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Title: Evaluation of bovine chemerin (RARRES2) gene variation on beef cattle production traits

Author
item Lindholm-Perry, Amanda
item Kuehn, Larry
item Rempel, Lea
item Smith, Timothy - Tim
item Cushman, Robert - Bob
item McDaneld, Tara
item Wheeler, Tommy
item Shackelford, Steven
item King, David - Andy
item Freetly, Harvey

Submitted to: Frontiers in Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2012
Publication Date: 3/29/2012
Citation: Lindholm-Perry, A.K., Kuehn, L.A., Rempel, L.A., Smith, T.P., Cushman, R.A., McDaneld, T.G., Wheeler, T.L., Shackelford, S.D., King, D.A., Freetly, H.C. 2012. Evaluation of bovine chemerin (RARRES2) gene variation on beef cattle production traits. Frontiers in Genetics. 3:39.

Interpretive Summary: A previous study identified a region on bovine chromosome 4 near the chemerin gene associated with average daily feed intake (ADFI) in beef steers. Chemerin is an adipokine (a small cell signaling protein secreted by the adipose tissue) that has been associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in humans, representing a strong candidate gene potentially underlying the observed association. To evaluate whether the bovine chemerin gene is involved in feed intake, genetic markers within and on either side of chemerin were tested for association in the same resource population of steers. Several markers tested were associated with ADFI after consecutive correction for multiple testing. All markers were evaluated for effects on meat quality and carcass phenotypes. Many of the markers associated with ADFI were associated with hot carcass weight (HCW), adjusted fat thickness (AFT), and marbling (n=7, 4, and 6 markers, respectively). In general, marker alleles that were associated with lower feed intake were also associated with lower HCW, AFT, and marbling. To determine whether cattle feed intake or growth phenotypes might be related to chemerin gene expression, the messenger RNA transcript abundance of chemerin was evaluated in adipose tissue of 114 heifers that were full or half siblings of the steers. Relative chemerin gene expression was not correlated with ADFI, ADG, or RFI, but associations with body condition score and yearling weight were observed. We conclude that variation in the chemerin gene may underlie observed association in the resource population, but that additional research is required to determine if this variation is widespread among breeds and to develop robust markers with predictive merit across breeds.

Technical Abstract: A previous genome-wide association study in cattle based on >48,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers identified markers on chromosome 4 near the chemerin gene associated with average daily feed intake (ADFI) in steers (P<0.008). Chemerin is an adipokine that has been associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in humans, representing a strong candidate gene potentially underlying the observed association. To evaluate whether the bovine chemerin gene is involved in feed intake, sixteen markers within and on either side of the gene were tested for association in the same resource population of steers. Eleven were nominally significant for ADFI (P<0.05) and two remained significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. Two and five SNP in this region were nominally significant for the related traits of average daily gain (ADG) and residual feed intake (RFI), respectively. All 16 polymorphisms were also evaluated for effects on meat quality and carcass phenotypes. Many of the markers associated with ADFI were associated with hot carcass weight (HCW), adjusted fat thickness (AFT), and marbling (n=7, 4, and 6 markers, respectively; P<0.05). In general, marker alleles that were associated with lower feed intake were also associated with lower HCW, AFT, and marbling. The eleven markers associated with ADFI were genotyped in an unrelated population of crossbred steers representing 14 beef cattle breeds to determine their predictive merit across populations. No consistent relationships for ADFI were detected. To determine whether cattle feed intake or growth phenotypes might be related to chemerin transcript abundance, the expression of chemerin was evaluated in adipose tissue of 114 heifers that were full or half siblings of the steers in the discovery population. Relative chemerin transcript abundance was not correlated with ADFI, ADG, or RFI, but associations with body condition score (BCS) and 365 d adjusted yearling weight were observed. We conclude that variation in the chemerin gene may underlie observed association in the resource population, but that additional research is required to determine if this variation is widespread among breeds and to develop robust markers with predictive merit across breeds.