An MspI PCR-RFLP detecting a single nucleotide polymorphism at alpha-lactalbumin gene in goat

Alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA, LALBA) was strongly correlated with the nutritional value and the functional properties of whey and whey products. However, there are not many studies of goat LALBA gene and its polymorphisms in literary sources. In this paper, on the basis of PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing, one M63868:g.1897T>C mutation in exon 3 at LALBA locus identified a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP): p.L100P of the LALBA protein, which could be detected by MspI endonuclease. Hence, we described a method based on MspI PCR-RFLP for SNP detection at the LALBA locus in 801 goats of China. Frequencies of goat LALBA-A2 allele varied from 0.000 to 0.024 in Chinese populations. Gene heterozygosity, effective allele numbers and PIC (Polymorphism Information Content) of goat LALBA locus in Chinese populations varied from 0.000 to 0.0472, 1.000 to 1.0496, 0.000 to 0.0461, respectively, which were lower values than in Italian populations. Therefore, we considered that the low frequency of LALBA-A2 allele at goat LALBA gene possibly characterized Chinese native breeds. Moreover, Chinese native populations demonstrated poorer polymorphism at goat LALBA locus than Italian populations.