Berlin Miniature Pig Research Articles

Polymorphism in the porcine transforming growth factor-beta1 gene.

Source/description: Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates cell growth and differentiation. The porcine TGFB1 gene consists of seven exons coding for a 390 amino acid precursor protein that is cleaved to a 112 amino acid mature protein. Primers were designed based on the published TGFB1 sequence (AccNumber: M23703) that reveal overlapping fragments of about 400 bp in size covering the cDNA sequence from exon 1 to the 3¢-UTR (AccNumber: AF461808). cDNA fragments obtained from five pig breeds – Hampshire, Duroc, Pietrain, German Landrace, Berlin-Miniature Pig – were comparatively sequenced. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified within a 469-bp fragment covering the cDNA sequence from exon 2 to exon 6.

Detection of quantitative trait loci for carcass traits in the pig by using AFLP

For evaluation of the suitability of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) for detection of quantitative trait loci in farm animals, a combination of AFLP and selective genotyping has been applied as a rapid screening method for marker-QTL associations. Focusing on loci affecting eye muscle area, six extreme discordant sib pairs were selected from a Duroc x Berlin Miniature Pig F2 experimental cross and examined by using 48 AFLP primer combinations. Two prominent AFLP markers were converted into simple codominant PCR markers ( STS-Bo1 and STS-Bo3) and assigned to Sscr4 by physical and linkage mapping. Single marker analysis indicated association of the STS markers with a putative QTL influencing eye muscle area. Interval mapping confirmed the presence of a significant QTL for eye muscle area (Pgenomewide < 0.01) on the Sscr4, with STS-Bo1 being the closer marker. At the same location, significant effects (Pgenomewide < 0.01) on carcass length and backfat thickness were also detected. Our results demonstrate the capability of the combination of AFLP analysis and selective genotyping as a method for detection of genome regions containing QTL in livestock.

Maternal influences on litter size and growth in reciprocal crossed Miniature Pigs and Durocs

Abstract. In order to demonstrate the potential power of maternal effects on litter size and growth in pigs a reciprocal cross of Berlin Miniature Pigs and Durocs was carried out. The average body weight of the Duroc dams (151 kg) was more than three times higher than the weight of the Miniature Pig dams (48 kg). A considerable maternal effect on fertility, estimated from reciprocal crossbred differences in the litter size of 3.5 piglets was found. The least Squares means of birth weight were 1.18 kg and 0.75 kg for Fl animals bom from Duroc dams and Miniature Pig dams, respectively. This maternal caused disadvantage in body weight of crossbred offspring from Miniature Pig dams is compensated in the interval from weaning to the 13th week of age. The end weight estimated by means of Gompertz and Bertalanffy growth functions showed only minor differences between the reciprocal crossed groups in favour of Fl born from Duroc dams. Our data suggest that the uterine capacity of the dam could play an important role in the fertility of extreme breed crosses. Concerning growth performance the milk yield of the sow and the influence of the birthweight of the piglets were discussed.