Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T02:47:38.569Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Merino sheep: a further look at quantitative trait loci for wool production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2010

D. L. Roldan*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Genética CICVyA-INTA Castelar, cc 1712, Buenos Aires, Argentina
A. M. Dodero
Affiliation:
Instituto de Genética CICVyA-INTA Castelar, cc 1712, Buenos Aires, Argentina
F. Bidinost
Affiliation:
INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche, cc 277, 8400-San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
H. R. Taddeo
Affiliation:
INTA, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche, cc 277, 8400-San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
D. Allain
Affiliation:
INRA-SAGA Auzeville, B.P. 52627; 31326 Castanet Tolosan Cedex, France
M. A. Poli
Affiliation:
Instituto de Genética CICVyA-INTA Castelar, cc 1712, Buenos Aires, Argentina
J. M. Elsen
Affiliation:
INRA-SAGA Auzeville, B.P. 52627; 31326 Castanet Tolosan Cedex, France
Get access

Abstract

A quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of wool traits from experimental half-sib data of Merino sheep is presented. A total of 617 animals distributed in 10 families were genotyped for 36 microsatellite markers on four ovine chromosomes OAR1, OAR3, OAR4 and OAR11. The markers covering OAR3 and OAR11 were densely spaced, at an average distance of 2.8 and 1.2 cM, respectively. Body weight and wool traits were measured at first and second shearing. Analyses were conducted under three hypotheses: (i) a single QTL controlling a single trait (for multimarker regression models); (ii) two linked QTLs controlling a single trait (using maximum likelihood techniques) and (iii) a single QTL controlling more than one trait (also using maximum likelihood techniques). One QTL was identified for several wool traits on OAR1 (average curvature of fibre at first and second shearing, and clean wool yield measured at second shearing) and on OAR11 (weight and staple strength at first shearing, and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter at second shearing). In addition, one QTL was detected on OAR4 affecting weight measured at second shearing. The results of the single trait method and the two-QTL hypotheses showed an additional QTL segregating on OAR11 (for greasy fleece weight at first shearing and clean wool yield trait at second shearing). Pleiotropic QTLs (controlling more than one trait) were found on OAR1 (clean wool yield, average curvature of fibre, clean and greasy fleece weightand staple length, all measured at second shearing).

Type
Full Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adelson, A, Cam, G, DeSilva, U, Franklin, I 2004. Gene expression in sheep skin and wool (hair). Genomics 83, 95105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Allain, D, Lantier, I, Elsen, JM, Frans, D, Brunel, JC, Weis-becker, JL, Schibler, L, Vaiman, D, Cribiu, E, Gautier, A, Berthon, P, Lantier, F 1998. A design aiming at detecting QTL controlling wool traits and other traits in the INRA 401 sheep line. In Proceedings of the 6th World Congress Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 26, pp. 51–54.Google Scholar
Allain, D, Schibler, L, Mura, L, Barillet, F, Sechi, T, Rupp, R, Casu, S, Cribiu, E, Carta, A 2006. QTL detection with DNA markers for wool traits in a sheep backcross Sarda x Lacaune resource population. In Proceedings of the 8th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production. Communication 05–07.Google Scholar
Baret, P, Knott, S, Visscher, P 1998. On the use of linear regression and maximum likelihood for QTL mapping in half-sib designs. Genetic Research Cambridge 72, 149158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bidinost, F, Roldan, D, Dodero, A, Cano, E, Taddeo, H, Mueller, J, Poli, M 2008. Wool quantitative trait loci in Merino sheep. Small Ruminant Research 74, 113118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Churchill, G, Doerge, R 1994. Empirical threshold values for quantitative trait mapping. Genetics 138, 963971.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elsen, J-M, Briggite, M, Goffinet, B, Boichard, D, Le Roy, P 1999. Alternative models for QTL detection in livestock. I General introduction. Genetics Selection Evolution 31, 213224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, H, Le Roy, P 2003. Comparison of three multitrait methods for QTL detection. Genetic Selection Evolution 35, 281304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, H, Le Roy, P 2007. Methods for the detection of multiple linked QTL applied to a mixture of full and half sib families. Genetic Selection Evolution 39, 139158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haley, C, Knott, S 1992. A simple regression method for mapping quantitative trait loci in line crosses using flanking markers. Heredity 69, 315324.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harville, DA 1974. Bayesian inference for variance components using only error contrasts. Biometrika 61, 383385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henry, H, Doods, K, Wuliji, T, Jenkis, Z, Beattie, A, Montgomery, G 1998. A genome screen for QTL for wool traits in a Merino x Romney backcross flock. In Proceeding of the 6th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 24, pp. 434–436.Google Scholar
Knott, S 2005. Regression-based quantitative trait loci mapping: robust, efficient and effective. Philosophical Transactions Royal Society Biological Science 360, 14351442.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knott, SA, Haley, CS 2000. Multiple least squares for quantitative trait loci detection. Genetics 156, 899911.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knott, S, Elsen, J-M, Haley, C 1996. Methods for multiple marker mapping of quantitative trait loci in half-sibs populations. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 93, 7180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lander, E, Botstein, D 1989. Mapping mendelian factors underlying quantitative traits using RFLP linkage maps. Genetics 121, 185199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Roy, P, Elsen, J-M 1995. Numerical comparison between powers of maximum likelihood and analysis of variance methods for QTL detection in progeny test designs: the case of monogenic inheritance. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 90, 6572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lynch, M, Walsh, B 1998. Genetics and analysis of quantitative traits. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, USA.Google Scholar
McLaren, R, Rogers, G, Davies, K, Maddox, J, Montgomery, G 1997. Linkage mapping of wool keratin and keratin associated proteins genes in sheep. Mammalian Genome 8, 938940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parsons, YM, Cooper, DW, Piper, LR 1994. Evidence of linkage between high-glycine-tyrosine keratin gene loci and wool fibre diameter in a Merino half-sib family. Animal Genetics 25, 105108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ponz, R, Moreno, C, Allain, D, Elsen, JM, Lantier, F, Lantier, I, Brunel, JC, Perez-Enciso, M 2001. Assessment of genetic variation explained by markers for wool traits in sheep via a segment mapping approach. Mammalian Genome 12, 569572.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purvis, I, Franklin, I 2005. Major genes and QTL influencing wool production and quality: a review. Genetic Selection Evolution 37, S97S107.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rogers, G, Hickford, J, Bickerstaffe, R 1994. A potential QTL for wool strength located on ovine chromosome 11. In Proceedings of the 5th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 21, pp. 291–294.Google Scholar
Ronin, YI, Kirzhner, VM, Korol, AB 1995. Linkage between loci of quantitative traits and marker loci: multitrait analysis with a single marker. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 90, 776786.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seaton, G, Haley, C, Knott, S, Kearsey, M, Visscher, P 2002. QTL Express: mapping quantitative trait loci in simple and complex pedigrees. Bioinformatics 18, 339340.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Visscher, P, Thompson, R, Haley, C 1996. Confidence intervals in QTL mapping by boostrapping. Genetics 143, 10131020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weller, JI, Wiggans, GR, VanRaden, PM, Ron, M 1996. Application of a canonical transformation to detection of quantitative trait loci with the aid of genetic markers in a multi-trait experiment. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 92, 9981002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zeng, Z 1994. Precision mapping of quantitative trait loci. Genetics 136, 14571468.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed