Sequence analysis of the 3′UTR region of the myostatin gene in Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain sheep

T. Buslyk¹, M. Kozak¹, M. Yuzviak¹, Yu. Salyha¹, P. Stapay¹, A. Saienko², I.Trapina³, N. Paramonova³
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¹Institute of Animal Biology NAAS, 38 V. Stusa str., Lviv, 79034, Ukraine
2 Institute of Pig Breeding and Agrarian Sciences NAAS, 1 Shvedska Mohyla str., Poltava, 36013, Ukraine
3University of Latvia, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory of Genomics and Bioinformatics, 1 Jelgavas str., Riga, LV-1004, Latvia

Preservation and rational use of the sheep gene pool is a highly urgent issue in the development of sheep breeding. Modern methods of selection and breeding work enable the realisation of genetic potential for increased productivity and breeding value in farm animals. Preservation of the valuable gene pool of the Ukrainian Mountain Carpathian sheep breed should be carried out using scientifically based methods that allow for the protection of the breed’s valuable traits, such as high adaptive capacity to the conditions of the mountain region and the dairy and meat direction of productivity. The myostatin (MSTN) gene is considered as a marker for improving economically useful traits in livestock. The sequence of 1093 bp of the 3′-untranslated region (3′UTR) of the Ukrainian Mountain Carpathian sheep myostatin gene was analysed to search for potentially beneficial mutations in the gene. Several of eight known SNPs that are polymorphic in Latvian dark-head, Merinolandschaf, Ile de France, Texel, Charollais, Poll Dorset, White Suffolk, Lincoln, Kamieniec, Pomeranian, Colored Polish Merino were found to be monomorphic in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain breed. The following genotypes were identified: c.*707TT, c.*709AA, c.*874TT, c.*1098AA, c.*1232GG, c.*1267AA, c.*1316GG, c.*1489GG in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain breed. In conclusion, it should be noted that marker-associated selection of the 3′-untranslated region of the myostatin gene (3’UTR) is not suitable for Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain sheep due to the confirmed monomorphism of the studied SNPs in this region. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that it is important to continue studying other regions of the MSTN gene, including a larger number of animals and phenotype data. This will help to identify specific mutations within the gene that may serve as potential genetic markers for improving economically important traits in Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain sheep.

Key words: MSTN, myostatin, 3′UTR, Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain Sheep breed, sheep