Effect of POU1F1 Gene Haplotypes on Eights and Milk Production of Awassi Sheep

Abstract

The aim of the study was to detect polymorphism in the POU1F1 gene in Iraqi Awassi sheep breed, as well as to establish if haplotype of POU1F1 gene could be associated with productive traits. This study was carried out at Al-Kafeel station, Karbala city during the period of 01/10/2017 until 01/08/2018. The study included 46 Awassi ewes with their 52 lambs. The laboratory analyses were conducted at the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, College of Agriculture, University of Basrah. Results showed the successfulness of the PCR amplification process for all six examined fragments of the POU1F1 gene. Gel electrophoresis was conducted using agarose 2%, the product sizes were 637bp, 789bp, 999bp, 868bp, 1190 bp, and 469bp for the fragments P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6 respectively. The analysis of the nitrogen bases sequences of the POU1F1 gene for the studied fragments showed a change in 12 different sites of the gene. These changes resulted in 7 haplotypes of H1-H7. The results showed significant influence (P<0.05) in haplotypes of the POU1F1 gene on birth weight . However, haplotypes showed no significant effect on lambs’ weights at weaning, six months and daily weight gains during all periods. Statistical analysis showed that different haplotypes of the POU1F1 gene did not influence on milk productive traits. The examined fragments of the POU1F1 Awassi gene have been submitted to Gene Bank under the accession numbers (LC469323 to LC469349).

Keywords

• Awassi sheep
• Haplotypes
• POU1F1 gene
• Traits production