Association of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase á, lipoprotein lipase and fat acid synthase genes with milk parameters in Czech East Friesian breed

In the Czech Republic, ewe milk is mainly processed to cheese. Milk yield and composition are of great economic importance for daily sheep industry. Fat acid composition of milk is of great interest because of its implications for human health. More than 60% of the fatty acids in sheep's milk are saturated fatty acids (SFA). while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid (MUFA and PUFA) are present at much lower concentrations. Associations between polymorphism at 3 candidate genes and milk production traits in East Friesian sheep fanned in Czech Republic were investigated in present study Considered genes were acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α (ACACA), the major regulatory enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis; lipoprotein lipase (LPL). which play a central role in plasma triglyceride metabolism, and fat acid synthase (FASN) is the central enzyme of the de novo fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. Association analysis of the 214 observed animals, confirmed that genotypes (SNPs at position 1168A/G, 1330G/T, 1338C/G and 1430C/T) of ACACA locus were associated with observed milk parameters: milk yield, protein and fat content. Significant statistical a result was implied that locus LPL: genotype combination TTTTTT was associated only with milk yield. Allele T has positive effect on increasing milk yield. Locus FASN (SNP at position 257C/T) was associated only with protein content. The C allele has positive effect on increasing protein content. These results indicate that loci should be used for genetic improvement of East Friesian daiiy breed as well as local dairy sheep breeds for increasing milk production. This work was supported by the national Agency of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (NAZV) project no. QJ1310107.