A new single nucleotide polymorphism in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) myostatin (MSTN) gene is associated with carcass composition traits |
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| Authors: | Ina Sternstein Monika Reissmann Dorota Maj Josef Bieniek Gudrun A Brockmann |
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| Institution: | 1. Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Crop and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt Universit?t zu Berlin, , 10115 Berlin, Germany;2. Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Kraków, , 30‐059 Kraków, Poland |
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| Abstract: | This study aimed at the identification of genetic variations in the myostatin (MSTN) gene and testing their effects on carcass quality traits. We comparatively sequenced Giant Grey (GG) and New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits that were founders of a cross‐bred population. Alignment of our sequence data with the GenBank sequence of the rabbit MSTN gene (Ensembl Gene ID ENSOCUG00000012663) identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The two novel SNPs (c.?125T>C, c.373+234G>A) and one known SNP (c.747+34C>T) were subsequently analysed for linkage with carcass composition traits in 363 F2 animals of the cross GG × NZW. Significant linkage was found between c.373+234G>A and nine carcass composition traits (P < 0.05). No significant effects were found for c.?125T>C and c.747+34C>T. Because the linked SNP is located in intron 1 and no genetic variation was found in the coding region, further investigations are necessary to understand the functional effect of the c.373+234G>A variant on the variability of the traits. |
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| Keywords: | cross‐bred population gene variation haplotype meat quality muscle mass |
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