Aromatase gene and its effects on growth, reproductive and material ability traits in a multibreed sheep from Brazil.

• Autor(a) principal: LÔBO, A. M. B. O.
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: LÔBO, R. N. B., PAIVA, S. R.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da EMBRAPA (Repository Open Access to Scientific Information from EMBRAPA - Alice)
• Texto Completo: http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/534365; http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572009005000054
• topic: Peso corporal; PCR-RFLP; SNP; Brasil; Lambing interval; Ovino; Polimorfismo Genético; Sheep; Body weight; Litter weight; Polymorphism; Genetic polymorphism; Genotype; Animal genetics; Genetic variation; Brazil

Abstract: We determined the polymorphism C242T of the aromatase gene (Cyp19) and its allelic frequency, as well as the effect of the variants on productive and reproductive traits in 71 purebred Santa Inês sheep, 13 purebred Brazilian Somali sheep, nine purebred Poll Dorset sheep, and 18 crossbred 1/2 Dorper sheep. The animals were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP technique. The influence of the animal's genotype on its performance or on the performance of its lambs was analyzed by the least square method. Another factor assessed was the importance of the animal's genotype in analysis models for quantitative breeding value estimates, and whether there were differences among the averages of breeding values of animals with different genotypes for this gene. In the sample studied, no AA individuals were observed; the AB and BB frequencies were 0.64 and 0.36, respectively. All Brazilian Somali sheep were of genotype BB. All 1/2 Dorper BB animals presented a lower age at first lambing, and the Santa Inês BB ewes presented a lower lambing interval. In these same genetic groups, AB ewes presented higher litter weight at weaning. This is evidence that BB ewes have a better reproductive performance phenotype, whereas AB ewes present a better maternal ability phenotype. However, in general, animals with genotype AB presented better average breeding values than those with genotype BB.