Polymorphisms of three neuroendocrine-correlated genes associated with growth and reproductive traits in the chicken

Abstract

The identification and utilization of potential candidate genes for QTL with significant effects on economically important traits are becoming increasingly important in poultry breeding programs. Chicken insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 and 3 and signal transducers and activators of transcription 5B (STAT5B) genes are 3 essential nodes for signaling pathways and gene networks of growth and reproduction. The pooled DNA sequencing approach was used for identification of 9 SNP of the 5' upstream region of the 3 genes. A total of 826 individuals from Beijing You chicken were genotyped for 5 SNP using a modified PCR-RFLP method and the association with chicken growth and reproductive traits was studied using the GLM procedure. The T56039403C (T-808C) SNP of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 gene was associated with BW at 10 wk of age (P = 0.0061), and the C56072547T (C-968T) SNP of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 gene was associated with BW at 8 and 10 wk of age (P = 0.0056 and P = 0.0016, respectively). The C4535156T (C-1591T), G4533815A (G-250A), and G4533675C (G-110C) SNP of the STAT5B gene were associated with age at first egg (P = 0.0143, P = 0.0088, and P = 0.0114, respectively). Moreover, Lewontin's D' (|D'|) and r(2) of C4535156T and G4533815A SNP, C4535156T and G4533675C SNP, and G4533815A and G4533675C SNP of the STAT5B gene were 0.939 and 0.852, 0.967 and 0.858, and 0.971 and 0.896, respectively. The 3 SNP were strong-linked with each other and lay within a haplotype block. Our results suggest that these SNP were significantly associated with early growth or with sexual maturation in chickens, or both, and may be potential molecular markers for MAS.

Unraveling the associations of osteoprotegerin gene with production traits in a paternal broiler line

“…In this region, several QTL have already been identified for traits associated with bone structure in chickens, such as tibia mineral density (Zhou et al 2007 ), mineral content and tibia width (Schreiweis et al 2005 ), and tibia length (Zhou et al 2007 ). Other QTL not directly related to bone structure were also mapped within this region: weight gain (Ou et al 2009 ), breast muscle weight (Tercic et al 2009 ) and gizzard weight (Navarro et al 2005 ; Pinto et al 2006 ), being the last one confirmed in our study.…”

Characterization and refinement of growth related quantitative trait loci in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using a comparative approach

“…An alternative approach to identify candidate growth genes is to select genes reported in the literature to be causal or strong candidate genes for growth QTL in other vertebrates. Taking such an approach, LG4 was found to contain the leptin receptor which has previously been associated with backfat thickness in pigs (Sus scrofa) (Mackowski, et al, 2005;Munoz, et al, 2009), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and -3, polymorphisms of which in chicken are associated with body weight at 10 weeks (Ou, et al, 2009).…”

Associations of polymorphisms in the prolactin receptor gene with growth trait in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

“…Animal reproduction involves the activity of many hormones, chemokine's and cytokines, and their receptors play crucial roles in the regulation of reproduction (OU et al, 2009). According to the results of this study, the PRLR gene was effectively selected and used to study genetic association with body weights.…”