Cathepsins, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes have been receiving increasing attention as potential markers for meat quality and pig performance traits. This study investigated the allele variants in four cathepsin genes (CTSB, CTSK, CTSL, CTSS), GHRH and LEPR in pure-bred Ukrainian Large White pigs and evaluated effects of the allele variants on meat quality characteristics. The study was conducted on 72 pigs. Genotyping was performed using PCR–RFLP technique. Meat quality characteristics analysed were intramuscular fat content, tenderness, total water content, ultimate pH, crude protein and ashes. A medium level of heterozygosity values was established for GHRH and LEPR genes which corresponded to very high levels of informativeness indexes. Cathepsins CTSL, CTSB and CTSK had a low level of heterozygosity, and CTSS did not segregate in this breed. Association studies established that intramuscular fat content and tenderness were affected by the allele variance in GHRH and LEPR but not by CTSB and CTSL genes. The GHRH results could be particularly relevant for the production of lean prime cuts as the A allele is associated with both, a lower meat fat content and better tenderness values, which are two attributes highly regarded by consumers. Results of this study suggest that selective breeding towards GHRH/AA genotype would be particularly useful for improving meat quality characteristics in the production systems involving lean Large White lines, which typically have less than 2 % intramuscular fat content.

In the study, we evaluated the genetic specificity of haplotypes in the population of hybrid gilts (Large White × Landrace), (Landrace × Large White) from the SPE “Globinsky Pig Complex” LLC and breeding sows of the Large White breed from the SE “DG named after January 9th” using polymorphism of the lengths of the restricted fragments of mtDNA. The purpose of the study was to determine if the process of creating specialized parent lines (of modern cross-border breeds) reduces haplotype diversity. As a genetic material, bristles from sows of the Large White breed (n=7) were used and epithelial tissue of pigs (Large White × Landrace), (Landrace × Large White) — (n=37). DNA release from bristle samples was carried out using ion exchange resin Chelex-100. For the study of the D-loop of the mitochondrial genome of hybrid pigs (n=37) from the epithelial tissue of the auricle, a set of DNA-sorb-B nucleic acid extraction kit from “InterLabService-Ukraine” LLC was used. The samples of epithelial tissue of pigs’ ears were treated with fire from fuel tablet. For the analysis of the mitochondrial genome, the method of polymorphism of the lengths of restricted fragments was used, amplified with PCR. Genotyping of DNA samples of experimental pigs according to mitochondrial markers was carried out with the involvement of the polysite method in accordance with the methodological recommendations of K. F. Pochernyaev and M. D. Berezovsky (2014). The use of maternal inheritance type markers (mtDNA) allowed to identify 2 maternal lines with specific haplotypes, which participated in the creation of hybrid pigs and the formation of their haplogroup. The genetic diversity of mtDNA subspecies of wild and domesticated pigs is limited by the existing lines. Therefore, one haplotype of the mitochondrial genome does not indicate a specific breed, since, several breeds have the same haplotype mtDNA — A, G, C, N, and O. The concentration of haplotype A in tribal sows of Large White breed with a frequency (16%). In the hybrid gilts (Large White × Landrace), (Landrace × Large White) the concentration of detected haplotypes is: C (n=9) — Landrace, Hampshire, Wales, wild pig (20.5%); G — (n=5) Wales, wild pig (11.4%); O (n=5) — Landrace, wild pig (11.4%); N (n=11) — Large White, Berkshire, Asian wild pig (25%); D 9%, K 6.8% (n=7) — unknown among the breeds of domestic pig. We assume that pigs of a Large White breed with haplotype A and hybrid pigs (Large White × Landrace), (Landrace × Large White) with haplotype G, O, in particular D, K contain aboriginal genetic resources. However, in the middle of the XX century, subspecies of wild and domesticated pig breeds became less population-like due to decrease in the area of cultivation and increased pressure from foreign breeds with high growth rates and breeding grounds. Thus, there is a risk of extinction — existing haplotypes and those which have not yet been identified among domesticated pigs (D, K). This suggests that the study should focus on classifying and identifying the phylogenetic origin of pigs and the creation of a molecular genetic bank of producer boars for environmental activities. The domestication process puts strong selective pressure on Sus scrofa species through genetic processes such as inbreeding, genetic drift, natural and artificial selection according to the desired signs. Over the past 9–10,000 years, human intervention has led to domesticated species that are morphologically, behaviorally, and genetically different from their ancestors’ relatives. We believe that the “hybrid” subspecies of wild pigs with some morphological features of a domesticated pig had a higher proportion of the full-genomic ancestors of a domestic pig compared to the morphologically pure subspecies of wild pigs. Animals with haplotypes D, K are the result of hybridization with European boars. Representatives of haplotypes A (Large White, European-type Duroc, Mangalica); G (Wales, wild pig) — Italy; C (Landrace, Wales, Hampshire, wild pig) — Ukraine, Poland, France; O (landrace, wild pig) — Sweden, grouped into the European cluster of “mt-E” haplogroup. Pigs with the haplotype N — Large White (Asian type), Berkshire, a wild pig belongs to the Asian cluster of “mt-A” haplogroup. Over time, this led to almost complete disappearance of primary Middle Eastern ancestors in the nuclear genomes of European domesticated pigs. Phylogenetic reconstruction of mitochondrial genome data from hybrid pigs reflects a clear geographical division of mtDNA data — Eastern Europe and Asia. In particular, the subspecies of European and Asian wild pigs is the ancestral foundation on the maternal line, which preceded domestication and breeding pigs by hybridization. European and Asian haplotypes of wild pigs have shown that wild pigs from regions such as Italy, Poland, France, Scandinavia, and Ukraine were also either domesticated or at least initially included in domesticated pigs. The results of the study of the S. s. domestica mitochondrial genome showed an intra-breed genetic diversity of hybrid gilts. This is due to the selection strategy of international genetic centers, where, despite the consolidation of the genetic structure in the inside of the center, significant general genetic diversity of the breed is ensured. In addition, the above results indicate a connection between the frequency distribution of mtDNA haplotypes and adaptation to different climate conditions. As a whole, the presented results are an incentive to continue research on the study of the mitochondrial genome of modern lines of hybrid pigs. Carriers of haplotype C, O, G, and N are the basis of maternal breeding and improvement of the lines of hybrid pigs of the XXI century. It is necessary to take into account the fact that the cleanest mother nuclei (Wild pig, Great Yorkshire, Landrace) are really clean foundation for use in hybridization schemes, in the crossing over, in the formation and development of modern hybrid lines of pigs. Despite this, the diversity of the mitochondrial genome in the population of transboundary breeds persists.

The aim of the research was genotyping animals of Ukrainian pig breeds according to microsatellite loci of the genome for further creation and implementation of the methodology for determining gene complexes of pig adaptability. Research methods: zootechnical – the analysis of genealogy and the productivity indexes of animals of different breeds; bioinformation - work with databases of the primary genome sequences for the design of oligonucleotide primers; molecular genetic - nucleic acid extraction, the determination of purity and concentration of DNA preparations, the amplification of microsatellite loci in PCR with subsequent electrophoretic separation of the amplification products in denaturing gel; statistical – the determination of population-genetic parameters on the basis of typing data on microsatellite loci, the relationship of microsatellite loci with performance indexes, the search for adaptive complexes. It was carried out genotyping animals of the Ukrainian meat breed in SE “RF Elita MIW named after V. M. Remeslo NAAS "of Kyiv region for 6 microsatellite loci with tetranucleotide repeats, a panel of primers of its own design. It was found the fact that the average number of alleles per locus was 5.2 alleles. The level of actual heterozygosity was 0.830, while the expected heterozygosity was 0.780. However, this difference is not significant. DNA typing animals for 6 loci of microsatellite DNA of 17 heads of Poltava meat breed of SE "EB Nadiia" was carried out. As a result of genotyping, the average number of alleles per locus was 3.8. The actual and expected heterozygosity levels were 0.680 and 0.730, respectively. By loci of microsatellite DNA, we found in animals of Myrhorod breed: for locus FH3628 – 5 alleles of 200-228 nucleotides, FH1865 – 5 alleles (size from 109 to 129 nucleotides), FH4219 – 2 alleles of 80 and 92 nucleotides, FH1885 – 4 alleles from 205 up to 213 nucleotides, FH3764 – 2 alleles 138 and 146 nucleotides, and for FH4231 – 2 alleles 116 and 120 nucleotides. The level of actual heterozygosity was 0.860, while the expected heterozygosity was 0.810. Thus, in three breeds of Ukrainian selection for 6 loci of microsatellite DNA with tetranucleotide repeat, the level of actual heterozygosity was in the range of 0.680 in animals of Poltava meat breed to 0.860 in animals of Myrhorod breed. The level of expected heterozygosity is 0.730 in animals of Poltava meat breed to 0.810 in Myrhorod breed. The high level of heterozygosity, as well as the average number of alleles per locus allows to search for alleles and genotypes associated with the adaptability of animals in breeds of pigs of Ukrainian selection. Key words: pigs, microsatellite loci, genome, average number of alleles, level of heterozygosity, population, variability.

No abstract

Metallothioneins ( are low molecular weight proteins, which have ability to bind bothmono and divalent metals and to form metal protein complexes. In mammals, MT are presentedby four isoforms (MT 1, MT 2, MT 3 and MT 4), which are encoded by the family of metallotioneingenes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the p hylogenetic affinity of different ratRattus norvegicus MT genes with other mammalian spe cies, as well as to determine the degree ofsimilarity between genes of MT isoforms within s pecies Rattus norvegicus. Therefore nucleotidesequences of MT genes were aligned, the percentage of identity and the number of gaps wascounted and a phylogenetic analysis was carrie d out. For genes of all Rattus norvegicus MTisoforms, significant similarity with other ma mmalian species Mus musculus Homo s ap iens Susscrofa was shown. The coding sequences ( of genes of Rattus norvegicus MT 1, MT 2A, MT 3and MT 4 isoforms have a significant similarity among themselves. The MT genes are hig hlyconservative, both at the interspecific and intraspecific levels, which is probably associated withtheir biological functions.