Polymorphism in ACACA gene and its association with milk and growth traits in Mahabadi goats using the PCR-SSCP technique

This research was conducted to study polymorphism of intron 44 of ACACA gene and its association with milk traits in Mahabadi goats. Blood samples were taken from 81 Mahabadi goats. DNA was extracted from blood using salting out method. 897 base pair fragment of intron 44 ACACA gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. SSCP method was used to investigate the amplified DNA fragment polymorphism. Amplified products were sequenced in both directions. Finally, seven different patterns were obtained and sequences compared with each other also with Capra hircus ACACA gene sequence on NCBI (NC_022311). Seven novel SNPs were identified which were NC_022311: nucleotide 154503(T/G), 154518(A/G), 154577(A/G), 154640(C/T), 154712(A/C), 154928(C/T), 154956(C/T). Then a mixed animal model was used by SAS9.1 analysis system to evaluate the association of these SNPs with milk traits. In this model, variables of age of dam, genotypes and mount of recording were considered as fixed effects. There were significant association of SNP2 (P=0.05), SNP3 (P=0.05) and SNP5 (P<0.01) with milk yield. SNPs 1 (P=0.017), 6 (P=0.017) and 7 (P<0.01) had also significant effect on milk fat-percentage.