Identification of allelic variants in Melanocortin-1 receptor gene in llama (Lama glama)

MARIA S DAVERIO; FLORENCIA DI ROCCO; LIDIA VIDAL RIOJA

Cairns - Australia

Congreso; 33rd Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics; 2012

International Society for Animal Genetics

Genes responsible for coat color variation have been identified in a wide variety of mammals. Among them, MC1R (melanocortin-1 receptor), plays an essential role in pigmentation of the fiber. In llamas (Lama glama), segregation of coat color have been assessed by classical genetic studies, but molecular bases of coat color variation remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify allelic variants in Argentinean llamas and determine if they are associated with different color patterns. The MC1R gene was amplified by PCR in forty-eight llamas, including ten guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and then amplicons were purified and automatically sequenced. The llama MC1R gene has three alleles (MC1R*1; MC1R*2 and MC1R*3). The wild-type allele (MC1R*3) was observed in all colour groups. MC1R*1 allele was not found in white llamas whereas the allele MC1R*2 was absent in red-brown with black face and trim phenotype. In contrast with data published by Feeley et.al. (2009) for alpacas, haplotype A82/T126/C901 was not associated to eumelanin production in llamas. Although direct correlation between MC1R alleles and eumelanic/pheomelanic patterns could not be established, significant allelic frequencies differences between red-brown with black face and white llamas suggest a possible role of MC1R polymorphisms in coat color variation.