Genetic variation in Australian Merino sheep |
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| Authors: | Y. M. Parsons D. W. Cooper L. R. Piper Y. M. Parsons D. W. Cooper |
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| Affiliation: | School Of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia;CRC for Premium Quality Wool, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Variation at 22 gene loci was investigated in a flock of Australian Merino sheep using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Polymorphism was observed at 20 loci, including loci for wool keratin, hormone and immunoglobulin light chain genes. Eleven loci yielded unambiguous genotypes suitable for population data analysis. Average heterozygosity, determined from these and two monomorphic loci, was estimated as 0.107 (SE = 0.024). Average heterozygosity excluding all monomorphic data was estimated as 0–377 (SE = 0.031), which is comparable with human RFLP heterozygosities for loci chosen in the same way that we selected sheep loci. |
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| Keywords: | heterozygosity genetic diversity RFLP keratins |
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