title: A novel SNP of the C/EBPα gene associated with superior meat quality in indigenous Chinese cattle.
abstract: CCAAT/enhancer-binding  protein alpha (C/EBPα) is an essential transcriptional factor regulating the  differentiation of adipocytes. We report a novel single nucleotide polymorphism  (C271A) of the C/EBPα gene in six indigenous Chinese cattle breeds using  PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing methods. Allele frequencies were investigated and  evaluated by the χ(2) test in  817 individuals; all populations were found to be in Hardy-Weinberg  equilibrium. Gene heterozygosity, effective allele numbers and polymorphism  information content of the C/EBPα locus varied from 0.50 to 0.54, 1.84 to 1.99  and 0.35 to 0.37, respectively. We also evaluated a potential association of  the C/EBPα SNP with ultrasound traits in 555 individuals; individuals of the AA  genotype had greater ultrasound backfat thickness than did genotype CC (0.36  versus 0.34 cm, P < 0.01); genotypes AA and CA had higher ultrasound marbling  scores than did genotype CC (3.53, 3.52 versus 3.37, P < 0.05). Analysis  based on meat quality data in another 204 Qinchuan cattle showed that animals  with genotype AA had bigger loin eye areas than did genotype CA (87.10 versus  79.08 cm(2), P < 0.05). These results indicate  that the C271A SNP of the C/EBPα gene could be used as a molecular marker for  selecting beef cattle with superior carcass traits.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest Agricultural and Foresty University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zan
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001823:Body Composition / Q000235:genetics*; D001947:Breeding; D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D008460:Meat; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D022763:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha