The Prolactin Gene Expression Variance in Marshes and Riverine Buffalos in Iraq

The study area consisted of eight stations in southern Iraqi marshes in the Missan governorate, and six stations in the Al-Qadisiya and Al-Najaf governorates. The southern Iraqi marshes had the proper environment for the culture of the riverine buffalo breed, yet the water buffalo prefer the middle area [1], because the molecular information of the local buffalo in Iraq is very rare [2]. The present study selection is the improvement of milk yield with the advances in molecular biology, the identification of the underlying genes by quantitative (rt-PCR) technique responsible for the efficiency of the prolactin (PRL-R)gene expression and to better understand the actions of mammary gland gene expression on milk production in the two buffalo breeds in Iraq, by determining levels of the PRL-R gene expression in somatic cells in the mammary gland by random milk samples of swamp and riverine buffalos during first medal and last lactation period. The results showed high expression of PRL-R gene in last lactation period of riverine buffalo than in swamp buffalo breed, and hence this gene may have potential direct or indirect effect on milk production. The transcription levels of PRL-R gene in the milk of swamp buffalo were found to be significantly down regulated in the first stage of lactation period, but were up-regulated in second stage of this period, and this regulation significantly decreased in the last period. In the riverine buffalo, the levels were very down regulated in the first stage of and curved to a highly induced regulation in second and late lactation period.