Analysis of properdin (BF) genotypes associated with litter size in a commercial pig cross population

Abstract

Properdin (BF) was investigated as a candidate gene influencing litter size in a commercial pig cross population. The BF gene was chosen because of its integral role in influencing uterine epithelium growth and because several quantitative trait loci (QTL) with impact on reproductive traits have been detected near the centromere of porcine chromosome 7. A total of 123 F2 (Large White x Landrace) x Leicoma sows were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The sows were divided into two extreme performance groups, one with a high litter size (n = 61, > or = 14.3 piglets per litter) and the other with a low litter size (n = 62, < or = 11.3 piglets per litter). Although genotype and allele frequencies were uneven with 2.4% (AA), 16.3% (AB), 81.3% (BB) and 0.11 (A): 0.89 (B), the allele A was the unfavourable one, leading to less offspring. With regard to the level of significance at p < 0.05, the total number of born (TNB) and number of born alive (NBA) piglets were associated with BF genotypes. The genotype AA led to 10.55 TNB and 10.00 NBA, whereas the genotype BB led to 13.19 TNB and 12.11 NBA. The genotype AB was intermediate. In future, a systematic mating test is necessary in order to obtain more balanced genotype frequencies. Furthermore, it should be taken into consideration that the investigated polymorphism is located in an intronic region and the causative mutation is not clear yet.

Effects of BF Gene Polymorphism on the Reproductive Performance of Hybrid Polish Landrace X Polish Large White Sows

“…The study showed a higher frequency of allele T (0.68) compared with allele C (0.32), which resulted in a relatively high frequency of the TT genotype (0.44) compared with the second homozygous genotype CC (0.14), while the heterozygous genotype TC had a frequency of 0.37. In a study by Buske et al [2], in commercial crossbred sows, the frequency of the T allele was much higher (0.89) than the allele C (0.11). They observed the highest frequency of TT genotype (0.81), which was much higher than TC (0.16) and individuals with the CC genotype (0.03).…”

“…CC sows weaned the lowest number of piglets in the fi rst (p<0.01), second and third litter, but the difference was not signifi cant. Buske et al [2], showed signifi cant differences (p<0.05) of litter size against individual genotypes of the BF gene. The highest total number of piglets born and born alive in TT sows, the lowest in CC sows, and intermediate in TC sows.…”

“…The BF gene plays an important role in uterine epithelium growth [8] as well as in the formation of litter size in mice in interaction with other genes [9]. In studies carried out on crossbred sows a relation was revealed between the BF genotype and the number of born piglets [2,3].…”

“…It has been mapped near the centromeric region of chromosome 7, locus 7 1/2 p11-p12 [5]. In this area various QTL's and genes associated with reproductive characteristics are included [2,6,7]. Properdin might be one such gene which is especially important for litter size.…”

“…According to Spötter and Distl [1], the most important of these are the numbers of piglets born and weaned per litter. Markerassisted selection (MAS), employed in conjunction with traditional selection methods, could accelerate the rate of change in economically important traits [2]. Many genes associated with litter size and other reproductive traits have been mapped on the porcine chromosomes.…”