Effects of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene polymorphisms on plumage color in mule ducks

Abstract

Breeding and genetics Full-length research article Effects of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene polymorphisms on plumage color in mule ducks ABSTRACT-The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene on plumage coloration in mule ducks. PCR-high-resolution melting analysis (PCR-HRM) and DNA sequencing were used to identify the SNP variability of the MC1R gene in white common ducks. Three non-synonymous SNP (MC1R gene exon 1, c.52G>A, c.376G>A, and c.409G>A) were identified in white Tsaiya ducks. Mating test (white Tsaiya ducks × white Muscovy drakes) in combination with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed to investigate the effect of non-synonymous SNP of different maternal lines on plumage coloration in mule ducks. Genotyping results from 58 white Tsaiya ducks revealed the significant associations between genetic variations (c.52G>A, c.376A>G, and c.409G>A) and plumage color in two maternal populations. After genotyping of 266 mule ducks, these three non-synonymous SNP identified in white Tsaiya ducks were significantly associated with plumage color of mule ducks. Therefore, the polymorphisms of MC1R gene at c.52G>A, c.376A>G, and c.409G>A in white Tsaiya duck could be used in marker-assisted selection to improve the plumage color of mule ducks.

Effects of polymorphisms in the endothelin receptor B <i>subtype 2</i> gene on plumage colour in mule ducks

“…For test mating, fifteen female white Tsaiya ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) from a conservation population (18th generation of a natural mating programme without selection) and 19 female white Tsaiya ducks from a selection population (30th generation of a programme that selected for plumage colour using traditional phenotype-based estimated breeding) were mated by artificial insemination with pooled semen from three white Muscovy drakes (Cairina moschata). This mating experiment was part of the authors' previous study (Tu et al, 2019). The plumage colour of the mule ducks was graded based on the area of black spots on the head and back according to a previous study (Lee & Kang, 1997;Tu et al, 2019).…”

“…This mating experiment was part of the authors' previous study (Tu et al, 2019). The plumage colour of the mule ducks was graded based on the area of black spots on the head and back according to a previous study (Lee & Kang, 1997;Tu et al, 2019). Grades 1 to 3 indicated ducks with a black spot on the head; 4 to 7 indicated ducks with a black head and a little spot on the back; 8 to 10 indicated ducks with a black head, black back and black tail; and 11 to 15 indicated ducks from a mottled coat to pure black.…”

“…Since the mule duck is an infertile hybrid, breeding strategies have to be performed on the parental generation, particularly maternal lines. The authors' recent study demonstrated that maternal melanocortin 1 receptor SNP genotypes have a significant influence on white plumage coloration in mule ducks (Tu et al, 2019). Previous studies demonstrated that polymorphisms of EDNRB2 gene are associated with plumage coloration in avian species (Miwa et al, 2007;Kinoshita et al, 2014), including the parental lines of the mule duck (Li et al, 2015;Wu et al, 2017).…”

New insights into genetics underlying of plumage color

“…The study of epistasis can be interesting because epistatic interactions aid understanding of the functional relations of genes involved in the trait under study and sometimes can compensate for a lack of additive genome-wide studies in quantitative traits (Visscher et al 2012(Visscher et al , 2017Lee et al 2016). Distinct genes in chickens control plumage color traits (Li et al 2019a,b) and the genes associated with plumage pigmentation, such as melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R; Kerje et al 2003;Hoque et al 2013;Zhang et al 2013;Ran et al 2016;Tu et al 2019;Yang et al 2019), tyrosinase (TYR;Yang et al 2019;Zheng et al 2020), premelanosome protein (PMEL; Kerje et al 2004;Abolins-Abols et al 2018;Zheng et al 2020), melanophilin (MLPH;Vaez et al 2008;Bed'hom et al 2012), Agouti signaling protein (ASIP; Robic et al 2019;Yang et al 2019), SRY-box (SOX families; Harris et al 2010;Gunnarsson et al 2011), solute carrier family member 2 (SLC45A2; Gunnarsson et al 2007;Zheng et al 2020) and endothelin B2 receptor (EDNRB2; Kinoshita et al 2014;Li et al 2015;Wu et al 2017;Xi et al 2020), are well known. Accordingly, multiple responsible genes have been reported for plumage color variation, but studies have focused on single loci with a major effect, rather than effective modifier loci with small or epistatic effects that influence plumage color more delicately.…”