Single nucleotide polymorphisms in an intron of the ovine calpastatin gene

Calpastatin is the specific inhibitor of the ubiquitous calcium-dependent p roteases mu-calpain and m-calpain. Enzyme assay data from sheep and cattle inversely correlates post-mortem muscle calpastatin levels with ultimate me at tenderness. Genetic markers of meat quality may therefore be found linke d to the calpastatin gene (CAST). A three-allele system detected by polymer ase chain reaction - single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) h as been observed in the ovine CAST. The three allele amplimers have been fu lly nucleotide sequenced and their differences in terms of single nucleotid e polymorphism (SNPs) in the intron region of the amplimer are reported and compared to a consensus sequence of the orthologous region of the cattle C AST. A PCR-RFLP for more rapid CAST genotyping of all three ovine alleles w as also developed.