Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society, cilt.74, sa.1, ss.5449-5456, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Polymorphic information on native gene resources determined by molecular methods can play a leading role in breeding future new breeds. The myostatin gene, an important gene in sheep breeding, has a polymorphism in the third exon. The present research aimed to investigate the polymorphic structures of the myostatin (MSTN) gene locus in indigenous Morkaraman sheep and reveal the distribution of genotype and allele frequencies. The MSTN/ Hae III gene polymorphisms were detected in the DNA that was isolated from blood samples collected from 262 Morkaraman sheep utilized in the research by employing the PCR-RFLP method. The Hardy-Weinberg genetic balance test showed that the distribution of genotype frequencies was not balanced (P<0.01) in the studied population. The MM, Mm, and mm genotype frequencies of the MSTN gene in the population were determined as 11.1%, 62.6%, and 26.3%, respectively, whereas the frequencies of the M and m allele were 0.42 and 0.58, respectively. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) calculated for MSTN in the whole population was significantly higher than the expected heterozygosity (He) values. The PIC values of the studied population showed a moderate polymorphism with an average of 0.37. While the FIS value was found as -0.312, the FIT value was determined as -0.303. The genotype and allele frequencies found with regard to the MSTN gene polymorphism were sufficient in order to reveal the breed’s genotype diversity.