Evolutionary study of HSP 90AA1gene among Nigerian zeb breeds of cattle revealed shared ancestry

Heat shock protein (HSP) 90AA1 gene is a member of HSPs sub-family that act as molecular chaperons whenever animals come under the assaults of thermal stress, they fulfill essential roles of providing cellular protection, immune response, inhibitory apoptosis and adaptation to thermal assault. A total of ninety (90) adult bulls from Nigerian Zebu cattle breeds comprising of White Fulani (25), Sokoto Gudali (21), Red Bororo (21) and Ambala (23) sampled from northern parts of Nigeria. We reported that rooted evolutionary study based on Neighbour-joining dendrogram of HSP 90AA1 sequences of White Fulani, Ambala, Sokoto Gudali and Red Bororo Nigerian Zebu breeds of cattle revealed that HSP 90AA1 sequences of four Nigerian cattle breed showed shared homology which is suggestive of common ancestral lineage. Similarly, nucleotide sequences of HSP 90AA1 gene in four Nigerian B. Indicus and those of goat, sheep, yak, buffalo, camel, horse and taurine were also constructed. Our results showed that sequences of Nigerian cattle breeds and those of goat, sheep, yak, buffalo, camel, horse and taurine at HSP 90AA1 gene locus suggested that these animals had shared ancestry and common evolution. Therefore, the extent of relatedness detected among Nigerian breeds of cattle and those of selected mammalian species indicated that HSP 90AA1 gene is conserved among wide range of animals and as such it can be used as potential bio-marker for thermo-tolerance in wide range of livestock animals under assaults of thermal stress. Keywords: HSP 90AA1 gene, thermal stress, phylogenetic analyses, cattle