It means we will learn new things about how this might operate and about the regulation of imprinted domains. Two of the new genes do not code for proteins, which is true for genes in other imprinted domains. The French team sequenced DNA from normal rather than callipyge sheep. The plan is to sequence a callipyge chromosome from Solid Gold's descendents in the coming months. In a way, it's a shame this happened in sheep, because there are limits to the experiments one can do.
Sheep breed only once per year, and flocks are small.
Most studies involve relatively few animals compared to what is possible in mice. The callipyge mutation, whatever it is, may ultimately be more interesting to scientists than the industry. The loin can be tenderized, but lamb packers have not adopted the practice. In the industry today, callipyge sheep are more of a curiosity than a miracle. . . . Charlier, C. et al .