Association of Methionine Synthase Gene Polymorphisms With Wool Production and Quality Traits in Chinese Merino Population

The study investigated the role of the methionine synthase (MTR) gene in wool production and quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep. Researchers identified 13 SNPs in the MTR gene and found significant differences in allele frequencies among 6 Chinese Merino strains. SNPs 2 to 11 were significantly associated with wool fiber diameter and fineness, while SNPs 4 to 11 were linked to the coefficient of variation of fiber diameter. Additionally, haplotypes from these SNPs were associated with wool traits. The findings suggested that the MTR gene is a candidate for influencing wool production and quality, and the identified SNPs could be useful in sheep breeding.