Bai Lingrong, Zhou Huitong, Tao Jinzhong, Yang Guo, Hickford Jon G H
International Wool Research Institute, Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Gene-Marker Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Aug 1;15(15):2265. doi: 10.3390/ani15152265.
Wool has distinctive biological, physical, and chemical properties that contribute to its value both for the sheep and in global fibre and textile markets. Its fibres are primarily composed of proteins, principally keratin and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs). To better comprehend the genes that underpin key wool traits, this study examined the keratin-associated protein 36-1 gene () in Chinese Tan lambs. We identified three previously reported alleles of the gene (named , and ) that were present in the lambs studied, with genotype frequencies as follows: 2.0% ( = 5; ), 6.9% ( = 17; ), 13.8% ( = 34; ), 8.9% ( = 22; ), 33.4% ( = 82; ) and 35.0% ( = 86; ). The frequencies of the individual alleles in the Chinese Tan lambs were 12.4%, 29.1% and 58.5% for alleles , and , respectively. The three alleles were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. In an association analysis, it was revealed that allele was associated with variation in the mean fibre curvature of the fine wool of the Chinese Tan lambs, but this association was not observed in their heterotypic hair fibres. This finding suggests that might be differentially expressed in the wool follicles that produce the two fibre types, and that along with other genes, it may be involved in determining fibre curvature and the distinctive curly coat of the lambs.
羊毛具有独特的生物学、物理和化学特性，这使其对绵羊以及在全球纤维和纺织市场中都具有价值。其纤维主要由蛋白质组成，主要是角蛋白和角蛋白相关蛋白（KAPs）。为了更好地理解构成关键羊毛特性的基因，本研究检测了中国滩羊羔羊中的角蛋白相关蛋白36 - 1基因（）。我们鉴定出该基因先前报道的三个等位基因（命名为、和）存在于所研究的羔羊中，基因型频率如下：2.0%（= 5；）、6.9%（= 17；）、13.8%（= 34；）、8.9%（= 22；）、33.4%（= 82；）和35.0%（= 86；）。中国滩羊羔羊中各等位基因的频率分别为：等位基因12.4%、29.1%和58.5%。这三个等位基因处于哈迪 - 温伯格平衡。在关联分析中发现，等位基因与中国滩羊羔羊细羊毛平均纤维曲率的变化相关，但在其异型毛纤维中未观察到这种关联。这一发现表明，可能在产生两种纤维类型的毛囊中差异表达，并且与其他基因一起，可能参与决定纤维曲率和羔羊独特的卷曲被毛。
