Polymorphism of β-lacto globulin gene in Barki sheep breed

β - LG gene polymorphism at the DNA level has been analyzed by PCR-RFLP and reported two genetic variants of the β -LG gene in Pag native and Leccese sheep breeds. However, no study has been reported in Barki Egyptian local sheep breed regarding β -LG polymorphism at DNA level. The association of β- LG polymorphism with milk production and manufacturing properties of the cheese in sheep have been extensively studied. However, the results are conflicting, indicating either superiority of a given β - LG variant or absence of relationship. The fingerprinting of β -LG gene and this relation has not clarified yet in local Barki and other sheep breeds raised in Egypt. Regarding the importance of Barki sheep breed as a local adaptive breed in Egypt, this preliminary study aimed to fingerprint β-LG gene in the Barki sheep breed, in an attempt to have clear image about genotypes of β-LG gene in this breed. A total of 60 adult females Barki ewes were fingerprinted for β-LG gene by the PCR-RFLP method. The sheep are raised by farmers in North West coast (Borg EL-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt) in which sheep are living in natural habitats. The amplified product was observed as 120 bp and the restriction digestion with Rsa I revealed three genotypes, namely AA, AB and BB at the β-LG locus. The frequencies of AA, AB and BB genotypes were 0.45, 0.30, 0.25, respectively.