الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This study was carried out in the International Livestock Management Training Centre (ILMTC), which belongs to Animal Production Research Station Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, belongs to Animal Production Research Institute, Doki, Egypt. The aim of the present study is to use some bovine microsatellite genetic markers to study the genetic diversity between and within buffalo populations rose at different regions of Egypt. Moreover, to answer the question: Do the Egyptian buffalo belong to different breeds or is it only one breed?. The study conducted on sixty four blood samples collected from unrelated buffalo animals raised in different regions (Middle Delta, Alexandria and Upper Egypt). Five bovine microsatellites (HEL013, CSSM066, ILSTS005, INRA035 and HEL001) were analyzed in the three populations. All the tested microsatellites showed polymorphism except the microsatellite HEL001 which was monomorphic. A total of 29 alleles were detected across the microsatellite loci screened on the present three Egyptian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) populations under study. The observed number of polymorphic alleles ranged from five (ILSTS005) to ten (HEL013). However, microsatellites CSSM066 and INRA035 scored six and eight alleles, respectively. Worthy, allele no. 4 for ILSTS005 in Upper Egypt population displayed the highest frequency (0.750), thus it was the most prevailing allele all over the studied populations. However, allele no. 5 for CSSM066 was exclusive in Delta population, whereas in case of HEL013 microsatellite , both of alleles no. 3 and 9 were exclusive in Upper Egypt population; alleles no. 5 and 6 were exclusive in Alexandria and allele no. 8 was exclusive in Delta. Furthermore, considering INRA035 microsatellite, allele no. 7 was exclusive in Upper Egypt. Moreover, they could be employed for further researches on quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection and subsequently marker assisted selection (MAS) breeding program.
The average number of alleles per population was found to be nine. The allele sharing results did not show any obvious results, unique alleles, or specific alleles for specific regions or populations. This is the first indicator that the populations under study are not different breeds but they are only just different populations located at different regions. The values of polymorphism Information Content (PIC) obtained from the present study (0.278- 0.738) were in general high. Since the PIC, values in the populations under study were generally high, so that they could be employed for more utility in more biodiversity studies in the Egyptian cattle populations. A high values for the average gene diversity were noticed, for all the markers and all the populations studied. It ranged from 0.439 (ILSTS005) in Upper Egypt to 0.910 (HEL 013) in Delta population, with overall mean 0.726.
In addition, the highest value of gene flow (3.399) was observed between Alexandria and Delta populations while the lowest value (1.547) observed between Upper Egypt and Delta. It can be assumed that migration and admixture could have taken place between these populations.
The Nei’s dendrogram or phylogenic relationship gave a primary idea about the possible migration of buffaloes across Egypt.
from the previous tests: observed alleles for each microsatellite, polymorphism Information Content, inbreeding values, gene flow and Nei dendrogram. The results in general are evidence that all buffalo animals raised in Egypt have genetic similarities.
In conclusion a high genetic diversity is found in the Egyptian buffalo populations studied. No breed could be identified. The study proved that bovine microsatellites could be used in buffalo genomic study and mapping quantitative trait loci such as milk and meat production in pedigreed animals. Migration and admixture between populations took place extensively.