Polymorphism of the exon 3 of leptin gene in Malpura sheep

Abstract

Leptin (LEP) is primarily expressed in the adipose tissues. It regulates the feed intake, energy metabolism and body composition and plays a crucial role in regulating body weight and growth in mammals. The aim of the present study was to find out an allelic variation in leptin gene of Malpura sheep. A total of 112 Malpura sheep were selected and the genomic DNA was isolated by phenol-chloroform extraction method. PCR was carried out in order to amplify the 471 bp fragment of the exon 3 coding sequence of the leptin gene. The genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP technique. PCR products were digested with three (BcnI, SsiI and OliI) restriction enzymes. For detection of allelic variants, three non-synonymous SNPs were found in Malpura sheep. The A271G and A316C loci were found mono-morphic, while T387G locus was found polymorphic. Two genetic variants (G and T) and three genotypes (GG, GT and TT) were found in Malpura sheep. The allelic frequency of G and T allele at T387G locus was found 0.82 and 0.18, respectively.