Contrasting pattern of allelic variation in heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1), a major candidate gene regulating heat stress response across Indian native (Bos indicus), crossbred and exotic (Bos taurus) cattle

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency distribution of selected SNPs in heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) gene across indigenous, exotic and crossbred cattle. For this study, a total of 1594 genomic DNA samples of 15 Indian native cattle breeds; 2 exotic (Holstein Friesian and Jersey); and 1 crossbred cattle (Karan Fries) were screened for 2 SNPs at locus 909 in intron 3 and locus 4693 in 3'-UTR. The digestion of 129bp product corresponding to 909 locus revealed 3 different genotypes CC (129bp), TC (129bp, 88bp and 41bp) and TT (88bp and 41bp). The allele C was predominant in all the native cattle with frequency of 0.935, whereas the frequency of allele C in Holstein Friesian (HF) and Karan Fries (KF) was 0.463 and 0.503 respectively. The restriction digestion of 287bp amplicon corresponding to 4693 locus revealed 3 different genotypes GG (178bp, 61bp, 41bp and 7bp), GT (178bp, 68bp, 61bp, 41bp and 7bp) and TT (178bp, 68bp and 41bp). The allele T was predominant in all indigenous cattle and Jersey with frequency of 0.744 and 0.643, respectively. However, in HF and KF cattle, allele G was predominant with frequency 0.563 and 0.545, respectively. The data suggested sequence variability in HSF-1 gene and such genetic variation might be playing crucial role during heat stress response in diferent cattle populations.