Genetic diversity of limonero creole breed using microsatellites molecular markers

In order to study the genetic variability of the Criollo Limonero Breed, a dairy breed considered National Patrimony of Venezuela, 95 purebred animals were analyzed using 14 DNA microsatellites. The animals belonged to the local Carrasquero station, assigned to the National Institute of Agriculture Research of Zulia (INIA-Zulia) and located in the northwest of Zulia State. Average values of observed and expected heterocigocities (HO, HE), between families (HMO, HME) respectively, exclusion probability (PE), Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) and number of alelles by locus were considered and discussed to measure the genetic diversity. The average of alleles by locus, HE and PIC were: 8.7; 0.689 and 0.651, respectively. HE ranged from 0.355 to 0.787 and PIC fluctuated from 0.302 to 0.757. The least polymorphic locus was ILST5 and the most polymorphic was the CSSM66. PE with the 14 markers was of 0.9962 and 0.9999 for one and both known parents, respectively. The results indicate that this set of markers are efficient to make paternity tests in this breed, it is also evident that there are heterozigosity levels indicating the existence of a high molecular diversity in this population, which should be maintained as a strategy for the conservation of the Criollo Limonero breed, a bovine genetic resource of Venezuela for animal production in the tropical regions.