Expression profiling and single nucleotide polymorphism of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 MAP3K8 in white muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata)

Gene. 2025 Jan 10:932:148901. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148901. Epub 2024 Aug 30.

Abstract

A previous study on ovarian and hypothalami transcriptome analysis in white Muscovy duck revealed that MAP3K8 gene participated in MAPK signaling pathway that influence egg production. Additionally, MAP3K8 was predicted as a target gene of miRNA-509-3p that promotes the secretion of oestradiol which is an important hormone in egg ovulation. This suggested that MAP3K8 might have a functional role in the reproductive performance "egg production" of white Muscovy ducks. Herein, we focused on expression level of MAP3K8 in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues of highest (HP) and lowest (LP) egg producing white Muscovy ducks and identified the polymorphism in MAP3K8 and its association with three egg production traits; Age at first egg (AFE), number of eggs at 300 days (N300D) and 59 weeks (N59W). The results of expression level indicated that mRNA of MAP3K8 was significantly (p < 0.01) expressed in the oviduct than in the ovary and hypothalamus. Seven synonymous SNPs were detected, and association analysis showed that g.148303340 G>A and g.148290065 A>G were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with N300D and N59W. The results of this study might serve as molecular marker for marker-assisted selection of white Muscovy ducks for egg production.

Keywords: Egg production traits; Expression level; MAP3K8; Single nucleotide polymorphism; White Muscovy duck.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ducks* / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases* / genetics
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases* / metabolism
  • Ovary* / metabolism
  • Oviducts / metabolism
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

Substances

  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases