Abstract

The Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) gene is responsible for the synthesis of the diacylglycerol transferase enzyme that plays a crucial role in glycerolipid metabolism. The DGAT1 gene was considered to influence traits involving milk production after results reported that mice lacking the DGAT1 gene were unable to produce milk, making the DGAT1 gene a promising candidate gene for milk production traits in milk producing livestock and other mammals. A total of five DGAT1 gene sequences and their corresponding amino acids belonging to five species were examined. Guanine (G) was the most abundant nucleotide, in cows (Bos taurus), water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), and sheep (Ovis aries), while Cytosine (C) was the most prevalent nucleotide in goats (Capra hircus) and humans (Homo sapiens). Glycine (Gly) was shown to be the most abundant amino acid in ruminants, while leucine (Leu) was found to be the most abundant amino acid in humans (Homo sapiens). Phylogenetic tree constructed from the derived DGAT1 nucleotide and protein sequences of five different species revealed similar topologies. Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and cows (Bos taurus) clustered together, whereas sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus) grouped together. Humans (Homo sapiens) were the least closely related to the ruminants. The DGAT1 protein sequences were highly conserved which would elucidate that the DGAT1 gene has similar functions among mammals, thus making the gene a potential marker for improving milk productivity in some mammals.