Genetic Diversity Research in the Population of the Kyrgyz Mountain Merino Using Microsatellite Loci

• Published in: Russian journal of genetics 2023, Vol.59 (1), p.73-79
• Main Authors: Isakova, Zh. T., Bekturov, A. B., Chortonbaeb, T. D., Kipen, V. N., Mukeeva, S. B., Shergaziev, U. A., Aitbaev, K. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Genetics; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Human Genetics; Microbial Genetics and Genomics
• ISSN: 1022-7954; 1608-3369
• DOI: 10.1134/S1022795423010064

The aim was to ascertain the genetic structure and diversity of Kyrgyz mountainous merino via microsatellite DNA markers. We analyzed DNA samples of 109 Kyrgyz mountainous merino specimens bred in three state breeding factories (STB), including Orgochor in the Issy-Kul Province, Katta-Taldyk in the Osh Province, and Luschikhin STB in the Talas Province. We identified 126 alleles in 12 microsatellite loci (McM042, INRA006, McM527, ETH152, CSRD247, OarFCB20, INRA172, INRA063, MAF065, MAF214, INRA005, INRA023). There were 6 to 16 alleles in each locus (mean 10.500 ± 0.957 alleles per locus). We identified 67 rare alleles (prevalence less than 5.0%), which constituted 53.2% of all alleles found. The greatest number of alleles were found in the INRA023 (12 alleles), INRA005 (13 alleles), OarFCB20 and INRA063 (14 in each), and CSRD247 (16 alleles) autosomal loci. On the basis of the mean number per locus ( N a = 10.500 ± 0.957), the number of effective alleles ( N e = 4.556 ± 0.394), and the observed ( H o = 0.731 ± 0.023) and expected ( H e = 0.761 ± 0.021) heterozygosity, we conclude high genetic diversity of the selected sheep sample attributed to Kyrgyz mountainous merino and its significant genetic potential.