Scientists at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), Mannuthy, Thrissur, affiliated to Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), have achieved a remarkable feat by isolating, cloning and sequencing Alpha lactalbumin gene of the Vechur cow.
This was for the first time that the alpha lactalbumin gene of any Indian cattle breed had been isolated and fully sequenced. This prestigious work was undertaken by research student M. Rajeev of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Animal Genetics and Breeding of COVAS under the guidance of T.V. Aravindakshan.
Sequencing of the gene helps study the functioning of the gene, Prof. Aravindakshan told The Hindu here Sunday. This alpha lactalbumin gene has 1756 base pairs, and has promoter and other regulatory sequences.
The gene’s promoter helps expression of the gene, which in this case is the synthesis of the protein. This gene produces alpha lactalbumin in cow’s milk, and, therefore, is an important protein on nutritional angle.
The achievement is expected to make critical contribution in the conservation of this unique indigenous variety of cattle of Kerala which are characterised by relatively small size and reasonably good yield.
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