Exploring Variation in Ovine KRTAP19-5 and Its Effect on Fine Wool Fibre Curvature in Chinese Tan Sheep

This study on 247 Chinese Tan sheep examined the KRTAP19-5 gene's impact on wool fibre curvature, identifying six sequence variants with seven SNPs. Variant B was linked to decreased wool fibre curvature and was less common in Chinese Tan sheep (18.5%) compared to other breeds (41.9%). The findings suggest that KRTAP19-5 variation influences wool fibre curvature, potentially aiding in developing genetic markers for selective breeding to enhance wool quality. However, no associations were found with other fibre traits, indicating that other genes and environmental factors also play a role.