Identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Nicastrese Goat and Sardinia Sheep Mannose-Binding Lectin

This study was undertaken to detect polymorphisms in the goat andsheep mannose-binding lectin encoding gene (MBL2) and to explore allelic variabilityof this gene in these two species. The analysis and comparison of thesequences obtained from sheep showed 13 polymorphic sites, six in the promoterand seven in exon 1, four of which were of the missense type. In the goats, 12polymorphic sites were detected, five intronic, five in the promoter, and one exonic.The exon site was responsible for an amino acid change. Mutations detected at theMBL2 locus in the sheep are of particular interest, being potentially responsible forthe alterations of gene expression. A population survey involved 102 ewes of theSardinian breed and 218 goats of the Nicastrese breed, all reared in southern Italy.