Detection of QTL affecting fleece traits on CHI 19 in Angora goats

CANO EM; DAVERIO S; CÁCERES M; DEBENEDETTI S; COSTOYA S; ABAD M; ALLAIN D; TADDEO H; POLI MA

Querétaro

Conferencia; 9a Conferencia Internacional sobre Caprinos y 23 Reunión Nacional sobre Caprinocultura; 2008

In recent decades, the molecular biology techniques developed have made possible to construct comprehensive marker maps in different species which allow mapping of Quantitative Traits Loci (QTL) influencing economically important traits, including fleece and wool traits. The aim of the present study was to search QTL associated with fleece qualitative and quantitative traits on Angora goat chromosome 19 (CHI19). The population analyzed had a total of 727 kids from 17 bucks. Five microsatellite markers distributed over 25 cM on chromosome CHI19 were used (IDVGA46, LSCV36, BP20, MAF48 and OarFCB193). Nine phenotypic fleece traits were recorded. An interval analysis was performed under a half-sib model using the QTL Express program. The effects included in the analysis were: sex, year of birth (2000 - 2006), birth type (single or twin) and flock (8 levels). To estimate the confidence intervals of the QTL locations the LOD drop-off method was used. Our results allow us to confirm a previous putative QTL affecting Coefficient of Variation of Average Fiber Diameter (CVAFD) in Angora goat on CHI19. Besides, we found two new QTL for Staple Length (SL) and Greasy Fleece Weight (GFW) on CHI19. Taking into account the homology between sheep and goat maps and the conserved segments between the human and ruminant, the QTL found here could be related with keratin-associated proteins (KRTAP) and keratin (KRT) genes family. The putative QTL reported here, could be related with those KRT and KRTAP genes family. KRT and KRTAP genes could be good candidates for the associated QTL on CHI19. Further investigations should concern diminishing the confidence interval increasing the number of kids in existing families and making a fine mapping on the candidate regions before these results can be used in breeding via Marker Assisted Selection (MAS).