Current status of a candidate gene marker for bloat
susceptibility in cattle
T.T. Wheeler, B.J. Haigh, R.J. Wilkins, J.Y. McCracken and C.A. Morris
AgResearch, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag 3123,
Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1998,
58: 10-12
Pasture bloat costs New Zealand's dairy industry at least $25M
annually. We have previously shown that a salivary protein is increased
in abundance in saliva from cattle that have been selected for low
susceptibility to bloat compared with those selected for high
susceptibility. We have now obtained the cDNA sequence for two closely
related forms of this protein, which we term bSP30a and bSP30b. These
share 83% sequence identity at the amino acid level, but at best only
28-30% homology with salivary proteins from other species. Analysis of
genomic DNA by PCR suggests that the two forms of bSP30 are coded on two
separate genes. However, the function of bSP30 and how it might
influence susceptibility to bloat remains as yet unknown.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
bSP30, saliva, protein, parotid, PSP
Last Updated 12-09-1998
