Detection of prion gene promoter and intron1 indel polymorphisms in Anatolian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal disease caused by miss folded prion protein. Studies in the cattle, comparing genetic data from BSE diseased and healthy animals have shown that indel polymorphisms in the promoter and intron 1 of PRNP gene were associated with disease susceptibility. Several studies were conducted to find out allele and genotypic frequencies of indel polymorphisms in promoter and intron 1 of the cattle PRNP gene. Unlike domestic cattle and bison, no indel polymorphisms of the PRNP promoter and intron 1 were examined in any population of the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Aim of this study was to analyse frequencies of allele, genotype, and haplotype of the indel polymorphisms (23 bp indel in promoter and 12 bp indel in intron 1) in prion protein coding gene (PRNP) of water buffalo. Therefore a PCR based procedure, previously used in cattle to detect indel polymorphisms of PRNP promoter and intron 1 locus, was applied to 106 Anatolian water buffalo DNAs. Our results have revealed high frequency of in variants and in23/in12 haplotype for PRNP promoter and intron 1 indel polymorphisms in water buffalo. The results of the study have demonstrated that frequencies of allele, genotype, and haplotype of the indel polymorphisms in PRNP gene of the Anatolian water buffalo are significantly different those from cattle and bison PRNP indel polymorphisms.     

PRNP gene polymorphisms in main indigenous Turkish goat breeds

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The polymorphisms of the PRNP gene influence the susceptibility to scrapie in goats. In this study, caprine PRNP gene was analysed in a total of 249...     

Genetic variations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in dogs with mammary tumours

Mammary tumours are the most common tumour type in female dogs. The formation of the mammary tumours is multifactorial but the high incidence of tumour disease in certain canine breeds suggests a strong genetic component. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most important genes significantly associated with mammary tumours. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the variations of these two genes and canine mammary tumours. 5′-untranslated region, intron 8 and exon 9 of BRCA1 and exons 12, 24, 27 of BRCA2 were sequenced in order to detect the genetic variations. In addition to six previously identified polymorphisms, six novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. Five of the coding SNPs were synonymous and three of them were non-synonymous. The comparison of the sequences from 25 mammary tumour bearing and 10 tumour free dogs suggested that the two SNPs in intron 8 and exon 9 of BRCA1 and two SNPs in exon 24 and exon 27 of BRCA2, which are firstly identified in this study, might be associated with mammary tumour development in dogs. Especially one SNP in exon 9 of BRCA1 and one SNP in exon 24 of BRCA2 were found to be significantly associated with canine mammary tumours.     

Mitochondrial DNA diversity of Anatolian indigenous domestic goats

Anatolia has been an important region for civilizations and agricultural revolution as a major domestication centre for livestock species. Goats (Capra hircus) were among the earliest domesticated animals in this region. In this study, genetic diversity of Anatolian goat breeds was characterized by comparison of mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region 1. A total of 295 individuals, including 99 Anatolian Black goats, 96 Angora goats and 100 Kilis goats, were used. Haplogroup A was found to be the dominant haplogroup in all three breeds. The highest haplogroup diversity, including haplogroups A, B2, C and G, was observed in the Anatolian Black breed. Haplogroup D was only observed in Kilis and Angora goats. Haplogroup G was found in Angora and Anatolian Black breeds. The Anatolian goat breeds had high genetic diversity values and a weak phylogeographical structure. The nucleotide diversity values were found to be higher than those in previously studied goat breeds. The fact that Anatolia is a domestication centre and its geographical position as a junction of trade routes may have caused the higher genetic diversity of Anatolian goat breeds.