Abstract

Effects of C-kit mutations on coat color has been reported in human, pig and mouse, little is known about it in goat. In this paper, a total of 22472 bp of goat c-Kit gene sequence (HM130675) was determined and 20 variable sites were detected, of which only one (g.40545G>A) existed in exon 16 resulting in p.Gly763Glu, the others all existed in introns. The variation of g.40545G>A and g.35818_35819insTCTC was analyzed in different goat populations with different coat color. The results showed that allele A at g.40545G>A and T at g.35818_35819insTCTC was favour of white, while allele G at g.40545G>A and C atg.35818_35819insTCTC was favour of darker coat color. Haplotype AT and GC have close relationship with white coat color and dark coat color, respectively. The phylogenetic relationship of populations not only reflacts breed forming history, but also basically was consistent with the coat color variation. Higher deficiency of heterozygotes existed in Liaoning Cashmere Goat, Leizhou Black Goat at g.40545G>A andg.35818_35819insTCTC, indicating their high inbreeding coefficients within populations.

Key words: c-Kit, goat population, coat color, variation.