Characterization of the Promoter Regions of Two Sheep Keratin-Associated Protein Genes for Hair Cortex-Specific Expression

The study characterized the promoter regions of two sheep keratin-associated protein genes, KRTAP3-3 and KRTAP11-1, to understand their role in hair cortex-specific expression. Researchers found that the KRTAP11-1 promoter directed strong and uniform expression in the hair cortex of transgenic mice, while KRTAP3-3 showed variable expression. Key regulatory elements in the KRTAP11-1 promoter were identified, suggesting its potential for targeted gene expression in hair. These findings provided insights into the genetic mechanisms controlling hair fiber formation, which could improve wool quality in sheep.