Heterogeneity and diversified distribution of αS2 casein variants in Indian goats

Abstract

There is growing interest in goat milk and its derivatives, whose quality is essential in light of contemporary dietary trends favouring healthy eating. Goat milk is used in nutraceutical and infant food products for various reasons, including its hypoallergenic properties. Casein gene variation influences milk content and the chemical, physical, and technical aspects of goat milk. In Capra hircus, there are twelve variants of αs2 casein protein reported to date. The present study aimed to identify the polymorphism of alpha s2 casein and their transcript variants in six Indian goat breeds. Along with three reported alleles (A, B, and C), seven new alleles (L, M, N, O, P, Q, and R) were found in the six native Indian breeds. Transcript variants due to the exon skipping phenomenon were found. The novel alleles: N, P, Q, and R also represented the deletion of exon 3, 13, 6 and 6, respectively. The largest exon (exon 16) of the CSN1S2 gene was screened in 140 goats, and only one new allele, ‘S’, was found. Altogether, eight novel alleles were found in Indian goats along with two types of transcript variants.