A Novel Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in WNT4 Promoter Affects Its Transcription and Response to FSH in Chicken Follicles

Conghao Zhong; Yiya Wang; Cuiping Liu; Yunliang Jiang; Li Kang

doi:10.3390/genes13101774

Genes (Oct 2022)

A Novel Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in WNT4 Promoter Affects Its Transcription and Response to FSH in Chicken Follicles

Conghao Zhong,
Yiya Wang,
Cuiping Liu,
Yunliang Jiang,
Li Kang

Affiliations

Conghao Zhong: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Yiya Wang: College of Life Science, Qilu Normal University, Jinan 250200, China
Cuiping Liu: Qishan Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Zhaoyuan 265413, China
Yunliang Jiang: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Li Kang: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13101774
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 10
p. 1774

Abstract

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The signaling pathway of the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site (Wnt) plays an important role in ovarian and follicular development. In our previous study, WNT4 was shown to be involved in the selection and development of chicken follicles by upregulating the expression of follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR), stimulating the proliferation of follicular granulosa cells, and increasing the secretion of steroidal hormones. FSH also stimulates the expression of WNT4. To further explore the molecular mechanism by which FSH upregulates WNT4 and characterize the cis-elements regulating WNT4 transcription, in this study, we determined the critical regulatory regions affecting chicken WNT4 transcription. We then identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in this region, and finally analyzed the associations of the SNP with chicken production traits. The results showed that the 5′ regulatory region from −3354 to −2689 of WNT4 had the strongest activity and greatest response to FSH stimulation, and we identified one SNP site in this segment, −3015 (G > C), as affecting the binding of NFAT5 (nuclear factor of activated T cells 5) and respones to FSH stimulation. When G was replaced with C at this site, it eliminated the NFAT5 binding. The mRNA level of WNT4 in small yellow follicles of chickens with genotype GG was significantly higher than that of the other two genotypes. Moreover, this locus was found to be significantly associated with comb length in hens. Individuals with the genotype CC had longer combs. Collectively, these data suggested that SNP−3015 (G > C) is involved in the regulation of WNT4 gene expression by responding FSH and affecting the binding of NFAT5 and that it is associated with chicken comb length. The current results provide a reference for further revealing the response mechanism between WNT and FSH.

Published in Genes

ISSN: 2073-4425 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Genetics
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/genes/

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