The Slick Hair Coat Locus Maps to Chromosome 20 in Senepol-Derived Cattle
February 2007
in “
Animal Genetics
”
TLDR The gene for slick hair in Senepol cattle is located on chromosome 20 and may involve the SRD5A2 gene.
In the 2007 study, researchers identified the genetic basis for the slick hair coat of Senepol cattle, which contributes to their heat tolerance. They conducted a genome scan and interval mapping, genotyping 14 microsatellite markers in 36 cattle from two pedigrees, and found the slick hair locus on chromosome 20 (BTA20) with a maximum LOD score of 9.4. Further genotyping in six additional pedigrees (total n = 86) narrowed down the locus to a specific interval. The study also suggests a potential role for the SRD5A2 gene, which is involved in androgen-related processes, in controlling the slick hair phenotype. This research could help introduce heat tolerance traits into other cattle breeds, improving cattle production in warm climates.
