: AKIN YAKAN, HÜSEYİN ÖZKAN, AYSEL ERASLAN ŞAKAR, NECMETTİN ÜNAL, CEYHAN ÖZBEYAZ

Abstract: This study aimed to identify the expression levels of some candidate genes for mastitis resistance (LTF and BRCA1), milk yield (POU1F1 and IGF-1), and milk quality (PPARγ and CSN2) in different feeding systems (pen- and pasture-based) used for Damascus goats. Milk samples were taken from all goats in both pen and pasture groups at 4 times, at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th months of the study. It was found that, compared to the pen group, the LTF and CSN2 genes in the pasture group had significant levels of upregulation in the 7th month of lactation (3.538- and 5.436-fold, respectively), the PPAR? gene had downregulation at the beginning of lactation (0.399-fold), and the IGF-1 gene had upregulation in the 3rd month of lactation (2.313-fold) but had significant levels of downregulation (2.332-fold) in the 5th month of lactation. It was determined that LTF gene expression levels in goats might be used as a criterion in identifying mastitis resistance, IGF-1 for lactation milk yield, and PPARγ for milk fat yield. This study is the first report that presents LTF, BRCA1, IGF-1, and PPARγ gene expression levels in goat milk and udder epithelial cells and the effect of BRCA1, POU1F1, and PPARγ genes on milk protein yield.

Keywords: Goat, gene expression, LTF and BRCA1, POU1F1 and IGF-1, PPARγ and CSN2

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