POLYMORPHISM OF THE Κ-CASEIN (CSN3) GENE IN ALBANIAN SHEEP BREEDS

The aim of this study was to determine the allele and genotype frequencies of the -casein (CSN3) gene in four sheep breeds raised in Albania: Shkodrane, Lara e Polisit, Awassi, and le-de-France.A total of 112 individuals from these breeds were genotyped for polymorphism of exon 4 of the k-casein gene.A 640 bp fragment was amplified and the profile was analysed by SSCP.Two alleles (A and B) were identified, with frequencies of 0.89 and 0.11, respectively, at the whole population level.Genotypic and allelic frequencies, gene diversity indices, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium analyses were performed using GenAlEx and FSTAT software.Lara e Polisit showed the highest genetic diversity, while the lowest diversity was observed in Shkodrane and Awassi.These results might be useful for the application in breeding programs aimed at improving milk traits and preserving local genetic resources.This study represents an important step toward integrating genomic tools into sheep breeding strategies in Albania.