Association of a non-synonymous SNP of IL17RA gene with litter size traits in Large White and Landrace pigs

Abstract

Interleukin-17 receptor A (IL17RA) is one of the cytokine receptors of the pro-inflammatory interleukin-17 (IL17) cytokine family. The IL17 and IL17RA genes are involved in inflammatory and immune responses as well as reproductive process of mammals. The purposes of this study were to examine polymorphisms in the porcine IL17RA gene and to assess its effects on litter size traits in Large White and Landrace pigs. Three non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the porcine IL17RA gene were verified. The porcine IL17RA c.785C>T (p.Ala262Val) was found to be segregating in the Large White and Landrace pigs. No polymorphisms in the coding region of the porcine IL17RA gene at the two non-synonymous SNPs loci of c.997G>A (p.Val333Ile) and c.1962T>G (p.Asp654Glu) were found. The porcine IL17RA c.785C>T polymorphism was significantly associated with the total number born (TNB) and the number born alive (NBA) in Large White pigs (PT was significantly associated with the TNB, NBA, total birth weight (TBW), and total weaning weight of piglets at 21 days (TWW) in Landrace pigs (P<0.05). These results supported the importance of the porcine IL17RA gene in the litter size traits of pigs. Thus, the porcine IL17RA could be used as a potential candidate gene for improving litter size traits in pig breeding.