Cengiz Elmaci

Genetic Polymorphism of β-Lactoglobulin Gene in Native Turkish Sheep Breeds

The genetic polymorphism of the β-lactoglobulin gene was investigated in three native Turkish sheep breeds. The study was carried out on 108 sheep (29 Kıvırcık, 38 Gökçeada, and 41 Sakız) by means of PCR-RFLP methods. Two genetic variants (A and B) and three genotypes (AA, AB, and BB) of β-lactoglobulin have been identified. The gene frequencies of β-LG A and B were 0.7759 and 0.2241 in Kıvırcık, 0.7632 and 0.2368 in Gökçeada, and 0.9756 and 0.0244 in Sakız breeds, respectively. The populations were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in all samples from the three breeds.

RAPD Analysis of DNA Polymorphism in Turkish Sheep Breeds

The genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of 108 individual sheep from three Turkish sheep breeds (Kıvırcık, Gökçeada, and Sakız) were studied using RAPD analysis. Polymorphisms within and between populations were assayed using 15 random primers, and 82 loci were amplified ranging from 250 to 2,500xa0bp. The percentage of polymorphic loci was found to be 80.49, 78.05, and 73.17%, for Kıvırcık, Gökçeada, and Sakız sheep breeds, respectively. Total genetic diversity was 0.2265, and the average coefficient of genetic differentiation was 0.1181. Genetically, the Gökçeada breed was more closely related to the Sakız breed than to the Kıvırcık breed.

Investigation of the genetic diversity among native Turkish sheep breeds using mtDNA polymorphisms

A total of 135 unrelated sheep from nine Turkish native sheep breeds (Daglıc, Kivircik, Imroz, Chios, Morkaraman, Ivesi, Hemsin, Karayaka and Akkaraman) were investigated to determinate the maternal genetic diversity using a sequence of a 531-bp segment of the mtDNA control region. Analysis of the mtDNA control region sequence revealed 63 haplotypes and 53 polymorphic sites. Haplotype diversity, nucleotide diversity and the average number of nucleotide differences were estimated to be 0.9496u2009±u20090.011, 0.01407u2009±u20090.00060 and 7.456, respectively. The sequence analysis also revealed high level of genetic diversity among the native Turkish breeds. These breeds were grouped into three major maternal haplogroups: A, B and C, with one animal belonging from the Akkaraman breed to the rare haplogroup E. Irregular shape of mismatch distribution of haplogroup C could be an indicator that haplogroup C may represent different haplogroups. Contrarily to previous studies carried out on Turkish native breeds, majority of animals grouped in haplogroup A in the present study. This result and the irregular shape of mismatch curve of haplogroup C indicate that genetic structure of Turkish native sheep breeds could be more complicated than it is thought.

Prion protein gene (PrP) polymorphisms in healthy sheep in Turkey.

Scrapie, a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or prion disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease in sheep and goats. This disease has been known in Europe for more than 250 years. Susceptibility to scrapie is associated with polymorphisms in the sheep prion protein gene (PrP) gene. In sheep, polymorphism in the PrP gene has been identified at a number of codons, and polymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 have reported linkage with susceptibility to scrapie. Polymorphisms at the PrP locus were studied in 413 animals representing three native sheep breeds (Imroz, Chios and Kıvırcık) in Turkey. Genomic DNA was obtained from blood, and genotypes were screened using PCR and direct DNA sequencing. We report 17 genotypes derived from seven different alleles. The most frequent genotype in the Kıvırcık sheep is ARQ/ARQ, whereas the ARR/ARQ genotype is predominant in the Chios and Imroz breeds. In general, the ARQ haplotype was the predominant haplotype. ARQ haplotype was also predominant in the Kıvırcık and Chios sheep breeds, whereas the Imroz sheep predominantly had the ARR haplotype. The susceptibility-associated VRQ haplotype was found in 2.38%, 0.35% and 0.81% of the Imroz, Kıvırcık and Chios sheep, respectively. Moreover, seven additional polymorphisms have been detected at codons G127S, G127V, H143R, G145S, Y172D, N174Y and Q189L. Among these polymorphisms, the N174Y allele is a novel polymorphism, and the G145S allele is a novel allele for a known polymorphic locus.

Carbonic Anhydrase (Ca) and X-Protein(X-p) Types in Turkish Sheep Breeds

Abstract Camoglu, G. and Elmaci, C. 2005. Carbonic anhydrase (Ca) and X-protein (X-p) types in Turkish sheep breeds. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 28: 125–128. Carbonic anhydrase and X-protein types were analyzed by the method of starch gel electrophoresis in a total of 197 blood samples collected from both sexes of three Turkish sheep breeds. Carbonic anhydrase and X-protein loci were polymorphic in all breeds. The gene frequencies ranged from 0.881 to 0.974 and from 0.805 to 0.884 for CaS and x, respectively. Further, a very good agreement was found between the observed and expected carbonic anhydrase phenotypes.

β-Lactoglobulin Gene Types in Karacabey Merino Sheep Breeds Using PCR-RFLP

Abstract Elmaci, C., Oner, Y. and Balcioglu, M.S. 2007. (3-Lactoglobulin gene types in Karacabey Merino sheep breeds using PCR-RFLP. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 32: 145–148. The genetic polymorphism of the β-lactoglobulin gene was investigated in 43 sheep of Karacabey Merino breed of Turkey by polymerase chain reaction—restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP). Two genetic variants β-lgA and β-lgB were identified and the allelic frequencies were estimated as 0.7791 and 0.2209, respectively. It was concluded that the population was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Genetic Polymorphism of Some Blood Proteins in Saanen Goats

Abstract Elmaci, C., Oner, Y., Turkyilmaz, O. and Cetin, M. 2006. Genetic polymorphism of some blood proteins in Saanen goats. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 30: 113–116. Genetic variations of 4 protein loci (transferrin, haemoglobin, amylase and ceruloplasmin) in 70 Saanen goats from Balikesir province of Turkey were investigated by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Two loci, transferrin (Tf) and haemoglobin (Hb) were found to be polymorphic. Other loci amylase (Amy) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) did not show polymorphism. In all polymorphic loci, the observed genotype frequencies were not significantly different from those expected from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.