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Variation of DRB1 Gene in Tibetan Sheep



Author(s)

Li Shaobin, Luo Yuzhu, Hu Jiang, Wang Jiqing, Liu Xiu and Yan Wei

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7391/2015.06.001

It reveals that the MHC (major histocompatibility complex) gene product always involved in the control of immune
response and disease resistance. Nowadays many studies have indicated the OLA (ovine lymphocyte antigen) DRB1 gene is associated with some sheep diseases. Tibetan sheep is one of the three major shag sheep breeds in China, and also have the largest number of China’s sheep breeds. But till now no report has been seen on studying DRB1 gene in Tibetan sheep of China. To understand the evolution and provide the basis for sheep disease resistance, polymorphism in the exon2 of DRB1 gene in Tibetan sheep was analyzed. The PCR-SSCP, cloning and sequencing were used to analyse DRB1 gene variation in 600 Tibetan sheep of China. And the genetic relationship and evolutionary significance of the alleles had also been analyzed. Total of 31 alleles were identified, in which 15 alleles had not been reported before. And there were 70 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) sites in 31 sheep DRB1 gene haplotypes, the proportion was 29.5% to the whole exon2 sequence. All of this indicated that DRB1 exon2 is highly polymorphic in
Tibetan sheep. The variation identified here might have an impact on both the function and level of expression of the OLA-DRB1.

Tibetan sheep, PCR-SSCP, DRB1 gene, polymorphism, genetic variation