SP10 The MC1R gene polymorphism in some cattle breeds raised in Italy

Most of the standardized cattle breeds raised in Italy have a coat colour that often allows their unique identification. Thus, the study of polymorphisms in genes involved in pigmentation could provide genetic markers useful for their identification. We have studied the polymorphism of MC1R gene in 213 animals from 9 cattle breeds raised in Italy: Limousin (37), Cabannina (20), Chianina (20), Grey Alpine (20), Italian Holstein (29), Italian Red Spotted (23), Marchigiana (20), Piedmontese (24) and Romagnola (20). Two PCR-RFLP protocols were used to detect the G310 deletion (e allele) and the T296C substitution (Ed allele) respectively causative of a nonfunctional receptor and a constitutively expressed receptor. All Limousin and Italian Red Pied animals resulted homozygous for the e allele. In the Italian Holstein (black pied), 27 out of 29 animals were homozygous for the Ed allele, while 2 were heterozygous Ede. Cabannina, Chianina, Marchigiana, Piedmontese and Romagnola have the same pigmentation pattern, pheomelanic with eumelanic extremities. In the former four breeds all animals investigated resulted homozygous for the wild-type allele (E+E+). Conversely, in the Romagnola breed 2 animals were heterozygous for the e allele (E+e). In the Alpine Grey these two mutations were also not observed. These results suggest that MC1R alleles may be helpful in tracing the origin of food products from Italian cattle. In fact Italian Holstein meat and milk can be revealed by the Ed allele; meat from Chianina, Marchigiana, and Piedmontese breeds can be distinguished by those from Holstein, Limousin or Italian Red Spotted by the absence of both Ed and e mutations. MC1R polymorphisms alone are insufficient to univocally identify single breeds, however the parallel investigation of a number of coat colour genes may reveal the existence of breed-specific genomic formulas permitting a precise molecular tracing of animal products.