Determination of CAST gene polymorphism in sheep of the Volgograd breed

Abstract

Abstract The scientific publication presents the results of studies of CAST polymorphism in sheep of the Volgograd breed. Against the background of the limited application of the results of genetic studies when working with the Volgograd breed, the search for polymorphic variants of the calpastatin gene, which is a potential marker of meat quality during maturation after slaughter, and also, according to some data, the live weight of sheep, is an urgent task. Calpastatin is an enzyme belonging to the calpain family of enzymes. CAST gene polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP analysis. To carry out molecular genetic studies in sheep of the Volgograd breed (n = 131), tissue samples were taken from the auricle with an area of 1 cm2 (ear pinches). In sheep of the Volgograd breed, the presence of two genotypes MM, MN was established with a frequency of 88 and 12%, respectively. The M allele and the homozygous MM genotype had the highest frequency. The analysis of the materials obtained as a result of the control slaughter shows that the Volgograd sheep of the MN/CAST genotype exceeded their peers with the MM/CAST genotypes by 3.7 kg in pre-slaughter weight. The presence of variability at these loci provides a basis for controlling meat productivity in sheep of the Volgograd sheep population, therefore, in breeding farms, monitoring of polymorphism and selection for the calpastatin gene should be carried out.