• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.110-121
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• 2022

Leaf functional traits widely have been used to understand the environmental controls of resource utilization strategy of plants along the environmental gradients. By using key leaf functional traits, we quantified the relationships between leaf traits and local climate throughout the distributional range of Rhododendron caucasicum Pall. in eastern and western Georgian mountains (the South Caucasus). Our results revealed, that all traits showed high levels of intraspecific variability across study locations and confirmed a strong phenotypic differentiation of leaf functional variation along the east-west longitudinal gradient in response to the local climate; out of the explored climatic variables, the moisture factors related to precipitation and number of precipitation and dry days for winter and growth seasons were more strongly related to leaf trait variation than the elevation and air temperature. Among studied leaf traits, the leaf specific area (SLA) showed the highest level of variability indicating the different resource utilization strategies of eastern and western-central Rh. caucasicum individuals. High SLA leaves for western-central Caucasian individuals work in relatively resource-rich environments (more humid in terms of precipitation amount and the number of precipitation days in winter) and could be explained by preferential allocation to photosynthesis and growth, while eastern Caucasian samples work in resource-poor environments (less humid in terms of precipitation amount and the number of precipitation days in winter) and the retention of captured resources is a higher priority appearing in a low SLA leaves. However, more evidence from a broader study of the species throughout its distribution range by including additional environmental factors and molecular markers are needed for firmer conclusions of intraspecific variability of Rh. caucasicum.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.71-78
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• 2000

The recent progress od DNA technologies including DNA fingerprinting (DFP) and random amplified DNA polymorphism (RAPD) analysis make it possible to identify the specific genetic trits of animals and to analyze the genetic diversity and relatedness between or withinspecies or populations. Using those techniquse, some efforts to identify and develop the specific DNA markers based on DNA polymorphism, which are related with economic traits for Korean native animals, Hanwoo(Korean native cattle),Korean native pig and Korean native chicken, have been made in Korea for recent a few years. The developed specific DNA markers successfully characterize the Korean native animals as the unique Korean genetic sources, distinctively from other imported breeds. Some of these DNA markers have been related to some important economic traits for domestic animals, for example, growth rate and marbling for Honwoo, growth rate and back fat thinkness fornative pig, and growth rate, agg weight and agg productivity for native chicken. This means that those markers can be used in important marker-assised selection (MAS) of Korean native domestic animals and further contribute to genetically improve and breed them.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2016

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) is a particular region of the genome containing one or more genes associated with economically important quantitative traits. This study was conducted to identify QTL regions for body weight and growth traits in purebred Korean native chicken (KNC). F1 samples (n = 595) were genotyped using 127 microsatellite markers and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms that covered 2,616.1 centi Morgan (cM) of map length for 26 autosomal linkage groups. Body weight traits were measured every 2 weeks from hatch to 20 weeks of age. Weight of half carcass was also collected together with growth rate. A multipoint variance component linkage approach was used to identify QTLs for the body weight traits. Two significant QTLs for growth were identified on chicken chromosome 3 (GGA3) for growth 16 to18 weeks (logarithm of the odds [LOD] = 3.24, Nominal p value = 0.0001) and GGA4 for growth 6 to 8 weeks (LOD = 2.88, Nominal p value = 0.0003). Additionally, one significant QTL and three suggestive QTLs were detected for body weight traits in KNC; significant QTL for body weight at 4 weeks (LOD = 2.52, nominal p value = 0.0007) and suggestive QTL for 8 weeks (LOD = 1.96, Nominal p value = 0.0027) were detected on GGA4; QTLs were also detected for two different body weight traits: body weight at 16 weeks on GGA3 and body weight at 18 weeks on GGA19. Additionally, two suggestive QTLs for carcass weight were detected at 0 and 70 cM on GGA19. In conclusion, the current study identified several significant and suggestive QTLs that affect growth related traits in a unique resource pedigree in purebred KNC. This information will contribute to improving the body weight traits in native chicken breeds, especially for the Asian native chicken breeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.182-187
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• 2010

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the levels of hormones (progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3) in blood plasma, growth, carcass traits and their interactions of sexually immature (n = 18) and sexually mature (n = 17) gilts. To calculate average daily weight gain (ADG), gilts were individually weighed at the beginning of the trial and at slaughter (110${\pm}$10 days old). Blood concentrations of progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by RIA. The right hot carcass sides were dissected and the individual basic parts from carcasses were weighed to record the carcass traits. IGFBP-3, ADG and carcass traits were not affected by pubertal maturation. Compared to sexually immature gilts, mature gilts had higher blood concentrations of progesterone and IGF-I. High correlations were noted between levels of some hormonal substances, productive performance and carcass traits of sexually immature and mature gilts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권8호
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• pp.1041-1047
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• 2011

Data on 2,365 Mecheri sheep (1,201 males and 1,164 females), maintained at the Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, and recorded between 1979 and 2006, were analysed to study the growth related traits and their genetic control. The body weights at different ages (i.e. at birth, weaning (3 months), 6, 9 and 12 months) were recorded and collected from the birth and growth registers maintained in the farm. The average weights of Mecheri sheep at birth, and at 12 months of age were $2.24{\pm}0.01$ and $16.81{\pm}0.15$ kg respectively. The pre- and post-weaning average daily weight gains were $63.84{\pm}0.75$ and $29.52{\pm}0.43$ g respectively. Study revealed a significant difference with the period of lambing on body weight, weight gain and efficiency in weight gain at different stages of growth. Males were heavier and had a higher weight gain than females at almost all stages of growth and the differences tended to increase with age. The direct heritability estimates increased from birth to six months of age and then decreased. The direct heritabilities of all body weights at different stages of growth were low to moderate in magnitude and the values at birth, weaning, six, nine and 12 months of age were 0.08, 0.17, 0.21, 0.13 and 0.10 respectively. For the estimation of heritability at birth and three months body weights, the direct additive genetic and maternal additive genetic effects have to be taken into account and for the estimation of six months weight, the direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects have to be included in the model. The estimates of heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations among the different body weights indicated that the selection for improving the body weights at different traits should be done on the basis of three or six months weight because of higher heritability estimates and having higher genetic correlations with other traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권11호
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• pp.1542-1547
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• 2005

The Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) are two important candidate genes related to fat deposition and carcass traits. MC4R was found on study on human obesity and then was studied as candidate gene affecting food intake and fat deposition traits in mice and pigs. Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene plays an important role on tumor cell proliferation and muscle growth. It also affects fat traits and live weight in pigs. In this paper, MC4R and IGF2 were studied as two candidate genes associated with important economic traits such as fat deposition and carcass traits in five different pig populations. Taq I-PCR-RFLP and Bcn I-PCR-RFLP were respectively used to detect the polymorphism of genotypes of MC4R and IGF2 genes. Different MC4R genotype frequencies were observed in four populations. IGF2 genotype frequencies were also different in two populations. The results of association analysis show both MC4R and IGF2 genes were significantly associated with fat deposition and carcass traits in about 300 pigs. This work will add new evidence of MC4R and IGF2 affecting fat deposition and carcass traits in pigs and show that two genes can be used as important candidate genes for marker assistant selection (MAS) of growth and lean meat percentage in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권7호
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• pp.941-946
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• 2008

Single-minded 1 gene (SIM1) is a homolog of Drosophila SIM1 gene which plays a key role in the midline cell lineage of the central nervous system and is implicated in the regulation of feeding behavior and obesity in the human and mouse. In this study, porcine SIM1 gene was firstly mapped to chromosome 1p13 using radiation hybrid (RH) mapping and two polymorphisms were detected at position 607 (A/G) in SIM1 intron7 and position 780 (C/T) in SIM1 exon8. The last substitution was genotyped in a 364 F2 animal-population and an association analysis of these genotypes was performed with growth, carcass and meat quality traits by the statistical animal model. The results showed the significant influence of the SIM1 genotype on growth (p<0.05): live weight at birth, later period of growth and average daily gain; and effects on carcass composition (p<0.05): weight of head and buck kneed foreleg, backfat depth, loin eye area, carcass leaf fat and ham fat weights; and traits related to intramuscular fat content (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.609-615
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• 2014

Appetite-related neuropeptides proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) are essential for regulating feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of variants in POMC and NPY genes on growth, carcass and meat quality traits in rabbits. A total of six SNPs were identified for POMC (n = 2) and NPY (n = 4) genes by direct sequencing. Three SNPs were subsequently genotyped by using MassArray system (Sequenom iPLEXassay) in 235 individuals, which belong to three meat rabbit breeds, including 93 Ira rabbits; 81 Champagne rabbits and 61 Tianfu black rabbits. The SNP c.112-12G>T was in intron-exon boundaries (intron 1) of POMC gene, and the association analysis showed that individuals with TT genotype had a greater 84 d body weight (BW84), eviscerated weight and semi-eviscerated weight than those with GT genotype (p<0.05); the TT individuals were also higher than those GG in the ripe meat ratio (RMR) (p<0.05). The g.1778G>C SNP, which was in complete linkage with other three SNPs (g.1491G>A, g.1525G>T and g.1530C>T) in intron 1 of NPY gene, was significantly correlated with eviscerated slaughter percentage and semi-eviscerated slaughter percentage in rabbits, and the individuals with CC genotype had a better performance than CG genotype (p<0.05). These findings would provide primary clues for the biological roles of POMC and NPY underlying the rabbit growth-related traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.1703-1709
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• 2008

As genetic markers, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are very appropriate for the development of genetic tests for economic traits in livestock. Several microsatellite markers have been identified as useful markers for the genetic improvement of Hanwoo. Among those markers, ILSTS035 was recently mapped at a similar position with four SNPs (AH1_11, AH1_9, 31465_446, and 12273_165) in a linkage map of EST-based SNP in BAT6. Among the four SNPs, two SNPs (31465_446 and 12273_165) were analyzed using BLAST at the NCBI web site. The sequences including the 12273_165 SNP were identified at the intron region within the LOC534614 gene on the gene sequence map (Bos taurus NCBI Map view, build 3.1). The LOC534614 gene represents a protein similar to myosin heavy chain, fat skeletal muscle, embryonic isoform 1 in the dog, and myosin_1 (Myosin heavy chain D) in Macaca mulatta. In cattle, the myosin heavy chain was associated with muscle development. The phenotypic data for growth and carcass traits in the 415 animals were analyzed by the mixed ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) linear model using PROC GLM module in SAS v9.1. By the genotyping of Hanwoo individuals (n = 415) to evaluate the association of SNP with growth and carcass traits, it was shown that the 12273_165 SNP region within LOC534614 may be a candidate marker for growth. The results of the statistical analyses suggested that the genotype of the 12273_165 SNP significantly affected birth weight, weight of the cattle at 24 months of age, average daily gain and carcass cold weight (p<0.05). Consequently, the 12273_165 SNP polymorphisms at the LOC534614 gene may be associated with growth in Hanwoo, and functional validation of polymorphisms in LOC534614 should be performed in the future.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제36권9호
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• pp.1350-1356
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate polymorphisms of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) and insulin like growth factor 2 (IGF2) genes and to evaluate the growth traits affected by such polymorphisms in Thai native (Kradon) pigs. Methods: Blood samples and productive data from 91 Kradon pigs were collected. DNA was extracted and quantified, the IGF2 and MC4R genes were amplified, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) produces were digested using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Genotyping was performed, and the association between genotypes and growth traits on the birth and weaning weights were evaluated. Results: The IGF2 intron7 g.162G>C variations in Kradon pigs were found in three genotypes: i) GG, ii) GC, and iii) CC. The GG genotype frequency was the highest followed by the GC and CC genotypes. The frequencies of the G and C alleles were 0.703 and 0.297, respectively. The MC4R genotype was found in only one genotype (GG). The IGF2 gene pattern was not associated with birth weight traits, whereas the IGF2 gene pattern was related to the weaning weight trait in Kradon pigs. Pigs with the CC and GC genotypes had higher weaning weights than ones with the GG genotype (p<0.001). Conclusion: Thai native Kradon pigs with the CC and GC genotypes of the IGF2 gene have higher weaning weights than pigs with the GG genotype.