Variation in Ovine KRTAP13-3 and Its Association with Wool Characteristics in Chinese Tan Sheep

The study on 232 Chinese Tan sheep identified five variants of the KRTAP13-3 gene, with variant A being the most common at 64%. The research found that this variant was associated with increased fibre diameter standard deviation and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter in heterotypic hair fibres, but not in fine wool fibres. The genetic diversity of KRTAP13-3 showed a heterogeneity of 54.4% and a polymorphism information content of 50.4%. These findings suggest that KRTAP13-3 influences the variability of fibre diameter, potentially affecting wool fibre ellipticity, and highlight the need for further research on the gene's expression and functional mechanisms in different fibre types.