Release of sheep genome map a significant milestone for industry

Breeding the right sheep, whether it's for improved wool, more muscle, increased fertility or a better ability to cope with parasites, has been one of the sheep industry's greatest challenges. However, with the November release of a physical DNA map of more than 98 percent of the sheep genome, scientists will be better able to pin-point the genetic controls for these economically important production traits.

The International Sheep Genomics Consortium, a partnership of scientists and funding agencies from the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Kenya, has been formally working on this endeavor since 2002. The result of this multi-country collaboration has resulted in a 'virtual' map of the sheep genome with the aid of data from cows, dogs and humans. This map will be made public to allow for more rapid DNA marker tests, which will accelerate and improve the efficiency of sheep research in genetics.

The goal of this project is to determine gene function from genomic information in sheep and utilize that information to address specific industry needs. This information can assist producers in developing a product that better meets the customer's demands in terms of meat and wool production. In addition, genes that control gastrointestinal diseases and reproduction traits can be identified.

"This map is a tool that increases our efficiency in searching for those genetic components that are so valuable to the sheep producer," explains Noelle Cockett, Ph.D., College of Agriculture dean and vice president for Extension and Agriculture at Utah State University and the sheep genome coordinator for the United States. "This is an incredible resource for researchers working with sheep and is a several-fold increase improvement over what we've had in the past."

Cockett was awarded a U.S. Department of Agriculture competitive grant to assist in generating the data for the sheep genome map. The United Kingdom's Genesis Faraday, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation also provided funding for this project. Sequencing was completed at The Institute for Genomics Research and scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization led the effort to orientate the sequences into the virtual map.

"The USDA competitive-grant funding was essential for developing the sheep physical map. It was only by committing the funds from a variety of sources that we were able to finance the project. We hope to carry forward the initiative and obtain the entire sheep genome sequence," says Cockett.

In addition to the funding, the speed of the process was attributed to complete genomic maps in other species, such as the cow. The bovine genome sequence was recently completed by the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center in Houston, Texas, supported by an international consortium of funding sources led by the National Institutes of Health and the USDA.

"Due to the similarity of the bovine and ovine genome sequences, scientists were able to build a 'virtual' picture of the sheep genome by combining the information developed with the bovine genome sequencing project," says USDA's Ronnie Green, who is the executive secretary of the National Science and Technology Council's interagency working group on animal genomics.

"Scientists in all fields of genomics research are excited about this organized map for sheep. Our next goal will be to verify the orientation of the sequences and eventually have the entire sheep genome sequence completed," says Cockett.

"The release of this map is a huge milestone in the world-wide sheep industry. A map of the sheep genome will offer enormous possibilities that many of us could never had imagined," comments Lyndon Irwin, Ph.D., chair of the American Sheep Industry Association's Production, Education and Research Council. "It will be particularly valuable for producers who want genetic control of economically important production traits, as well as for disease issues."

The information gained through mapping the genomics of sheep is valuable to producers around the world. In fact, at its annual meeting, the Tri-Lamb Group, which consists of sheep-producer member organizations from the United States, Australia and New Zealand, ranked functional sheep genomics as its number one research priority.

"The Tri-Lamb group recognizes the importance of collaborating on research and appropriate adaptive technology as this issue provides promising information for the sheep industries of the world," says Peter Orwick, executive director of ASI.

ASI is a national organization supported by 43 state sheep associations, benefiting the interests of nearly 67,000 sheep producers.

Date: 12/21/06

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