Abstract
Based on RNA-seq analysis, we recently found that the bovine NCAPG (non-SMC condensin I complex, subunit G) gene is differentially expressed during development of the longissimus muscle. In the present study, we validated this result and, using quantitative real-time PCR analysis, identified two adjacent genes, LCORL and DCAF16, that are more abundant in fetal muscle tissue; further analysis of tissue-specific expression patterns indicated high abundance of NCAPG in muscle. Since no polymorphisms were detected in a previous study of Qinchuan cattle, we extended our investigation to examine the occurrence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NCAPG gene. Three SNPs, i.e., one located in the intron region (g47747: T > G), a synonymous mutation (g52535: A > G) and a missense mutation (g53208: T > G) that leads to a change in the amino acid of interest (pIle442Met), were detected in a population of Qinchuan beef cattle (n = 300). Association analysis showed that these SNPs were significantly associated with the growth traits of Qinchuan beef cattle. Our results indicate that the bovine NCAPG gene may be involved in the development of the longissimus muscle. These polymorphisms in the NCAPG gene may be useful for marker-assisted selection of optimal body size in Qinchuan beef cattle.
Highlights
Optimal body size has been intensively investigated in beef cattle breeding and is considered to be a trait of high economic importance (Littlejohn et al, 2011)
Based on RNA-seq analysis, we recently found that the NCAPG gene and its neighboring gene, LCORL, are both differentially expressed in longissimus muscle of fetal and adult Chinese Qinchuan beef cattle (He and Liu, 2013)
Among the various tissues screened, NCAPG expression was greatest in muscle followed by liver; low expression was seen in other organs (Figure 1B)
Summary
Optimal body size has been intensively investigated in beef cattle breeding and is considered to be a trait of high economic importance (Littlejohn et al, 2011). The importance of the bovine NCAPG gene had previously been suggested by Setoguchi et al (2009), who located a QTL for body or carcass weight in cattle (known as CW-2) in a 591-kb interval on bovine chromosome 6 (BTA6); they identified a candidate causal variant in the NCAPG gene, NCAPG: c.1326T > G, responsible for the amino acid change p.Ile442Met. Additional studies (Eberlein et al, 2009; Weikard et al, 2010) that investigated the association of the NCAPG: c.1326T > G mutation with birth weight and body weight confirmed the role of this gene locus as the CW-2 QTL. Additional studies (Eberlein et al, 2009; Weikard et al, 2010) that investigated the association of the NCAPG: c.1326T > G mutation with birth weight and body weight confirmed the role of this gene locus as the CW-2 QTL These findings support the possibility that NCAPG regulates muscle growth in cattle and thereby influences muscle performance
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