Genotyping of “Ukrainian” water buffaloes according β-CN (A2-milk), CSN3 and βLG genes

Buffalo breeding in Ukraine is an ancient traditional branch of animal husbandry of the Crimean Tatars and Rusyns of Transcarpathia. Basically, "Ukrainian" buffaloes belong to the river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and are bred for dairy and meat production. Polymorphism of genes associated with dairy productivity will allow breeding buffaloes taking into account the “desired” genotypes in relation to economically useful traits. The paper dwells on studying allelic polymorphisms of beta-casein (β-CN), kappa-casein (CSN3) and beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) genes in population of water buffaloes bred in Ukraine using PCR followed by restriction hydrolysis of the formed fragments (PCR-RFLP). Results of study of the “Ukrainian” population of water buffaloes are discussed, namely: the frequency of genotypes and alleles at the loci of beta-casein, kappa-casein and beta-lactoglobulin genes. Amplified fragment β-CN with the length of 121 bp was digested with DdeI restriction enzyme. A feature of the allelic spectrum of the beta-casein gene (β-CN) in the studied population was absence of A1 allele. All animals carried the β-CNA2A2 genotype of beta-casein gene, respectively, β-CNA2 allele frequency was 1.0. For the CSN3 gene, an amplified fragment in 273 bp was digested with HinfI restriction enzyme. A 100% predominance of animals with the most preferred homozygous CSN3BB genotype was revealed. During the β-LG gene study process, an amplified fragment with a size of 247 bp was digested with HaeIII. It has been determined that the most frequent was allele βLGA and genotype βLGAA of beta-lactoglobulin gene (0.96 and 0.92, respectively). Heterozygous β-LGAB genotype is present in 8 % of buffaloes. The research results are of interest in the field of molecular genetic analysis of the buffalo genome, which are the source of specific properties. The data obtained can be useful for preserving and increasing the genetic diversity of the “Ukrainian” population of water buffaloes, as well as for obtaining valuable products from buffaloes.