The Association of the Copy Number Variation of the MLLT10 Gene with Growth Traits of Chinese Cattle.

Peng Yang,Baorui Ru,Chuzhao Lei,Jianliang Xie,Eryao Wang,Xianwei Wang,Hong Chen,Shijie Lyv,Yongzhen Huang,Kaixing Qu,Zijing Zhang,Bizhi Huang,Zejun Xu,Zhiming Li,Cuicui Cai,Jiawei Xu

doi:10.3390/ani10020250

Abstract

Simple SummaryCopy number variation is a common genetic polymorphism, mainly represented by submicroscopic levels of deletion and duplication, caused by rearrangement of the genome. It is well-known that the copy number variation of a gene is associated with growth traits of livestock. In this study, we detected the correlation between the copy number variation of the the MLLT10 gene and the growth traits of Chinese yellow cattle. We found that the copy number variation of the MLLT10 gene has a significant influence on hip width, rump length, hucklebone width, and cannon bone circumference of some Chinese yellow cattle breeds. The results provide preliminary suggestions for Chinese yellow cattle breeding and new insights about the future of copy number variation (CNV) as a new promising molecular marker in animal breeding.Copy number variation is a part of genomic structural variation and has caused widespread concern. According to the results of high-throughput screening of the MLLT10 gene, we found that the copy number variation region of the MLLT10 gene was correlated with bovine growth traits. We aimed to detect the MLLT10 gene copy number variation and provide materials for the Chinese yellow cattle breed. In this study, the SPSS software was used to analyze the correlation among the copy number type of six different cattle breeds (i.e., Qinchuan, Xianan, Jiaxian, Yanbian, Sinan, Yunling) and the corresponding growth traits. The results showed the following: In Qinchuan cattle, the copy number duplication type was greater than the deletion and normal types; in Xianan cattle, the copy number duplication and normal types were less as compared with the deletion type; and in Yunling cattle, the frequency of the duplication type was dominant among the three types of copy number variants. The correlation analysis result showed that there is a significant correlation between the copy number variation (CNV) of the MLLT10 gene and the growth traits of three cattle breeds. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that MLLT10 CNV had positive effects on growth traits such as hip width, rump length, hucklebone width, and cannon bone circumference (p < 0.05). This study provides a basis for the molecular-assisted marker breeding of cattle and contributes to the breeding of cattle.

Highlights

Chinese yellow cattle have always played an important role in Chinese agriculture, for meat, milk, and leather and cattle are indispensable in the Chinese culture
By identifying the type of MLLT10 gene’s CNV in six cattle breeds, as well as the correlation analysis with the growth traits of four yellow cattle breeds, we found that the MLLT10 gene copy number variation type is different in different yellow cattle breeds
We examined the copy number variation of the MLLT10 gene in different Chinese cattle breeds and clearly demonstrated that this degree of variation affects the growth of cattle in a certain way, and this conclusion was confirmed by correlation analysis

Summary

Introduction

Chinese yellow cattle have always played an important role in Chinese agriculture, for meat, milk, and leather and cattle are indispensable in the Chinese culture. Due to the lack of mechanical production tools in early Chinese agriculture, cattle were used in Chinese agriculture for labor. With the development of technology, agriculture has been gradually mechanized and modernized, and the applications of cattle have gradually changed from labor serving to meat serving and milk serving. The change in local Chinese yellow cattle has been obvious. As a result of gradual studies of cattle genome, genetic inheritance and variation have been used to improve cattle production and reproduction. After long-term selection and cultivation, the meat production performance of modern beef cattle breeds is higher than that of the original varieties such as meat yield and quality [1]

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