Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:34:02.468Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The inheritance of non-response to noradrenaline in newborn Scottish Blackface lambs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

S. P. Simpson  and
J. Slee
S. P. Simpson*
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research†, Edinburgh Research Station, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JQ
J. Slee
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research†, Edinburgh Research Station, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JQ
*
* Corresponding author.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The normal response to injection of noradrenaline (NA) in newborn lambs is an increase in metabolic rate and rectal temperature, due to the stimulation of non-shivering thermogenesis. In a previous study 6 out of 7 lambs born to a sire previously selected for low resistance to cold failed to show this characteristic response and were termed non-responders. The sire, 2 of his male offspring and 6 sires selected randomly from the flock were mated to several ewes and the response to NA stimulation recorded in 116 newborn lambs. Control sires produced only normal responder lambs whereas the remaining sires all produced both responder and non-responder lambs. The proportion of non-responders was not significantly different from 0·50, which is consistent with a dominant major gene. Analysis of the quantitative traits, peak metabolic rate and peak rectal temperature following NA injection confirms that a major gene is segregating in the study population, but is unable to distinguish between dominant and recessive modes of inheritance. Absence of non-responders in other studies suggests that dominance is more likely. This new genetic resource could aid our understanding of brown adipose tissue metabolism and the effect of catecholamines on metabolic pathways.

Type
Short Paper
Information
Genetics Research , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , February 1988 , pp. 65 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

References

Alexander, G. (1979). Cold thermogenesis. In Environmental Physiology, III, vol. 20 (ed. Robertshaw, D.), pp. 43–155. Baltimore: University Park Press.Google Scholar
Alexander, G. & Williams, D. (1968). Shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis during summit metabolism in young lambs. Journal of Physiology, London 198, 251–276.Google Scholar
Cannings, C., Thompson, E. A. & Skolnick, M. (1978). The recursive derivation of likelihoods on complex pedigrees. Advances in Applied Probability 10, 26–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hasstedt, S. J. (1981). PAP, Pedigree Analysis Package. Technical Report No. 13, Department of Medical Biophysics and Computing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Slee, J. (1981). A review of genetic aspects of survival and resistance to cold in newborn lambs. Livestock Production Science 8, 419–429.Google Scholar
Slee, J., Griffiths, R. G. & Samson, D. E. (1980). Hypothermia in newborn lambs induced by experimental immersion in a water bath and by natural exposure outdoors. Research in Veterinary Science 28, 275–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slee, J., Simpson, S. P. & Wilson, S. B. (1987 a). Comparative methods for inducing and measuring non-shivering thermogenesis in newborn lambs. Animal Production. 45, 61–67.Google Scholar
Slee, J., Simpson, S. P. & Woolliams, J. A. (1987 b). Metabolic rate responses to cold and to exogenous noradrenaline in newborn Scottish Blackface lambs genetically selected for high or low resistance to cold. Animal Production. 45, 69–74.Google Scholar
Slee, J. & Stott, A. W. (1986) Genetic selection for cold resistance in Scottish Blackface lambs. Animal Production 43, 397–404.Google Scholar