White coat color in Vietnamese native buffalo is attributed to the LINE1 insertion in ASIP.

Abstract

The coat color of the swamp buffalo is commonly dark gray, while the white coat color variant, which may have potential heat stress advantages, is also present in some Asian countries, including Vietnam. This study analyzed the most likely candidate genes, ASIP and TYR, responsible for the white coat color of Vietnamese native buffaloes. We found that LINE1 insertion in ASIP, a mutation previously reported in white swamp buffalo from other Asian countries, was exclusively found in white Vietnamese buffalo. Moreover, significantly higher expression of ASIP was confirmed in the hair follicles of white buffalo. On the other hand, no variants associated with the white phenotype were found in TYR. These findings indicate that the LINE1 insertion in ASIP is responsible for the white coat color in Vietnamese native buffalo, and that provides a crucial step towards their utilization and improved productivity in Vietnam.