A Missense p.Q>R234 Mutation in the Osteopontin Gene Is Associated With the Prolificacy of Iraqi Awassi Ewes

One of the most valuable traits in production and breeding is a sheep’s prolificacy which is influenced by several genes, one of which is the osteopontin (OPN) gene. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of genetic variation within the OPN gene on Awassi ewe prolificacy. Genomic DNA was extracted from 123 single-progeny ewes and 109 twin ewes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify 4 sequence fragments (289, 275, 338, and 372 bp), representing exons 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the OPN gene. A 372 bp amplicon was identified with 3 different genotypes: TT, TC, and CC. Sequence analysis revealed a novel mutation in TC genotypes p.Q>R234. Statistical analysis revealed that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) p.Q>R234 was associated with prolificacy. Ewes carrying the p.Q>R234 SNP had significantly (P ⩽ .01) lower litter sizes, twinning rates, and lambing rates, and more days to lambing than those with the TC and TT genotypes. The p.Q>R234 SNP was confirmed to be responsible for lower litter size through logistic regression analysis. From these results, we can conclude that the missense variant p.Q>R234 adversely affects the traits of interest and shows that the p.Q>R234 SNP negatively influences the prolificacy of Awassi sheep. Based on this study, it is evident that ewes in this population carrying the p.Q>R234 SNP have a lower litter size and are less prolific.