title: Haplotype distribution in the GLI3 gene and their associations with growth traits in cattle.
abstract: The glioma-associated oncogene family zinc finger 3 gene (GLI3) mediates in all vertebrates hedgehog (Hh) signaling that plays an essential role in the induction and patterning of numerous cell types during invertebrate and vertebrate development. In this study, a total of 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs: 1-6) were identified by polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and DNA pool sequencing, including all 13 exons and 12 exon-intron boundaries within the bovine GLI3 gene. 16 haplotypes and 13 combined genotypes were revealed and the linkage disequilibrium was assessed in 708 individuals representing three main cattle breeds from China. The statistical analyses indicated that the SNP2, 3 and 4 are associated with the body weight at birth and 6 months in Nanyang cattle population (P<0.05). No significant association was detected between 11 combined genotypes and body weight at five different ages. Our results provide evidence that polymorphisms in the GLI3 gene are associated with growth traits, and may be used for marker-assisted selection in beef cattle breeding program.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling Shaanxi 712100, China. huangyongzhen2009@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Yong-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ke-Yi
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qing-Wu
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chu-Zhao
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Xian-Yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Chun-Lei
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002681:China; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D060005:Genotyping Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006239:Haplotypes; D007438:Introns; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors