Abstract
The bovine growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene has been identified as a strong positional and functional candidate gene influencing milk production. A non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 8 leads to a phenylalanine to tyrosine amino acid substitution (F279Y) in the receptor. The aim of the study was to estimate the effects of the F279Y mutation on milk yield, fat, protein, casein, and lactose yield and content, as well as somatic cell score (SCS), in a German Holstein dairy cattle population. The analysis of 1,370 dairy cows confirmed a strong association of the F279Y polymorphism with milk yield, as well as with fat, protein, and casein contents. Furthermore, increasing effects on lactose yield and content for the 279Y allele were found. Even though the tyrosine variant occurred as the minor allele (16.5%), its substitution effects were 320 kg (305 d), 0.02 kg per day, and 0.07 kg per day for milk, casein, and lactose yields, respectively. The same allele had negative effects on fat, protein, and casein contents. Finally, the high-milk-yield tyrosine allele was also associated with lower SCS (p < 0.05). The data support the high potential of the F279Y polymorphism as a marker for the improvement of milk traits in selection programs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ali TE, Schaeffer LR (1987) Accounting for covariances among test day milk yields in dairy cows. Can J Anim Sci 67:637–644
Arranz JJ, Coppieters W, Berzi P, Cambisano N, Grisart B, Karim L, Marcq F, Moreau L, Mezer C, Riquet J, Simon P, Vanmanshoven P, Wagenaar D, Georges M (1998) A QTL affecting milk yield and composition maps to bovine chromosome 20: a confirmation. Anim Genet 29:107–115
Ashwell MS, Van Tassell CP, Sonstegard TS (2001) A genome scan to identify quantitative trait loci affecting economically important traits in a US Holstein population. J Dairy Sci 84:2535–2542
Ashwell MS, Heyen DW, Sonstegard TS, Van Tassell CP, Da Y, VanRaden PM, Ron M, Weller JI, Lewin HA (2004) Detection of quantitative trait loci affecting milk production, health, and reproductive traits in Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci 87:468–475
Blott S, Kim JJ, Moisio S, Schmidt-Küntzel A, Cornet A, Berzi P, Cambisano N, Ford C, Grisart B, Johnson D, Karim L, Simon P, Snell R, Spelman R, Wong J, Vilkki J, Georges M, Farnir F, Coppieters W (2003) Molecular dissection of a quantitative trait locus: a phenylalanine-to-tyrosine substitution in the transmembrane domain of the bovine growth hormone receptor is associated with a major effect on milk yield and composition. Genetics 163:253–266
Casas E, Snowder GD (2008) A putative quantitative trait locus on chromosome 20 associated with bovine pathogenic disease incidence. J Anim Sci 86:2455–2460
Fontanesi L, Scotti E, Tazzoli M, Beretti F, Dall’Olio S, Davoli R, Russo V (2007) Investigation of allele frequencies of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) F279Y mutation in dairy and dual purpose cattle breeds. Ital J Anim Sci 6:415–420
Frank SJ, Gilliland G, Kraft AS, Arnold CS (1994) Interaction of the growth hormone receptor cytoplasmic domain with the JAK2 tyrosine kinase. Endocrinology 135:2228–2239
Gengler N, Abras S, Verkenne C, Vanderick S, Szydlowski M, Renaville R (2008) Accuracy of prediction of gene content in large animal populations and its use for candidate gene detection and genetic evaluation. J Dairy Sci 91:1652–1659
Georges M, Nielsen D, Mackinnon M, Mishra A, Okimoto R, Pasquino AT, Sargeant LS, Sorensen A, Steele MR, Zhao X, Womack JE, Hoeschele I (1995) Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling milk production in dairy cattle by exploiting progeny testing. Genetics 139:907–920
Ji S, Frank SJ, Messina JL (2002) Growth hormone-induced differential desensitization of STAT5, ERK, and Akt phosphorylation. J Biol Chem 277:28384–28393
Kramer CY (1956) Extension of multiple range tests to group means with unequal numbers of replications. Biometrics 12:307–310
Lucy MC, Jiang H, Kobayashi Y (2001) Changes in the somatotrophic axis associated with the initiation of lactation. J Dairy Sci 84(E-Suppl):E113–E119
Oikonomou G, Angelopoulou K, Arsenos G, Zygoyiannis D, Banos G (2009) The effects of polymorphisms in the DGAT1, leptin and growth hormone receptor gene loci on body energy, blood metabolic and reproductive traits of Holstein cows. Anim Genet 40:10–17
Parmentier I, Portetelle D, Gengler N, Prandi A, Bertozzi C, Vleurick L, Gilson R, Renaville R (1999) Candidate gene markers associated with somatotropic axis and milk selection. Domest Anim Endocrinol 17:139–148
Rodriguez-Zas SL, Southey BR, Heyen DW, Lewin HA (2002) Interval and composite interval mapping of somatic cell score, yield, and components of milk in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 85:3081–3091
Ron M, Feldmesser E, Golik M, Tager-Cohen I, Kliger D, Reiss V, Domochovsky R, Alus O, Seroussi E, Ezra E, Weller JI (2004) A complete genome scan of the Israeli Holstein population for quantitative trait loci by a daughter design. J Dairy Sci 87:476–490
Stoop WM, Bovenhuis H, van Arendonk JA (2007) Genetic parameters for milk urea nitrogen in relation to milk production traits. J Dairy Sci 90:1981–1986
Viitala SM, Schulman NF, de Koning DJ, Elo K, Kinos R, Virta A, Virta J, Mäki-Tanila A, Vilkki JH (2003) Quantitative trait loci affecting milk production traits in Finnish Ayrshire dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 86:1828–1836
Viitala S, Szyda J, Blott S, Schulman N, Lidauer M, Mäki-Tanila A, Georges M, Vilkki J (2006) The role of the bovine growth hormone receptor and prolactin receptor genes in milk, fat and protein production in Finnish Ayrshire dairy cattle. Genetics 173:2151–2164
Waters SM, McCabe MS, Howard DJ, Giblin L, Magee DA, MacHugh DE, Berry DP (2011) Associations between newly discovered polymorphisms in the Bos taurus growth hormone receptor gene and performance traits in Holstein–Friesian dairy cattle. Anim Genet 42:39–49
Welper RD, Freeman AE (1992) Genetic parameters for yield traits of Holsteins, including lactose and somatic cell score. J Dairy Sci 75:1342–1348
Acknowledgments
The project was supported by the Zweckvermögen des Bundes (ZV 20001–13). We gratefully thank the three farms for providing the blood samples, Birgit Rudolphi and the local breeding organization for providing phenotypic data, and Uwe Brockmann for organizing the project in the farms. S. A. Rahmatalla was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rahmatalla, S.A., Müller, U., Strucken, E.M. et al. The F279Y polymorphism of the GHR gene and its relation to milk production and somatic cell score in German Holstein dairy cattle. J Appl Genetics 52, 459–465 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13353-011-0051-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13353-011-0051-3