Association of <scp>CXCR1</scp> Gene Polymorphism With Clinical Mastitis and Performance Traits in Murrah Buffalo

This study revealed the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CXCR1 gene and their association with performance traits and mastitis incidence in Murrah buffalo. The targeted SNP rs211042414 (T > C) at the g.106216468 locus in partial exon 2 of the CXCR1 gene was genotyped using PCR amplification and restriction enzyme digestion by Alu I, Bsa I, Dde I, Ava I, Hind III, EcoRV, Hae III, and Hae II restriction enzymes. The genotypic frequencies revealed three genotypes: CC, CT, and TT, with the C allele being the most prevalent (0.79) compared to the T allele (0.21). Targeted SNP showed significant association with the incidence of clinical mastitis incidence, and the study revealed that the TT genotyped animals showed a higher incidence of clinical mastitis compared to the TT and CT genotyped animals in the targeted population. Furthermore, least squares analysis revealed that targeted performance traits, viz. 305 days milk yield, total milk yield, and lactation length, were significantly associated with the genetic variants of the CXCR1 gene. TT genotyped animals exhibited higher milk yield than CT and CC genotyped animals, indicating a positive association between the T allele and increased milk production. These findings revealed that there is a scope for the genetic improvement of Murrah buffalo. Incorporating the identified CXCR1 gene polymorphisms into existing selection criteria can help to improve disease resistance and milk production traits in Murrah buffalo. However, further validation with a larger sample size is necessary to strengthen the observed associations and ensure their practical applicability.