Two SNP in STAT5B gene and their association with breeding value of growth and egg production traits in Mazandaran Indigenous Chicken

STAT5A/B proteins are the important modulators of growth hormone, growth hormone receptor, IGF-I, prolactin and insulin signaling pathway, which are involved in growth and reproduction. Knowledge of genetic markers in such candidate genes and their association with economical traits, probably make breeding plans more efficient through MAS programs. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible association of two SNP in chicken STAT5B gene with breeding value of growth and reproductive traits. Total of 205 individuals from breeding station of Mazandaran Indigenous Chicken were selected randomly and they were genotyped for two SNPs of C4535156T and G4533675C using PCR-RFLP technique and HhaI and RsaI restriction enzymes respectively. To estimate breeding value of the growth and reproductive traits, phenotypic information of 18 successive generations of selection in breeding station of Mazandaran Indigenous Chicken (north of Iran) was analyzed using a univariate animal model in ASREML procedure. Finally, marker-trait association analyses were performed using estimated breeding value of the traits, as dependent variable, in GLM procedure of SAS 9.1. Two alleles and three genotypes were identified for each SNP. Significant associations between C4535156T SNP with breeding value of body weight at hatch and between G4533675C SNP with breeding value of first egg weight were found. We can conclude that two SNPs in STAT5B gene are promising markers for future use in selection to increase body weight at hatch and first egg weight.