Genetic Variation in HIAT1 and IGF1R Genes in Some Goat Populations Reared in Türkiye

This study aimed to assess whether genetic variants of the HIAT1 and IGF1R genes could be integrated into future marker-assisted selection (MAS) studies in three native Turkish goat populations known as Hair (HAI), Honamlı (HNM), and Kabakulak (KBK) to improve meat traits. In terms of the HIAT1 polymorphism, the frequency of the I allele ranged from 0.06 (KBK) to 0.35 (HNM), while the D allele frequency ranged from 0.65 (HNM) to 0.94 (KBK). No animals with the II genotype for the HIAT1 gene polymorphism were identified in KBK goats, while one animal carried this genotype in HAI goats. Regarding the IGFR1 gene polymorphism, the frequency of the A allele ranged from 0.72 (HAI) to 0.92 (HNM), while the T allele frequency varied between 0.08 (HNM) and 0.28 (HAI). Genetic distance-based phylogenetic tree separated HNM goats from KBK and HAI. The literature pointed out that animals with II and AT genotypes for the HIAT1 and IGF1R genes, respectively, are superior in terms of meat traits. Therefore, this study implies that the HIAT1 gene is promising for MAS studies in KBK goats, while IGF1R variation could be utilized to improve meat traits in all goat populations in the future.