MONOMORPHISM OF GROWTH HORMONE GENE IN YANKASA AND BALAMI SHEEP BREEDS USING PCR-RFLP

Marker-assisted selection facilitates the precise identification of specific nucleotide changes linked to variances in growth and meat production parameters, hence enabling the selection and breeding of superior individuals. To evaluate genetic diversity this study was carried out to screen for genetic polymorphism in part of intron 4 and exon 5 of GH gene in Yankasa and Balami sheep breeds using Polymerase Chain Reaction - Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. The amplified product which was digested using Hae III restriction enzyme was found to be monomorphic in both sheep breeds signifying that no variation exists in the observed region. The region is highly conserved and recommended for use in determination of origin and evolutionary studies.