Association of a missense mutation in the bovine leptin gene with carcass fat content and leptin mRNA levels

Genetics Selection Evolution

Sheila M Schmutz¹  Dianne C Winkelman-Sim¹  Tracey D Thue¹  Andrew G Van Kessel¹  Carolyn J Fitzsimmons²  Fiona C Buchanan¹ 

[1] Department of Animal and Poultry Science, 51 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5A8, Canada;Department of Animal Science, 2255 Kildee Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, 50011, USA

关键词: marbling;    fat;    obese;    cattle;    leptin;   

Others  :  1094601
DOI  :  10.1186/1297-9686-34-1-105

 received in 2001-05-16, accepted in 2001-09-24,  发布年份 2002

【 摘 要 】

Previously, we have shown that alleles of the BM1500 microsatellite, located 3.6 kb downstream of the leptin gene in cattle, were associated with carcass fat measures in a population of 154 unrelated beef bulls. Subsequently, a cytosine (C) to thymine (T) transition that encoded an amino acid change of an arginine to a cysteine was identified in exon 2 of the leptin gene. A PCR-RFLP was designed and allele frequencies in four beef breeds were correlated with levels of carcass fat. The T allele was associated with fatter carcasses and the C allele with leaner carcasses. The frequencies of the SNP alleles among breeds indicated that British breeds have a higher frequency of the T allele whereas the continental breeds have a higher occurrence of the C allele. A ribonuclease protection assay was developed to quantify leptin mRNA in a separate group of animals selected by genotype. Animals homozygous for thymine expressed higher levels of leptin mRNA. This may suggest that the T allele, which adds an extra cysteine to the protein, imparts a partial loss of biological function and hence could be the causative mutation.

【 授权许可】

   
2002 INRA, EDP Sciences