Association analysis of seven candidate genes with performance traits in Czech Large White pigs

AbstrACt : In this study association analyses were performed between genes tagged SNP ( IGF2 , NAMPT , DGAT1 , MYF4 , MC3R , MC4R and MYOD1 ), performance traits (backfat thickness, lean meat content, average daily gain from birth to the end of the test, average daily gain in test) and estimated breeding values (EBVs) in a population of Czech Large White sows ( n = 101). Genotyping of all SNPs was performed by SNapShot with the exception of SNP within NAMPT gene for which Hpa II PCR-RFLP assay was used. The following significant associations between genes tagged SNPs and traits or EBVs were found out: DGAT1 – lean meat content ( AG > AA , P ≤ 0.05), MC4R – EBV for lean meat content ( GG > AA , P ≤ 0.05; GG > AG , P ≤ 0.05), IGF2 – EBV for reproduction (piglets born alive in the second and subsequent parity) ( AG > AA , P ≤ 0.05) and total EBV ( AG > AA , P ≤ 0.01) and MC3R – EBV for average daily gain ( CT > TT , P ≤ 0.05). Keywords : pig; genotyping; SNP; performance trait; estimated breeding value (EBV); Czech Large WhiteCurrently, pig breeding plays a key role in meat production, and the high consumption of pork cor-responds to this. On the other hand, the high ef-ficiency of pig breeding is absolutely necessary for competitiveness under today’s difficult economic conditions. So meat performance, reproduction, and product qualities are the most economically important factors for production efficiency. These quantitative traits are under the polygenic control of many genes as well as environmental factors, and each underlying gene contributes a small proportion of genetic variation (Hu et al., 2009). The knowledge of genes affecting meat performance could be used in marker assisted selection (MAS), which combines traditional selection techniques and molecular biol-ogy for genetic improvement and which can make the production of pork more efficient.The gene set for our analysis was composed of seven previously reported polymorphic genes with an influence on meat performance (