Animals (May 2022)

Multi-Thoracolumbar Variations and <i>NR6A1</i> Gene Polymorphisms Potentially Associated with Body Size and Carcass Traits of Dezhou Donkey

  • Ziwen Liu,
  • Qican Gao,
  • Tianqi Wang,
  • Wenqiong Chai,
  • Yandong Zhan,
  • Faheem Akhtar,
  • Zhenwei Zhang,
  • Yuhua Li,
  • Xiaoyuan Shi,
  • Changfa Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12111349
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 11
p. 1349

Abstract

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The number of thoracolumbar vertebrae is a quantitative trait positively correlated with the economic traits of livestock. More thoracolumbar vertebrae individuals could genetically be used to improve the livestock population, as more thoracolumbar vertebrae means a longer carcass, which could bring more meat production. Nuclear receptor subfamily 6 group A member 1 (NR6A1) is considered a strong candidate gene for effecting the number of vertebrae in livestock. The purposes of this study are as follows: (a) Analyzing the effect of TLN variation on body size and carcass traits of Dezhou donkey; (b) Studying the distribution of seven single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in NR6A1 gene of Dezhou donkey; (c) Exploring the relationship between latent SNVs and TLN, the body size and carcass traits. We examined the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae number and seven SNVs in NR6A1 gene of 455 Dezhou donkeys, and analyzed the relationships between them. Five types of thoracolumbar combinations (T17L5 (individual with 17 thoracic and five lumbar vertebrae) 2.4%, T18L5 75.8%, T19L5 1.1%, T17L6 11.9%, and T18L6 8.8%) of Dezhou donkeys were detected in this study. For one thoracolumbar vertebra added, the body length of Dezhou donkey increases by 3 cm and the carcass weight increases by 6 kg. Seven SNVs (g.18093100G > T, g.18094587G > T, g.18106043G > T, g.18108764G > T, g.18110615T > G, g.18112000C > T and g.18114954T > G) of the NR6A1 gene were found to have a significant association with the TLN, body size and carcass traits of Dezhou donkey (p T is significantly associated with lumber vertebrae number, the total number of thoracolumbar, and carcass weight, and individuals with TT genotype had significantly larger value than CC genotype (p NR6A1 gene of Dezhou donkey, but also provide useful information for marker assisted selection in donkey breeding program.

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