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Microsatellite variation in the equine MHC
Author(s) -
BrinkmeyerLangford C. L.,
Cai J. J.,
Gill C. A.,
Skow L. C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
animal genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2052
pISSN - 0268-9146
DOI - 10.1111/age.12003
Subject(s) - biology , microsatellite , major histocompatibility complex , linkage disequilibrium , genetics , haplotype , genetic variation , snp , tag snp , genetic marker , evolutionary biology , gene , genotype , single nucleotide polymorphism , allele
Summary Genes within the major histocompatibility complex ( MHC ) encode proteins involved in innate and adaptive immune responses. Genetic variation in this region can influence the immune response of an individual animal to challenges from a variety of pathogens; however, a complete documentation of genetic variation in the MHC is lacking for most domestic animals, including horses. To provide additional genetic markers for study of the horse MHC , or ELA (equine lymphocyte antigen), we identified 37 polymorphic microsatellite repeats in ELA and used these variations separately and together with published SNP s to investigate linkage disequilibrium ( LD ) and haplotype structure in a sample of Thoroughbred horses. ELA SNP s alone detected little LD , but microsatellites, either separately or combined with SNP s, revealed substantially more LD . A subset of markers in very high LD across the breadth of ELA may be predictive of structural polymorphisms or linked epistases that are important drivers of haplotype structure in Thoroughbreds.