Yasemin Oner

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.

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 0.9496 ± 0.011, 0.01407 ± 0.00060 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.

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 diversity of Kivircik sheep breed reared in different regions and its relationship with other sheep breeds in Turkey

In this study, animals from the Kıvırcık breed of sheep and two closely related breeds (Pırlak and Karacabey Merino) were analysed by using 15 microsatellite markers to evaluate the genetic diversity within the Kıvırcık breed and to elucidate its relationship with the other two breeds. A total of 244 alleles were detected on all of the 15 microsatellite loci studied. While the Kıvırcık population of sheep showed a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) for all 15 loci, both the Pırlak and Karacabey Merino breeds showed a significant deviation from the HWE for 10 loci. The mean observed heterozygosity and FIS exhibited ranges of 0.63 to 0.72 and 0.0672 to 0.2139, respectively. The highest mean number of alleles value and the greatest number of private alleles were observed in the Kıvırcık population. While microsatellite analysis revealed high genetic diversity in breeds investigated, a high level of inbreeding was also observed between different Kıvırcık populations and other two breeds. The genetic differentiation between breeds was found to below. The Kıvırcık from Istanbul and Bursa were the most closely related genetically, while the Kıvırcık from Manisa differed from the other populations. In addition, the Karacabey Merino and Pırlak breeds grouped together.

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.