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PCR tests for the A- and B-alleles of k-casein and b-lactoglobulin in Holstein cattle

Methodologies have been devised to genotype the $ kappa$-casein ($ kappa$-CN) and $ beta$-lactoglobulin ($ beta$-LG) loci using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) analysis. A fragment of 432 base pair from the $ kappa$-CN gene which contains the nucleotide substitutions diagnostic of the A- and B-alleles of $ kappa$-CN was amplified. DNA amplified from the A-variant contained a unique HinfI restriction site, whereas DNA amplified from the B-variant contained a unique TaqI site. Thus, the genotype of the animal could be determined by restriction enzyme analysis. A region extending from exon IV to V of the $ beta$-LG gene was also amplified using PCR. In this region, the B-allele contains 2 HaeIII restriction sites which are not present in DNA amplified from the A-allele. The digestion of the PCR product with HaeIII thus allowed discrimination between the A- and B-alleles. Analysis of bulls (n = 68) used by artificial insemination (AI) centres after 1980, bulls (n = 27) used before 1960, a random sample of male calves (n = 102) and cows (n = 123) revealed a frequency of the B allele of $ kappa$-CN as 0.13, 0.37, 0.22 and 0.19 in these populations, respectively. In the populations of bulls (n = 69) used by AI centres after 1980, bulls (n = 27) used before 1960, a random sample of male calves (n = 99), and cows (n = 129), the B-allele of $ beta$-LG was present at frequencies of 0.60, 0.52, 0.67, and 0.65, respectively. Statistical analysis of these data shows the frequency of the B-allele of $ kappa$-CN was significantly higher in sires (n = 27) which were used by the AI centre before 1960 compared to more modern proven sires (n = 68) (P $<$ 0.01).

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.56817
Date January 1992
CreatorsZhou, Jiang-Feng, 1964-
ContributorsZadworny, D. (advisor)
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageMaster of Science (Department of Animal Science.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001324001, proquestno: AAIMM87575, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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