Identification of insulin-like growth factor I gene polymorphisms using high-resolution melting and its effect on growth traits in sinipercid species

Abstract

The aim of this study is to screen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene and analyze the potential association between IGF-I gene polymorphisms and growth traits in a crossing sinipercid population. Two SNPs (g.A321G, g.A537G) within five exons of the IGF-I gene were tested for association with four growth traits in 250 individuals using the high-resolution melting method. The association analysis of SNPs of IGF-I gene with the four growth traits was carried out using General Linear Model estimation. Results indicated that SNP1 in exon3 of the IGF-I gene was significantly associated with body weight (P < 0.05), body length (P < 0.05) and body width (P < 0.05), and SNP2 in exon5 of the IGF-I gene was significantly associated with body weight (P < 0.05), body depth (P < 0.05) and body width (P < 0.05) in a sinipercid population. The individuals of genotype AA or AG in loci SNP1 and SNP2 grew faster than those of genotype GG. Diplotypes did not show significant effects on growth traits. These findings implied that the two SNPs of the IGF-I gene affecting growth traits could be potential quantitative trait nucleotides and would be useful genetic markers in the selection of some growth traits for developing improved culture lines of sinipercid species in China.