Determination of gene polymorphisms in KITLG and KISS1 gene regions effecting the reproductive traits of hair, angora, and Kilis goats

This study investigates polymorphisms in the KITLG and KISS1 gene regions, which influence reproductive traits in Hair, Angora, and Kilis goats. The KISS1 gene encodes the Kisspeptin protein, which plays a critical role in regulating reproductive functions, while the KITLG gene encodes a ligand that influences cell growth, differentiation, and migration. Variations in these genes can have significant impacts on the reproductive performance and productivity of goats. For this purpose, a total of 150 samples were used from three goat breeds (n=50) included in the study. Genomic DNA samples were amplified by PCR for the KITLG and KISS1 genes. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was employed to detect polymorphisms in the KITLG and KISS1 gene regions. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested to assess the genetic variation within the populations. In this study, specific SNP regions of the KISS1 (C2540T and A2510G) and KITLG (g.12654G>A, g.12829T>C, g.12772G>A) genes were analysed at the molecular level in indigenous Turkish goat breeds: Hair, Angora and Kilis. For both SNPs in the KISS1 gene (C2540T and A2510G), Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was maintained across all three breeds, indicating that the populations were genetically stable at these loci. Genotype distributions were balanced, and no significant differences were observed among the breeds. In contrast, the g.12654G>A and g.12829T>C polymorphisms of the KITLG gene showed statistically significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all breeds. These deviations, characterized by an excess of heterozygous genotypes and a lack of homozygotes, suggest the potential influence of genetic drift, selection pressure, or non-random mating systems within the populations. Only the g.12772G>A SNP was found to be in equilibrium. In conclusion, genetic diversity was detected in the different SNPs of both genes studied, highlighting their potential for molecular-level conservation and genetic improvement of Turkish indigenous goat breeds. These findings provide a valuable foundation for future studies to be supported with phenotypic reproductive data. Furthermore, the results offer important insights for the identification of molecular markers that may be utilized in goat breeding programs. Keywords: Hair Goat, Angora Goat, Kilis Goat, KITLG, KISS1, Polymorphism