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Short Communication: The β-Casein (CSN2) Silent Allele C1 Is Highly Spread in Goat Breeds

S. Chessa^*, D. Rignanese^*, J. Küpper, G. Pagnacco^*, G. Erhardt and A. Caroli

^* Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Veterinarie per la Sicurezza Alimentare, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Trentacoste 2, Milano, 20134 Italy
Institut für Tierzucht und Haustiergenetik, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Ludwigstr. 21 b, 35390 Gieβen, Germany
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia, 25123 Italy

¹ Corresponding author: stefania.chessa{at}unimi.it

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in the goat milk casein genes, most of them modifying the amino acid sequence of the coded protein. At least 9 variants have been found in goat β-CN (CSN2); 6 of them were characterized at the DNA level (A, A1, C, E, 0, and 0'), whereas the other 3 variants were described only at the protein level. The recently identified silent A1 allele is characterized by a CT transition at the 180th nucleotide of the ninth exon. In the present work, typing results from different breeds (3 Italian, 3 German, and a composite of African breeds for a total of 335 samples) demonstrated that the same mutation is carried by the CSN2*C allele. In addition, the T nucleotide at the 180th nucleotide of the ninth exon was always associated with CSN2*C in all the breeds analyzed. Thus, another silent allele occurs at goat CSN2 and can be named CSN2*C1. The much wider distribution of C1 with respect to the A1 allele indicates that the single nucleotide polymorphisms characterizing the silent mutation originated from CSN2*C. A method for the identification of this allele simultaneously with 5 of the 6 DNA-characterized alleles is also proposed. The mutation involved codifies for the same protein of the C allele; nevertheless, its location in the 3' untranslated region of the gene might affect the specific casein expression.

Key Words: β-casein • goat • genetic polymorphism • 3' untranslated region

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. M. Caroli, S. Chessa, and G. J. Erhardt Invited review: Milk protein polymorphisms in cattle: Effect on animal breeding and human nutrition J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2009; 92(11): 5335 - 5352. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]