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Polymorphism of selected candidate genes in Ghanaian sheep breeds


E.S. Bekoe
B.B. Kayang
C. Adenyo

Abstract

Polymorphisms of candidate genes BMP15 and GDF9, GH and CAST that influence fecundity, growth, and carcass traits, respectively, were  studied in two Ghanaian sheep breeds to determine whether these breeds were polymorphic or monomorphic at the above gene  loci. DNA was extracted from blood samples collected from 63 Sahel and 49 Djallonké sheep and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction –  restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Restriction enzyme digestion of the BMP15-FecXB locus revealed two  genotypes (AA and AB) in both populations with genotype AA recording the highest frequency in both populations. At the BMP15- FecXG  locus, genotype Gg had the highest frequency (0.548) in the Djallonké population whereas GG frequency (0.719) was the highest in the  Sahel population. Analysis of GDF9-FecGH with DdeI endonuclease also revealed two genotypes, AA and AB in both populations with the  genotypic frequency of AA being the highest in both populations (Sahel= 0.933 and Djallonké= 0.98). At the GH gene locus, restriction  digestion with HaeIII showed three genotypes (AA, AB, BB), with genotype AB recording the highest frequency in both populations. In  addition, PCR-RFLP analysis at the CAST-MspI gene locus showed three genotypes (MM= 0.048, MN= 0.919, NN= 0.032) in the Sahel  population whereas only two genotypes (MM= 0.367, MN= 0.633) were observed in the Djallonké population. Results from this study  showed that the selected candidate genes were polymorphic in the two studied sheep breeds of Ghana. These results will form the basis  for candidate gene association studies in the two sheep breeds.


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