LINKAGE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN KERATIN-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN (KRTAP) GENES AND GROWTH-HORMONE IN SHEEP

The ovine hair keratin-associated protein (KRTAP) genes are grouped in to several families. In this study, we analyzed linkage relationships between members of four KRTAP families and growth hormone and beta-hem oglobin. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms and a microsatellit e polymorphism were typed in 10 sire groups from a flock of Australian Merino sheep. Two linkages, both previously undetected in sheep or an y other mammal, were found. They were between growth hormone (GH) and the high-sulfur keratin gene family KRTAP1 (previously called high-sul fur B2C) at theta = 0.10, Z - 3.01 and between two high-glycine-tyrosi ne class genes, KRTAP6 (previously high-glycine-tyrosine type II) and KRTAP8 (previously high-glycine-tyrosine type I-F), at theta = 0.15, Z = 5.0. The high level of conservation of the mammalian genome at thes e recombination values suggests that these linkages might be found in distantly related mammalian species. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.