EFFECTS OF MELANOCORTIN-4 RECEPTOR GENE ON GROWTH AND MEAT TRAITS IN PIGS RAISED IN RUSSIA

The Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R), a G-protein coupled receptor, is implicated in mediating the effect of leptin on food intake and energy balance. A previous candidate gene study reported an association between an MC4R polymorphism (Asp298Asn) and growth and meat productive traits of pigs. The aim of this work was to determine frequencies of the MC4R/Taq I genotypes and alleles in Danish Landrace (LD), Canadian Landrace (LC) and crossbred pigs Danish Landrace × Canadian Landrace (LD × LC) in breeding Cent "Plemzavod Jubilee" (Tyumen) Russia and to estimate their associations with some growth and meat traits. The polymorphism was identified by PCR-RFLP method. The traits studied were: Number of days to 100-kg, Average Daily Gain (ADG), Backfat Thickness (BFT), average daily Feed Intake (FI) and Length of Body (LB). In the all test groups we found a higher frequency of G allele (0.71) compared with the A allele (0.29). The results of present study suggest that the MC4R gene contributes to Days to 100 kg, ADG and BF. The heterozygous genotype AG was favorable in LD breed. The significant effects of-1.43 (LD male) and -2.81(LD female) for Days to 100 kg and of+61.17 (LD male) and +26.3 (LD female) for ADG were calculated. The homozygous genotype GG was favorable in crossbred LD × LC. The significant effects of +74.2 for ADG and-1.5 for BF were calculated. Therefore, the data support a role for the MC4R Asp298Asn polymorphism in the genetic basis of economically important traits in pigs of Russia. Further research is needed to determine the effect of this gene on growth, meat and reproduction traits in pigs of different breeds and crosses.