Li, WZhou, HuitongGong, HZhang, KLi, SLiu, XWang, JLuo, YHickford, Jonathan2022-09-182022-07-252022-072022-05-180028-8233M0PU6 (isidoc)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/15442The keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are structural components of wool and hair fibres, with over 90 genes that encode these proteins having been identified in mammalian species. A KAP gene called KRTAP27-1 was recently identified in goats, but the gene has not been reported in the closely related ruminant species sheep. In this study, we used a polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis to find ovine KRTAP27-1 and investigate nucleotide sequence variation in the gene. Our analysis revealed four sequence variants (named A to D) in 399 New Zealand Merino × Southdown-cross sheep. Within these sequence variants there were five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding region, including two non-synonymous SNPs. Six genotypes (AA, AB, AC, BB, BC and BD) of KRTAP27-1 were detected, and for the three genotypes with a frequency of over 5.0%, sheep of genotypes AB and BB produced wool of higher mean staple length (MSL) and higher greasy fleece weight (GFW) than sheep of genotype AA. These results suggest that variation in ovine KRTAP27-1 may be affecting wool growth and thus production.8 pagesen© 2022 The Royal Society of New Zealand.keratin-associated proteinKRTAP27-1sheepvariationwool traitsmean staple lengthJournal Article10.1080/00288233.2022.20807211175-87752022-09-14ANZSRC::300302 Animal managementANZSRC::300307 Environmental studies in animal productionANZSRC::310907 Animal physiological ecologyANZSRC::3004 Crop and pasture productionANZSRC::3108 Plant biology