Abstract

Myostatin, a transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) super family member, has been well documented as a negative regulator of muscle growth and development. Myostatin with 376 amino acids is synthesized as a precursor protein. In this study, polymorphism of myostatin gene in Iranian 'Makoei' sheep breeds was investigated by polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism technique (PCR–SSCP). Genomic DNA was isolated from the blood of 92 sheep. A 417 bp myostatin intron 1 segment was amplified by standard PCR, using the locus specific primers. Four different SSCP patterns, representing four different genotypes, were identified. The frequencies of the observed genotypes were 0.413, 0.293, 0.130, and 0.163 for AD, AC, AE, and BC, respectively. Allele frequencies were 0.4185, 0.0815, 0.2283, 0.2065 and 0.0652 for A, B, C, D and E. Observed heterozygosity (Hobs) value was 0.7192. The chi-square test showed significant (P<0.05) deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for this locus in studied population.

Key words: Myostatin gene, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single strand conformation polymorphism technique (SSCP), Ovis aries.