title: Major genes and QTL influencing wool production and quality: a review.
abstract: The opportunity exists to utilise our knowledge of major genes that influence the economically important traits in wool sheep. Genes with Mendelian inheritance have been identified for many important traits in wool sheep. Of particular importance are genes influencing pigmentation, wool quality and the keratin proteins, the latter of which are important for the morphology of the wool fibre. Gene mapping studies have identified some chromosomal regions associated with variation in wool quality and production traits. The challenge now is to build on this knowledge base in a cost-effective way to deliver molecular tools that facilitate enhanced genetic improvement programs for wool sheep.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Livestock Industries, F.D. McMaster Laboratory, Chiswick Research Centre, Armidale, NSW Australia. ian.purvis@csiro.au
authors.forename: Ian William
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Purvis
authors.forename: Ian Robert
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D007633:Keratins / Q000235:genetics; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics*; D014935:Wool
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins