title: Characterization, expression profiles, intracellular distribution and association analysis of porcine PNAS-4 gene with production traits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In a previous screen to identify differentially expressed genes associated with embryonic development, the porcine PNAS-4 gene had been found. Considering differentially expressed genes in early stages of muscle development are potential candidate genes to improve meat quality and production efficiency, we determined how porcine PNAS-4 gene regulates meat production. Therefore, this gene has been sequenced, expression analyzed and associated with meat production traits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We cloned the full-length cDNA of porcine PNAS-4 gene encoding a protein of 194 amino acids which was expressed in the Golgi complex. This gene was mapped to chromosome 10, q11-16, in a region of conserved synteny with human chromosome 1 where the human homologous gene was localized. Real-time PCR revealed that PNAS-4 mRNA was widely expressed with highest expression levels in skeletal muscle followed by lymph, liver and other tissues, and showed a down-regulated expression pattern during prenatal development while a up-regulated expression pattern after weaning. Association analysis revealed that allele C of SNP A1813C was prevalent in Chinese indigenous breeds whereas A was dominant allele in Landrace and Large White, and the pigs with homozygous CC had a higher fat content than those of the pigs with other genotypes (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Porcine PNAS-4 protein tagged with green fluorescent protein accumulated in the Golgi complex, and its mRNA showed a widespread expression across many tissues and organs in pigs. It may be an important factor affecting the meat production efficiency, because its down-regulated expression pattern during early embryogenesis suggests involvement in increase of muscle fiber number. In addition, the SNP A1813C associated with fat traits might be a genetic marker for molecular-assisted selection in animal breeding.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100094, PR China. modelin@mail.sysu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Delin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Zhengmao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Marinus F W
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: te Pas
authors.forename: Xinyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huanling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000235:genetics; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger