Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations
The aim of this study was to determine if any correlation exists between MC1R polymorphisms, and skin and fibre colour in alpacas. Primers capable of amplifying the entire alpaca MC1R were designed from a comparative alignment of Bos taurus and Mus musculus MC1R gene sequences. The complete MC1R of...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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CSIRO Publishing
2009
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32070 |
| _version_ | 1848753560214306816 |
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| author | Feeley, Natasha Munyard, Kylie |
| author_facet | Feeley, Natasha Munyard, Kylie |
| author_sort | Feeley, Natasha |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The aim of this study was to determine if any correlation exists between MC1R polymorphisms, and skin and fibre colour in alpacas. Primers capable of amplifying the entire alpaca MC1R were designed from a comparative alignment of Bos taurus and Mus musculus MC1R gene sequences. The complete MC1R of 36 alpacas exhibiting a range of fibre colours, and which were sourced from farms across Australia, was sequenced from PCR products. Twenty one single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified within MC1R. Two of these polymorphisms (A82G and C901T) have the potential to reduce eumelanin production by disrupting the activity of MC1R. No agreement was observed between fibre colour alone, and MC1R genotype in the 36 animals in this study. However, when the animals were assigned to groups based on the presence or absence of eumelanin in their fibre and skin; only animals that had at least one allele with the A82/ C901 combination expressed eumelanin. We propose that A82/ C901 is the wildtype dominant 'E' MC1R allele, while alpacas with either G82/ T901 or G82/ Y901 are homozygous for the recessive 'e' MC1R allele and are therefore unable to produce eumelanin. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:26:27Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-32070 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:26:27Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| publisher | CSIRO Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-320702017-09-13T15:55:36Z Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations Feeley, Natasha Munyard, Kylie colour polymorphism MC1R alpaca The aim of this study was to determine if any correlation exists between MC1R polymorphisms, and skin and fibre colour in alpacas. Primers capable of amplifying the entire alpaca MC1R were designed from a comparative alignment of Bos taurus and Mus musculus MC1R gene sequences. The complete MC1R of 36 alpacas exhibiting a range of fibre colours, and which were sourced from farms across Australia, was sequenced from PCR products. Twenty one single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified within MC1R. Two of these polymorphisms (A82G and C901T) have the potential to reduce eumelanin production by disrupting the activity of MC1R. No agreement was observed between fibre colour alone, and MC1R genotype in the 36 animals in this study. However, when the animals were assigned to groups based on the presence or absence of eumelanin in their fibre and skin; only animals that had at least one allele with the A82/ C901 combination expressed eumelanin. We propose that A82/ C901 is the wildtype dominant 'E' MC1R allele, while alpacas with either G82/ T901 or G82/ Y901 are homozygous for the recessive 'e' MC1R allele and are therefore unable to produce eumelanin. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32070 10.1071/AN09005 CSIRO Publishing fulltext |
| spellingShingle | colour polymorphism MC1R alpaca Feeley, Natasha Munyard, Kylie Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title | Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title_full | Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title_fullStr | Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title_short | Characterisation of the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene in Alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| title_sort | characterisation of the melanocortin 1 receptor gene in alpaca and identification of possible markers associated with phenotypic variations |
| topic | colour polymorphism MC1R alpaca |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32070 |