Impact of High Glycine Tyrosine KAP Genes on Cashmere Fibre Trait Characteristics
Aadil Ayaz *
Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, HNBG University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand-246174, India and Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
Zaffar Iqbal
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
Basharat Ahmad
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
Nazir Ahmad Ganai
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
N. Singh
Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, HNBG University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand-246174, India
Aarif Ali
Department of Biochemistry, University of Kashmir, Kashmir -190006, India
Tajamul Mumtaz
Department of Biochemistry, Jaipur National University, Rajasthan-302017, India
Mashooq Ahmad Dar
Department of Biochemistry, University of Kashmir, Kashmir -190006, India
Mir Shabir
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
Syed Shanaz
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
Suheel Yousuf Wani
Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, FV.Sc. & A.H. SKUAST, Kashmir-190006, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Cashmere goat (Capra hircus) represents a world renowned goat famous for production of superfine downfibre “Cashmere”. The worldwide total production of cashmere fibre is about 10000-15000 tonnes per annum. Among all the fibres cashmere is the finest fibre of animal origin, produced in fairly large quantity in the world derived from goat breed indigenous to Asia. The physical properties of cashmere fibres can be attributed to proteins from Keratin family which are primary constituents of the fibre. Keratin proteins (KP) and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) constitute about 90% of cashmere fibre, the said proteins are encoded by the keratin family genes. Keratin-associated protein is one of the major structural proteins of the fibre, whose percentage in fibre has significant effect on its quality. Summing up, the evidence presented in past studies indicated that in the formation of cashmere fibre, there is important role of HGTKAPs in fineness of the fibre. This review summarises the information regarding keratin and keratin associated proteins in a national and international research programme designed to identify and utilize KAP genes of importance in the fibre quality.
Keywords: Cashmere goat, cashmere, KAP, HGTKAP, fibre fineness, KIF