title: Evaluation of genetic variability within PrP genotyped sheep of endangered Italian Altamurana breed.
abstract: In the last few decades, there has been increased awareness of preservation and exploitation of endangered breeds for the maintenance of biodiversity, as well as the concern for diseases in sheep breeding. This study was carried out in native endangered Altamurana dairy sheep breed from Southern Italy. The Altamurana breed was considered as two populations (Alt-Cav and Alt-Cra-Zoe), based on presumed cross-breed and remarkable differences in the PrP genotypes frequencies. The genetic diversity between the two Altamurana populations (Alt-Cav and Alt-Cra-Zoe) was evaluated in comparison to three Italian dairy breeds through fourteen microsatellite markers. Both measures of genetic distance and the population structure analysis highlighted that the Alt-Cav and Alt-Cra-Zoe sheep have a particular genetic background. The estimated fixation index (FST) and the genetic Nei's distances among the populations showed a higher level of genetic differentiation for Alt-Cav than Alt-Cra-Zoe. The Bayesian clustering analysis implemented in the STRUCTURE software showed clear and distinct clusters for the two Altamurana populations, confirming the hypothesis of Alt-Cav as a genetic group well differentiated from Alt-Cra-Zoe. Alt-Cav likely can be considered as belonging to the original strain of the Altamurana breed. This findings may be used to assist the programme for conservation and selection of scrapie resistance genotypes in endangered Altamurana sheep breed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Scienze Agro-Ambientali e Territoriali, University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martemucci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zootechnics, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy; AIA-LGS Associazione Italiana Allevatori-Laboratorio di Genetica e Servizi, Via Bergamo 292, 26100 Cremona, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iamartino
authors.affiliation: AIA-DQA Associazione Italiana Allevatori-Dipartimento Qualità Agroalimentare, Via Tomassetti 9, 00161 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.affiliation: Department of DETO, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari, Valenzano 70010, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selvaggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Scienze Agro-Ambientali e Territoriali, University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: angelagabriella.dalessandro@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Angela Gabriella
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D003612:Dairying; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012608:Scrapie / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011328:Prions
keywords: Genetic resources; Genetic variability; Microsatellite markers; Sheep