Haplotypic variation in the UCP1 gene is associated with milk traits in dairy cows.
Uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) plays a role in the regulation of body temperature, metabolic rate and energy expenditure in animals. While variation in UCP1 and its phenotypic effect has been investigated in humans and sheep, little is known about this gene in cattle. In this study, four regions of bovine UCP1 were investigated in 612 Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J) dairy cows using polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analyses. In the four regions of the gene analysed, a total of 13 SNPs were detected. Three sequences (a, b and c) were found in Region-2 and three sequences (A, B and C) were found in Region-4, and these were assembled into three (a-B, b-B and c-A) common and three (b-C, c-B and c-C) rare haplotypes. Of the three common haplotypes, b-B and c-A were associated (P < 0·007 and P < 0·043, respectively) with increased milk yield and tended to be associated (P < 0·085 and P < 0·070, respectively) with decreased fat percentage. Cows with genotype b-B/a-B produced more milk (P < 0·004), but with a lower percentage of fat (P < 0·035) and protein (P < 0·038) than cows with genotype a-B/a-B. Cows of genotype a-B/c-A had milk of low fat percentage (P < 0·017), but tended to produce more milk (P < 0·059) than cows of genotype a-B/a-B. This suggests that UCP1 affects milk yield, milk fat percentage and milk protein percentage.
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Huitong
H
Zhou
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Long
L
Cheng
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Seung Ok
SO
Byun
College of Animal Science, Tarim University,Alar 843300,Xinjiang Province,China.
Wumaierjiang
W
Aizimu
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Miriam C
MC
Hodge
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Grant R
GR
Edwards
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences,Lincoln University,Lincoln 7647,New Zealand.
Jon Gh
JG
Hickford
D000818:Animals; D018955:CD36 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D007774:Lactation / Q000235:genetics*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics*
D018955:CD36 Antigens; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
Uncoupling protein-1 gene (UCP1); milk fat; milk protein; milk yield; variation; haplotype