Abstract
An insertion fragment in porcine FSHβ subunit gene was cloned by PCR. Sequencing data show that the insertion is a retroposon of 292 bp siting in intron I at the site between + 809 and +810 base. Based on these results, a PCR programme was created to genotype animal individuals in different pig breeds at FSW locus and polymorphism of FSHP gene was analyzed. With the combination of genotype and litter size of sows, it was demonstrated that FSHβ locus is closely associated with major gene controlling litter size in commercial pig breeds, such as Yorkshire, Landrace, Durco. Averagely the AA sows give more 1.5 piglets than BB sows do per litter.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Li, N., Zhao, Y.F., Zhang, F.J. et al., Research on porcine litter size by linkage analysis,The Symposium of the 8th National Conference on Animal Genetics and Breeding (in Chinese), Beijing: China Agricultural Technology Press, 1995, 32–41.
Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E.F., Maniatis, T.,Molecular Cloning, 2nd ed., New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989.
Hirai, T., Takikawa, H., Kato, Y., The gene for the β subunit of porcine FSH: absence of consensus oestrogen-responsive element and presence of retroposons,Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, 1990, 5: 147.
Zhao, Y.F., Li, N., Feng, J.D. et al., PCR amplification of structural region of FSHβ subunit gene,The Symposium of the 8th National Conference on Animal Genetics and Breeding (in Chinese), Beijing: China Agricultural Technology Press, 1995, 51–53.
Montgomery, C.W., Mcnatty, K.P., Davis, D.H., Physiology and molecular genetics of mutations that increase ovulation rate in sheep,Endocrine Reviews, 1992, 13(2): 309.
Xu, Y., Jin, P., Mellor, A.L. et al., Identification of the Ped gene at the molecular level: the Q9 MHC class I converts the Ped slow to the Ped fast phenotype,Biology of Reproduction, 1994, 51: 695.
Rothschild, M., Jacobson, C., Vaske, D., et al., The estrogen receptor locus is associated with a major gene influencing litter size in pigs,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1996, 93: 201.
Van der Steen, H.A.M., Southwad, O.I., Vires, A.G. et al., Evidence of a new genetic marker for litter size in Meishan synthetic pigs,Proceedings of International Conference on Animal Biotechnology, Beijing: International Academic Publishers, 1997, 17–20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, Y., Li, N., Xiao, L. et al. FSHB subunit gene is associated with major gene controlling litter size in commercial pig breeds. Sci. China Ser. C.-Life Sci. 41, 664–668 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02882910
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02882910