Sequence variation at BMP15 exon 2 and GLUD1 exon 8 is not associated with reproductive traits in Black Bengal goats

Abstract Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) are candidate loci for prolificacy in small ruminants, but they have not been tested in Black Bengal goats across contrasting agro-climatic zones. We screened BMP15 exon 2 and GLUD1 exon 8 by Sanger sequencing in does from the Nadia (alluvial) and Sunderban (coastal saline) zones of West Bengal, India. A single synonymous C>T site in BMP15 exon 2 (K62K) separated 29 does into a C group (n = 21) and a T group (n = 8). Linear models including zone and parity showed no association between BMP15 group and litter size, inter-kidding interval, days open, services per conception or age at first kidding (all P > 0.65); only parity predicted litter size (P < 0.001). A 90 bp GLUD1 exon 8 interval shared by 24 does was invariant, so no association test was possible. Given the small cohort and the 21:8 imbalance, these data show only that no association was detected at these sites; they do not support either locus as a marker of reproductive performance in this cohort.