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Polymorphisms in MC4R gene and correlations with economic traits in cattle

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Abstract

MC4R contributes to the control of food intake and energy expenditure, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MC4R gene have clearly been associated with backfat depth, feed intake and growth rate in pig. Our objectives were to scan the complete coding region by sequencing in samples from eight cattle breeds, to estimate the frequency of the SNPs in the MC4R gene and to determine if individual genotypes were associated with several economic traits. Five polymorphisms were detected at position 19 (C/A), 20 (A/T), 83(T/C), 128 (G/A), and 1069 (G/C), and the last one was significantly associated with backfat thickness value (P < 0.01, n = 245). The linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the SNP markers C19A, A20T, T83C and G128A were completely linked (r 2 = 1).

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the New Variety of Transgenic Organism Great Breeding Program (grant NO. 2008ZX08007-002; 2009ZX08009-157B), the Eleventh “Five-Year” National Science and Technology Support Project (grant NO. 2006BAD04A16; 2007BAD56B04), the National 863 Program of China (grant NO. 2008AA10Z146), and the Public-welfare Profession Agro-industry Research Program (grant NO. nyhyzx07-035-07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, China

    Meng Huang & Shang Zhong Xu

  2. Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China

    Meng Huang, Xue Gao, Jun Ya Li, Hong Yan Ren, Jin Bao Chen & Shang Zhong Xu

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  1. Meng Huang
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  2. Xue Gao
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  3. Jun Ya Li
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  4. Hong Yan Ren
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  5. Jin Bao Chen
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  6. Shang Zhong Xu
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Correspondence to Shang Zhong Xu.

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Huang, M., Gao, X., Li, J.Y. et al. Polymorphisms in MC4R gene and correlations with economic traits in cattle. Mol Biol Rep 37, 3941–3944 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-010-0051-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-010-0051-0

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