title: Polymorphisms of FST gene and their association with wool quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep.
abstract: Follistatin (FST) is involved in hair follicle morphogenesis. However, its effects on hair traits are not clear. This study was designed to investigate the effects of FST gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on wool quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). We performed gene expression analysis, SNP detection, and association analysis of FST gene with sheep wool quality traits. The real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that FST gene was differentially expressed in adult skin between Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type) and Suffolk sheep. Immunostaining showed that FST was localized in inner root sheath (IRS) and matrix of hair follicle (HF) in both SF and Suffolk sheep. Sequencing analysis identified a total of seven SNPs (termed SNPs 1-7) in the FST gene in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). Association analysis showed that SNP2 (Chr 16. 25,633,662 G>A) was significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). SNP4 (Chr 16. 25,633,569 C>T) was significantly associated with wool fineness SD and CV of fiber diameter (P < 0.05). Similarly, the haplotypes derived from these seven identified SNPs were also significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, CV of fiber diameter, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that FST influences wool quality traits and its SNPs 2 and 4 might be useful markers for marker-assisted selection and sheep breeding.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guang-Wei
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yan-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jian
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Fei-Yue
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Song-Song
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science, Shihezi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: En-Guang
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shou-Zhi
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Harbin, P. R. China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Department of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, P. R. China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D038681:Follistatin / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014935:Wool
chemical_list: D038681:Follistatin