Abstract
In the early 1980s, by the determination of the Boorola gene (FecB) in Booroola sheep with high ovulation rate, there has been a great interest for identification of genes that are responsible for prolificacy and their use in breeding programs. The mutation occurred in Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), Bone morphogenetic protein-1B (BMPR-1B) and Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) genes have been found to increase the ovulation rate. Additionally some others gene are known to exist based on expressed inheritance patterns although the location of mutations has yet to be found. In the BMP15 gene, with almost the same phenotypic expression eight distinct mutations have been recognized, among them Hanna (FecXH) and Inverdale (FecXI) were identified first in Romney sheep in New Zealand. X-linked dominant genes with sterility in homozygous females are the modes of inheritance of the BMP15 gene. A total of 88 prolific Awassi sheep were screened for the presence of the FecXI mutation in the BMP15 gene and FecXI mutation was not found in any of the sheep tested.
Highlights
The fact that first time some genes or mutations could be related to the reproductive characteristics of sheep have been started to study with the identification of the Boorala gene in Boorola sheep in the early 1980s
Exploration in 21 different high prolific sheep breeds and strains from 13 countries revealed that the reason for their large litter size is unrelated to the FecXI mutation in the Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) gene (Davis et al, 2006)
The FecXI mutation has no effect on the prolificacy of Turkish Awassi sheep were used in this study
Summary
The fact that first time some genes or mutations could be related to the reproductive characteristics of sheep have been started to study with the identification of the Boorala gene in Boorola sheep in the early 1980s. Mutations in the genes of superfamily ovary-derived transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) considerably enhance the rate of ovulation in sheep (Davis, 2005). They are BMP15, BMPR-1B and GDF9 genes, which code for proteins that are important growth factors and receptors in ovarian follicular growth (Pramod et al, 2013). The effects of these mutations are dominant in nature the heterozygous state is sufficient to express as phenotype (Jansson, 2014). Eight distinct mutations (Inverdale, Galway, Belclare, Hanna, Lacaune, Aragonesa, Grivette, Rasa and Olkuska) have been reported in the BMP15 gene in various sheep breeds differ slightly in type and effect (Jansson, 2014)
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