Polymorphisms of the Bovine Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 Gene (BMP 7) and its Association with Infertility in Egyptian Water Buffaloes

Abstract

BMP 7 is a member of transforming growth factor-β (TGF- β) superfamily which plays an important role in the growth and follicular development in mammalian ovary. The present study was designed to amplify and detect polymorphism in exon 6 and exon7 of BMP 7 gene and to investigate the association with infertility in Egyptian buffalo cows. PCR amplification of DNA isolated from blood of 35 Egyptian water buffalo cows (5 normal fertile, 16 repeat breeders and 14 anestrum) revealed the expected size (259 bp) for exon 6 and (360 bp) for (Part of intron 6 plus part of exon 7). Polymorphisms in these two loci were studied by using direct sequencing and RFLP techniques. No SNPs were detected in exon 6, a monomorphic restriction banding pattern observed in normal cyclic and infertile animals. Non- synonomous SNP (G/A) at base 82 from the start of exon 7 was discovered in BMP7 gene. G to A transition revealed two genotypes GG and GA in the investigated Egyptian water buffaloes. The GG genotype was predominant with a genotype frequency of 0.94. GA genotype was found in some infertile animal with frequency of 0.06. SNP (G82A) of BMP7 exon7 gene might be useful in marker-assisted selection of breeding programs for the Egyptian water buffalo.