Associations of SNPs in GHR gene with growth and milk yield of Anatolian buffaloes

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene and growth and milk yields of Anatolian buffaloes. Growth records of genotyped 3012 Anatolian buffaloes and 467 lactations of 329 cows from them were used. The overall means of weights at birth, six and 12 months of ages and lactation milk yield were 29.377 ± 0.342 kg, 96.15 ± 1.48 kg, 165.54 ± 2.18 kg, and 976.3 ± 39.9 kg, respectively. Three mutations (g.31601787 G > A, g.31601784 G > A, and g.31601783 G > del) in GHR were detected. A least-squares analysis was carried out to determine the fixed effects of some environmental factors and these SNPs. The g.31601784 G > A mutation had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on weights at 12 months of age. The cows with GG genotype in the location of g.31601783 were superior (p < 0.05) in milk production. These results indicate that the SNP markers in the GHR gene could be associated with economically important traits and provide some advantages to breeders for the selection of buffaloes in early age.