Frequencies of Genotypes and Alleles of the K232A Substitution in the DGAT1 Gene in Four Cattle Breeds of Russian Selection

Abstract

The enzyme DGAT1 is involved in the synthesis of triglycerides. The most well-known polymorphic variant of the DGAT1 gene is substitution of lysine with alanine at position 232 of the protein (K232A). The 232K allele is associated with increased enzyme activity and a higher content and yield of fat in milk. There is less data on the frequencies of alleles of this replacement in different breeds in literature. In our research work, we analyzed the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of the K232A substitution in the DGAT1 gene in 4 breeds of Russian selection: Black-and-white Holsteinized, Kalmyk, Ayshire and Angus. We demonstrated that the K allele is minor in the populations of the analyzed cattle breeds.