Genetic Characterization of Indigenous Sudanese Cattle Using FSHR and LHR Genes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the two polymorphisms located in the receptor of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSHR) and Luteinizing Hormone (LHR). One hundred and sixteen blood samples were collected from three native Sudanese dairy ecotypes. The studied samples include 32, 34 and 50 cows from Butana, Kenana and Erashy cattle types, respectively. The DNA was extracted following standard methods. The purified DNA was subjected to PCR-RFLP techniques to identify polymorphisms of the FSHR and LHR genes in the three Sudanese cattle ecotypes. The amplified fragments of FSHR (306 bp) were digested with restriction enzymes ALu resulting in 243 and 63 bp fragments. At exon10in the FSHR gene, all genotyped cows in the investigated native Sudanese population were homozygous for AA genotype. The restriction endonuclease Hhal allowed the identification of three genotypes of the LHR gene at exon 11 among the different cattle ecotypes: The TT, CT and the CC genotypes. The observed genotypic frequencies for LHR gene in Kenana were 33.3% for TT, 41.7% for CT and 25% for CC genotypes. In Butana cows, the frequencies were 18.7 for TT, 50% for CT and 31.3% for CC. In Erashy cattle the frequencies were 33.3% for TT, 50% for CT and 16.7% for CC. It was concluded that the allele of FSHR gene among the tested animals of Kenana, Butana and Erashy is monomorphic while the LHR allele is polymorphic.