title: A new single nucleotide polymorphism in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) myostatin (MSTN) gene is associated with carcass composition traits.
abstract: This study aimed at the identification of genetic variations in the myostatin (MSTN) gene and testing their effects on carcass quality traits. We comparatively sequenced Giant Grey (GG) and New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits that were founders of a cross-bred population. Alignment of our sequence data with the GenBank sequence of the rabbit MSTN gene (Ensembl Gene ID ENSOCUG00000012663) identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The two novel SNPs (c.-125T>C, c.373+234G>A) and one known SNP (c.747+34C>T) were subsequently analysed for linkage with carcass composition traits in 363 F2 animals of the cross GG × NZW. Significant linkage was found between c.373+234G>A and nine carcass composition traits (P < 0.05). No significant effects were found for c.-125T>C and c.747+34C>T. Because the linked SNP is located in intron 1 and no genetic variation was found in the coding region, further investigations are necessary to understand the functional effect of the c.373+234G>A variant on the variability of the traits.
authors.affiliation: Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Crop and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sternstein
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reissmann
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maj
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bieniek
authors.forename: Gudrun A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Brockmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D055435:Myostatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011817:Rabbits / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D055435:Myostatin
keywords: cross-bred population; gene variation; haplotype; meat quality; muscle mass