Two Novel SNPs in RET Gene Are Associated with Cattle Body Measurement Traits

Yuan Gao; Bizhi Huang; Fuxia Bai; Fei Wu; Zihui Zhou; Zhenyu Lai; Shipeng Li; Kaixing Qu; Yutang Jia; Chuzhao Lei; Ruihua Dang

doi:10.3390/ani9100836

Two Novel SNPs in RET Gene Are Associated with Cattle Body Measurement Traits

Animals (Basel). 2019 Oct 21;9(10):836. doi: 10.3390/ani9100836.

Authors

Yuan Gao¹, Bizhi Huang², Fuxia Bai³, Fei Wu⁴, Zihui Zhou⁵, Zhenyu Lai⁶, Shipeng Li⁷, Kaixing Qu⁸, Yutang Jia⁹, Chuzhao Lei¹⁰, Ruihua Dang¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
² Yunnan Academy of Grassland and Animal Science, Kunming 650212, China. [email protected].
³ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
⁴ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
⁵ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
⁶ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
⁷ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
⁸ Yunnan Academy of Grassland and Animal Science, Kunming 650212, China. [email protected].
⁹ Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agriculture Science, Hefei 230001, China. [email protected].
¹⁰ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].
¹¹ Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, Shaanxi, China. [email protected].

Abstract

The rearrangement of the transfection (RET) gene, which mediates the functions of the ganglion in the gastrointestinal tract, plays an important role in the development of the gastrointestinal nervous system. Therefore, the RET gene is a potential factor influencing animal body measurement. The aim of this study was to reveal the significant genetic variations in the bovine RET gene and investigate the relationship between genotypes and body measurement in two Chinese cattle breeds (Qinchuan and Nanyang cattle). In this study, two SNPs (c.1407A>G and c.1425C>G) were detected in the exon 7 of RET gene by sequencing. For the SNP1 and SNP2, the GG genotype was significantly associated with body height, hip height, and chest circumference in Qinchuan cattle (p < 0.05). Individuals with an AG-CC genotype showed the lowest value of all body measurement in both breeds. Our results demonstrate that the polymorphisms in the bovine RET gene were significantly associated with body measurement, which could be used as DNA marker on the marker-assisted selection (MAS) and improve the performance of beef cattle.

Keywords: RET gene; SNP; body measurement trait; cattle.

Abstract

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