Determination of CAST/MspI gene polymorphism in selected sheep breeds reared in Türkiye

Abstract

Sheep breeding plays a crucial role in meeting the increasing demand for high-quality meat, milk, and wool. Traditional selection methods based on phenotypic traits have led to genetic improvement; however, progress remains slow for traits with low to moderate heritability. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) has emerged as a promising complementary approach, enabling faster genetic gains. Among candidate genes studied for MAS, the calpastatin (CAST) gene is notable for its association with meat yield and quality. This study aimed to identify CAST/MspI gene polymorphisms in four sheep breeds reared in Türkiye (Central Anatolian Merino-CAM, Pırlak-PRL, Romanov-RMV, and Suffolk-SFK) and assess their potential use in MAS. A total of 176 individuals were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP method. All breeds in this study were found to be polymorphic for the CAST gene. The frequency of the M allele ranged from 0.67 in CAM to 0.76 in SFK. Genotype frequencies for MM ranged from 0.40 (CAM) to 0.71 (SFK), for MN from 0.10 (RMV and SFK) to 0.54 (CAM), and for NN from 0.06 (CAM) to 0.20 (RMV). Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed in CAM, RMV, and SFK populations, but not in PRL. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.10 to 0.54 and expected heterozygosity from 0.37 to 0.44. The presence of all three genotypes and substantial genetic variation suggests that the CAST gene may be a valuable marker in MAS for these breeds. However, further association studies are required to confirm the relationship between CAST genotypes and economically significant traits related to meat production.

Keywords

• Calpastatin gene
• MspI
• Polymorphism
• Sheep

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