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Title: Evaluation of polymorphisms within the genes GSHR and SLC2A2 that are within a region on bovine chromosome 1 (BTA1) previously associated with feed intake and weight gain

Author
item Lindholm-Perry, Amanda
item Kuehn, Larry
item Snelling, Warren
item Smith, Timothy - Tim
item FERRELL, CALVIN - Retired ARS Employee
item JENKINS, THOMAS - Retired ARS Employee
item Freetly, Harvey

Submitted to: Animal Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/7/2011
Publication Date: 1/1/2012
Citation: Lindholm-Perry, A.K., Kuehn, L.A., Snelling, W.M., Smith, T.P., Ferrell, C.L., Jenkins, T.G., Freetly, H.C. 2012. Evaluation of polymorphisms within the genes GSHR and SLC2A2 that are within a region on bovine chromosome 1 (BTA1) previously associated with feed intake and weight gain. Animal Genetics. 43(1):112.

Interpretive Summary: Cost of feed is the largest expense incurred by cattle producers. The ability to select for animals with beneficial production traits using genetic markers may reduce expenses for producers. By focusing on regions of the genome implicated in larger studies, we may be able to find new markers with stronger relationships with feed intake and average daily gain. In this study, we identified regions based on protein function on bovine chromosome 1 to analyze for gain and intake. The genes we focused on were not significant. These results will contribute to further examinations of this region for effects on gain and intake.

Technical Abstract: Cost of feed is the largest expense incurred by cattle producers. The ability to select for animals with beneficial production traits using genetic markers may reduce expenses for producers. A large region on bovine chromosome 1 was identified as significant for average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG). Further support for the involvement of this region in cattle feed intake comes from a separate study that also identified this region as significant for residual feed intake (RFI) and ADFI in an unrelated crossbred population of steers. We identified two genes within this region on BTA1 that might be responsible for variation in cattle feed intake and weight gain based on their chromosomal position and gene functions. These genes were the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) and solute carrier family 2 (facilitated glucose transporter), member 2 (SLC2A2 /GLUT2). GHSR is a receptor for ghrelin and has been associated with obesity and female metabolic syndrome in humans, growth and carcass traits in chickens, and growth traits in Nanyang cattle. SLC2A2 is a high-capacity facilitative glucose transporter that allows glucose to enter into the pancreatic ß cells and ultimately regulates insulin secretion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate these genes as a positional candidate genes involved in feed intake and BW gain, in attempt to develop markers with consistent effect across multiple populations. A total of 34 SNP were genotyped in a population of crossbred steers with ADG and ADFI phenotypes. While one SNP was nominally significant for ADG and two were nominally significant for ADFI, these SNP were not significant after correction for multiple testing. The SNP evaluated in this study in GHSR and SLC2A2 do not appear to be responsible for the observed variation in these traits in our population of cattle.