Protein polymorphisms and coagulation properties of Cilentana goat milk

The study was carried out on 86 ‘Cilentana’ goats, distributed in four herds. Milk samples were collected during morning and evening milking, and pH, dry matter, fat, protein and lactose percentage as well as the lactodynamometric profile were detected to determine enzymatic phase duration, coagulation speed and curd consistency. Polymorphism of the s1-casein protein was detected. Four alleles (designated A, B, E and F) and nine genotypes were detected. The association of these nine genotypes with chemical composition and lactodynamometric characteristics was investigated. The BF genotype was the most frequent (35.5 %), followed by EE (15.1 %) and AF and BB (10.4%). The F allele showed the highest frequency and it negatively influenced cheesemaking as it was associated with a low s1-casein content. Goats with the AB genotype produced milk with higher dry matter, protein and fat content compared with the FF genotype. Moreover, milk from the AB genotype has a lower enzymatic phase duration and a higher coagulation speed than the BB genotype. Curd consistency is higher for milk from the AA genotype, when compared with the EF genotype. All the chemical and lactodynamometric characteristics varied with herd and months of control; furthermore, the milk obtained from morning milking showed better coagulation properties

A first comparative map of copy number variations in the sheep genome

We carried out a cross species cattle–sheep array comparative genome hybridization experiment to identify copy number variations (CNVs) in the sheep genome analysing ewes of Italian dairy or dual-purpose breeds (Bagnolese, Comisana, Laticauda, Massese, Sarda, and Valle del Belice) using a tiling oligonucleotide array with ~385,000 probes designed on the bovine genome. We identified 135 CNV regions (CNVRs; 24 reported in more than one animal) covering ~10.5 Mb of the virtual sheep genome referred to the bovine genome (0.398%) with a mean and a median equal to 77.6 and 55.9 kb, respectively. A comparative analysis between the identified sheep CNVRs and those reported in cattle and goat genomes indicated that overlaps between sheep and both other species CNVRs are highly significant (Pb0.0001), suggesting that several chromosome regions might contain recurrent interspecies CNVRs. Many sheep CNVRs include genes with important biological functions. Further studies are needed to evaluate their functional relevance

Evaluation of muscle fiber morphometry in buffalo

E' stato studiato il profilo istologico di alcuni muscoli della Bufala Mediterranea italian

‘Nero Lucano’ pig ancient autochthonous genetic type (AAGT): Genetic characterization by microsatellite analysis preliminary results.

The recovery of AAGTs represents an example of integration between environmental and productive goals. The aim of this study was to privide, by means of typification of 41 subjects to 19 microsatellite loci, a first contribution to the knowledge of the genetic variability of 'Nero Lucano', whose origins could go back to the ancient pig present in Lucania region (Italy). The results, within the limits of the observation filed, evidenced an average allele number per locus equal to 3,2±0,89 (c.v. = 28 %) ranging from 5.0 for SW 2038 locus and 1 for SO 386 locus; on the contrary, the latter locus is polymorphic in other 12 AAGTs (2-9) alleles). The mean observed and expected heterozygosity were 49,13 ± 22,44 (c.v. = 46 %) and 47,86 ± 18,02 (c.v. = 38 %), respectively. These preliminary results must be confirmed by increasing sampling. Indeed, monomorphism of SO 386 locus might be used for genetic discrimination of meat and its. products