<i>In-silico</i> amplification of randomly selected male - specific region – Y (MSY) genes as candidate genes for the selection of fertile indigenous bulls for artificial insemination

Abstract

Molecular markers-based selection is a novel tool for unbundling complexities associated with the selection of animals for breeding improvement  programmes because these markers could contribute to full exploitation of animal potential prior to enrollment for improvement programmes. This study examined in-silico polymerase chain reaction amplification of some selected Male Specific region Y (MSY) genes in genome assemblies  including Bos_taurus_UMD_3.1.1/bosTau8 and ARS-UCD 1.2/bosTau9; BaylorBtau_4.6.1/bosTau7, Bos_taurus_UMD_3.1/bosTau6, and  Baylor4.0/bosTau4. The results of the amplification showed that 12 out of the selected 30 genes were expressed at an average primer melting temperature of 61.78 ^oC; while salt and annealing oligo concentrations were 50 mM and 50 nM per reaction, respectively. Out of expressed genes; 6, 5 and 1 genes were expressed in genome assemblies Bos_taurus_UMD_3.1.1/bosTau8, ARS-UCD1.2/bosTau9, and BaylorBtau_4.6. 1/bosTau7, respectively. The study concluded that the expressed genes are potential markers for selection of fertile bulls and the primers used are suitable for  in-vivo annotation of the genes in the prospective bull selection process for breeding programmes.

Keywords: Male-specific region-Y genes (MSY); molecular markers; bulls and in-silico