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Title: ASSOCIATION OF BMP GENES WITH SKELETAL INTEGRITY IN CHICKENS

Author
item ZHOU, HUAIJUN - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item DEEB, NADER - 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: 5/9/2003
Publication Date: 7/6/2003
Citation: Zhou, H., Deeb, N., Mitchell, A.D., Ashwell, C.M., Lamont, S.J. 2003. Association of BMP genes with skeletal integrity in chickens [abstract]. Poultry Science. v. 82(Suppl.1):23. Abstract #94.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bone problems in both meat-type and egg-type poultry can impair bird health, productivity and processing quality. The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family is reported to have important roles in formation of demineralized matrix for bone. Five BMP genes (BMP1, 2, 4, 5 and 7) were selected as candidate genes to investigate for associations with skeletal integrity in chickens of the Iowa Growth and Composition Resource Population (IGCRP). The IGCRP was established by crossing broiler breeder sires with dams from two unrelated, highly inbred lines (White Leghorn and Fayoumi ). The F1 birds were intercrossed to produce F2 populations, maintained separately by granddam line. At 8 wk, F2 birds (n = 720) were euthanized and shank length, shank weight, tibia length, and tibia weight were measured. The bone mineral content of the tibia was estimated by DEXA. No polymorphism was detected within BMP2 (1000 bp) or BMP4 (1800 bp) genes in the founder lines of the resource population. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) between two founder lines (broiler and Fayoumi) were detected by DNA sequencing in BMP5 and BMP7; then PCR-RFLP methods were developed to screen the F2 progeny of the broiler by Fayoumi cross. The general linear model was used to analyze associations between BMP genes and skeletal integrity traits. The evaluated SNP of BMP5 had no significant effect on bone-related traits. There were significant associations of the BMP7 with % shank weight to length ratio and with % shank weight. The results suggest that one gene of the BMP family is associated with traits of skeletal integrity, and may therefore be of use in altering leg bone traits by genetic selection.