AA-NAT melatonin gene polymorphism in ewes lambing out of season

摘要

Three ml jugular blood samples were taken from 20 Awasi ewes lambing out season for DNA and PCR-RFLP tests to detect polymorphisms in the AA-NAT melatonin gene. Two primer amplified regions of the AA-NAT gene were compared with BLAST to confirm the gene and PCR-RFLP was used to detect polymorphisms. The frequency of G allele (P<0.01) was greater than A Allele in ewes lambing during October and November with no difference during September lambing. Non-seasonal reproductive frequency of the AA-NAT-G allele was 0.625 and AA-NAT-A allele 0.375. Genotype frequencies were 25.00 for GG, 75.00 for GA and 0.00 for AA (P<0.001). Results suggest that the G allele may be associated with non-seasonal breeding sheep whereas the A allele with seasonal breeding sheep.