ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS OF INTERLEUKIN-18 GENE WITH PERFORMANCE TRAITS IN CZECH LARGE WHITE PIGS

CHALUPOVA, P., URBAN, T., KNOLL, A.: Association analysis of interleukin-18 gene with performance traits in Czech Large White pigs. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun., 2012, LX, No. 5, pp. 97–102 This research focused on recently described MspI and Vsp I SNPs in interleukin-18 gene and their association with selected performance traits (backfat thickness; lean meat content, average daily gain from birth, average daily gain in test, breeding value for average daily gain, for lean meat content, for reproduction and total breeding value) in a population of 344 Czech Large White sows. Both SNPs were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. In this work, these polymorphisms were associated with backfat thickness and lean meat content. Animals with genotype AA (MspI SNP) had signifi cantly (P < 0.05) lower backfat thickness and higher lean meat content (0.77 ± 0.02 and 62.16 ± 0.23, resp.) compared to GA (0.83 ± 0.02 and 61.40 ± 0.18, resp.). Animals with genotype AA (Vsp I SNP) had signifi cantly (P < 0.05) lower lean meat content and higher backfat thickness (61.10 ± 0.36 and 0.85 ± 0.03, resp.) compared to GA (62.02 ± 0.16 and 0.77 ± 0.02, resp.). No association between IL-18 polymorphisms and other performance traits was found. Our study revealed that IL-18 could be candidate gene for backfat thickness and lean meat content in pigs. pig, IL-18, polymorphism, performance traits, association