title: FABP4 is a leading candidate gene associated with residual feed intake in growing Holstein calves.
abstract: Ecological and economic concerns drive the need to improve feed utilization by domestic animals. Residual feed intake (RFI) is one of the most acceptable measures for feed efficiency (FE). However, phenotyping RFI-related traits is complex and expensive and requires special equipment. Advances in marker technology allow the development of various DNA-based selection tools. To assimilate these technologies for the benefit of RFI-based selection, reliable phenotypic measures are prerequisite. In the current study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with RFI phenotypic consistency across different ages and diets (named RFI 1-3), using DNA samples of high or low RFI ranked Holstein calves. Using targeted sequencing of chromosomal regions associated with FE- and RFI-related traits, we identified 48 top SNPs significantly associated with at least one of three defined RFIs. Eleven of these SNPs were harbored by the fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4). While 10 significant SNPs found in FABP4 were common for RFI 1 and RFI 3, one SNP (FABP4_5; A<G substitution), in the promoter region of the gene, was significantly associated with all three RFIs. As the three RFI classes reflect changing diets and ages with concomitant RFI phenotypic consistency, the above polymorphisms and in particular FABP4_5, might be considered possible markers for RFI-based selection for FE in the Holstein breed, following a larger-scale validation.
authors.affiliation: Beef cattle section, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel; mirico@volcani.agri.gov.il.
authors.forename: Miri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen-Zinder
authors.affiliation: Beef cattle section, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel; Israeli Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Chronobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel;
authors.forename: Aviv
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asher
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; and.
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lipkin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Roi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feingersch
authors.affiliation: Beef cattle section, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel;
authors.forename: Rotem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agmon
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karasik
authors.affiliation: Beef cattle section, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel;
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brosh
authors.affiliation: Beef cattle section, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel;
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shabtay
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods; D004435:Eating / Q000235:genetics*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
keywords: FABP4; QTL; candidate genes; cattle; feed efficiency; residual feed intake