A.L.S. Azevedo, C.S. Nascimento, R.S. Steinberg, M.R.S. Carvalho, M.G.C.D. Peixoto, R.L.eodoro, R.S. Verneque, S.E.F. Guimarães, M.A. Machado
Published: July 15, 2008
Genet. Mol. Res. 7 (3) : 623-630
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/vol7-3gmr428

Cite this Article:
A.L.S. Azevedo, C.S. Nascimento, R.S. Steinberg, M.R.S. Carvalho, M.G.C.D. Peixoto, R.L. Teodoro, R.S. Verneque, S.E.F. Guimarães, M.A. Machado (2008). Genetic polymorphism of the kappa-casein gene in Brazilian cattle. Genet. Mol. Res. 7(3): 623-630. https://doi.org/10.4238/vol7-3gmr428

About the Authors
A.L.S. Azevedo, C.S. Nascimento, R.S. Steinberg, M.R.S. Carvalho, M.G.C.D. Peixoto, R.L.eodoro, R.S. Verneque, S.E.F. Guimarães, M.A. Machado

Corresponding Author
M.A. Machado
Email: machado@cnpgl.embrapa.br

ABSTRACT

Frequencies of κ-casein gene alleles were determined in 1316 animals from the Brazilian Bos indicus genetic groups (Sindhi cows, Gyr sires, Gyr cows, Guzerat sires, Guzerat cows, Nellore sires, and Gyr x Holstein crossbreds) by means of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using two independent restriction nucleases (Hinf I and HaeIII). The genotyping of κ-casein alleles (A and B) is of practical importance, since the B allele is found to correlate with commercially valuable parameters of cheese yielding efficiency. The frequencies of the B allele of κ-casein among breeds ranged from 0.01 to 0.30. The Sindhi breed had the highest frequency for the B allele (0.30), while the frequencies of this allele in other breeds ranged from 0.01 to 0.18. A wide variation in the B allele frequency among B. indicus breeds was found suggesting that molecular selection for animals carrying the B allele could impact breeding programs for dairy production

Key words: Candidate genes, Molecular markers, Zebu cattlecasein, κ-casein, κ-casein.