[Jacob-list] Offspring related to "Turner 183K"; DNA study

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

If you have, or, know someone who has, or, can lead me to someone who has, 
offspring (ram(s) or ewe(s)) that go back to Turner 183K ( a founder ram)  I 
would like to set up contact with you for possible participation in a genetic 
research project to be conducted by third party labs that may have direct bearing 
on the long term health of the Jacob breed as well as human health.  The 
proposed study seeks to identify carriers of lysosomal disease through genetic 
markers and proteins obtained through DNA. While this breed defect was reported 
to Jacob breeders about five years ago, the work on identifying its cause and a 
test for the genetic defect has been slow. The speed is apparently going to 
pick up.

The first step of the current study will be the location of Turner 183K 
offspring and collection of blood for DNA (the same process we used for blood 
collection for the National Animal Germplasm Program).  While the NAGP study 
examined Jacob DNA for breed genetic distances,  this study is looking for one 
sheeps offspring and specific markers related to carrying the genes for lysosomal 
disease.  

As many of you may be aware, the NAGP study posited some interesting results 
related to the uniqueness of the Jacob through breed distance relationships.  
Part of this "uniqueness" might be related to the Jacob bottleneck and "close" 
breeding.  One consequence of "close" breeding is the loss of vigor and 
congenital defects; in this case the lethal congenital defect, lysosomal disease.

The lysosomal study is being done at two veterinary schools and one medical 
research school. Your identity will be kept confidential as well as the 
identity of any Jacobs included in this study.  

Finally, we have identified another possible line that has produced a 
lysosomal sheep; a line that heretofor has been thought to be distinct and separate 
but may in fact be related to the confirmed cases traced to 183K.  This second 
line, though shown to be unrelated by pedigree records, has not been confirmed 
because it is only based on two cases.  Being a recessive disease, it 
suggests that a tree of the second line is actually related to Turner 183K.

If you can help, it will be of value to the breed and breeders, not to 
mention the potential help to people afflicted with this life threatening problem.  
Thank you for any help that you may be able to give.

Fred Horak
St. Jude's Farm
1165 E. Lucas Road
Lucas,  TX 75002





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