• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1691-1695
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• 2005

The bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA)-DRB3 gene encodes cell surface glycoproteins that initiate immune responses by presenting processed antigenic peptides to CD4 T helper cells. DRB3 is the most polymorphic bovine MHC class II gene which encodes the peptide-binding groove. Since different alleles favour the binding of different peptides, DRB3 has been extensively evaluated as a candidate marker for associations with various bovine diseases and immunological traits. For that reason, the genetic diversity of the bovine class II DRB3 locus was investigated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). This study describes genetic variability in the BoLA-DRB3 in Iranian Golpayegani Cattle. Iranian Golpayegani Cows (n = 50) were genotyped for bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA)-DRB3.2 allele by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Bovine DNA was isolated from aliquots of whole blood. A two-step polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction endonucleases RsaI, HaeIII and BstYI was conducted on the DNA from Iranian Golpayegani Cattle. In the Iranian Golpayegani herd studied, we identified 19 alleles.DRB3.2${\times}$16 had the highest allelic frequency (14%), followed by DRB3.2${\times}$7 (11%). Six alleles (DRB3.2${\times}$25, ${\times}$24, ${\times}$22, ${\times}$20, ${\times}$15, ${\times}$3) had frequencies = 2%. Although additional studies are required to confirm the present findings, our results indicate that exon 2 of the BoLA-DRB3 gene is highly polymorphic in Iranian Golpayegani Cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.465-470
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• 2008

This study describes genetic variability in the BoLA-DRB3 gene in Iranian native cattle (Bos Indicus and Taurus) and relationships between these breeds. This is the first study of genetic polymorphism of the BoLA-DRB3 gene in Iranian native cattle. We examined exon 2 of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB3 gene from 203 individuals in four populations of Iranian native cattle (52 Sarabi, 52 Najdi, 49 Sistani, 50 Golpayegani cattle) using the hemi-nested PCR-RFLP method. We identified the 36 previously reported alleles and one novel pattern (*eac). Analysis of the frequencies of the various BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles in each breed indicated that DRB3.2*52 in Sarabi cattle (23%), DRB3.2 *14 and *24 alleles in Najdi cattle (13%), DRB3.2 *8 allele in Sistani cattle (22%) and DRB3.2*16 allele in Golpayegani cattle (14%), were the most frequent alleles. Allelic frequencies ranged from 1 to 23% among the 36 alleles and there were some alleles that were found only in Iranian cattle. Effective number of alleles in the four breeds was estimated to be 7.86, 11.68, 7.08 and 3.37 in Sarabi, Najdi, Sistani and Golpayegani, respectively. Observed heterozygosities were the highest in Sarabi (94%) and Najdi (94%). A population tree based on the frequency of BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles in each breed suggested that Najdi, Sarabi and Golpayegani cattle clustered together and Najdi and Sarabi were the closest breeds. Sistani cattle differed more from these three breeds. These new data suggest that allele frequencies differ between Iranian cattle breeds.