Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #131101
Title: CHICKEN QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCI FOR GROWTH AND BODY COMPOSITION ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA FAMILY GENES

Author
item LI, HUI - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item DEEB, NADER - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item ZHOU, HUAIJUN - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Mitchell, Alva
item Ashwell, Christopher
item LAMONT, SUSAN - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2003
Citation: 82:347-356 (2003)

Interpretive Summary: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) belongs to a large family of multifunctional growth factors that regulate a broad spectrum of biological activities involved in morphogenesis, development and differentiation. This study was designed to investigate the effects of TGF-beta family genes on chicken growth and body composition traits. The Iowa Growth and Composition nResource Population was established by crossing broiler sires with dams from two unrelated highly inbred lines (Leghorn and Fayoumi). Body weight (BW) and body composition traits were measured in the F2 generation. Polymorphisms between parental lines were detected by DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP methods were then developed to screen the F2 population. The TGF- beta2 polymorphism between broiler and Leghorn was associated with tibia length, bone mineral content, and bone mineral density. The TGF-beta3 polymorphism between broiler and Leghorn was associated with BW, average daily gain, breast muscle weight, abdominal fat weight, spleen weight, shank weight, and shank length. The TGF-beta 4 polymorphism between broiler and Fayoumi was related to tibia length, shank length, bone mineral content, and density. This research supports the broad effects of TGF-beta family members on growth and development in the chicken.

Technical Abstract: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) belongs to a large family of multifunctional growth factors that regulate a broad spectrum of biological activities involved in morphogenesis, development and differentiation. This study was designed to investigate the effects of TGF-beta family genes on chicken growth and body composition traits. The Iowa Growth and Composition nResource Population was established by crossing broiler sires with dams from two unrelated highly inbred lines (Leghorn and Fayoumi). The F1 birds were intercrossed, within dam line, to produce two related F2 populations. Body weight (BW) and body composition traits were measured in the F2 population. Primers for the promoter region in TGF-beta 2, intron 4 in TGF- beta 3, and exon in TGF-beta 4 were designed from database chicken genomic and cDNA sequence. Polymorphisms between parental lines were detected by DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP methods were then developed to screen the F2 population. The TGF-beta2 polymorphism between broiler and Leghorn was associated with tibia length (TBL), %TBL (TBL/BW), bone mineral content (BMC), %BMC (BMC/BW), bone mineral density (BMD) and %BMD (BMD/BW). The TGF-beta3 polymorphism between broiler and Leghorn was associated with BW, average daily gain (ADG), breast muscle weight (BMW), %BMW (BMW/BW), abdominal fat weight (AFW), %AFW (AFW/BW), spleen weight (SW), %SW (SW/BW), %SHW (shank weight/ BW), %SHL (shank length/BW) and %SHR (shank weight to length ratio). The TGF-beta 4 polymorphism between broiler and Fayoumi was related to TBL, %TBL (TBL/BW), shank length (SHL), BMC, BMD, %BMD, SW and %SW. This research supports the broad effects of TGF-beta family members on growth and development in the chicken.