Detection of single nucleotide polymorphism in HTR4 and its relationship with growth traits in sheep

Abstract

In this study, a single nucleotide polymorphism of HTR4 (hydroxytryptamine receptor 4) was detected using DNA sequencing and KASPar (Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR) technique with the aim of analyzing its effect on growth traits in 1102 sheep. A synonymous mutation g.101220 C > T located on the fifth intron of the ovis HTR4 gene was detected, and association analysis showed that this mutation was significantly associated with growth traits in sheep (p ＜.05), with TT genotypes having significantly lower body weight, height, length and chest circumference than TC and CC genotypes. It showed that the polymorphism of this locus was significantly associated with growth traits in sheep. In addition, qRT-PCR results showed that HTR4 was expressed in different tissues of sheep. It is highly expressed in the liver, spleen and duodenum. As important metabolic, immune and digestive absorption organs in animals, the above tissues can regulate the excitability of intestinal smooth muscle by participating in the body metabolism and nutrient metabolism of sheep, so that sheep can show better growth characteristics. In conclusion, the polymorphic locus identified in HTR4 gene can be used as candidate molecular marker in sheep breeding.

Keywords:

• HTR4
• growth traits
• SNP
• qRT-PCR
• sheep

Author contributions

Xiaoxue Zhang and Weimin Wang: conceived and designed the study. Xiaojuan Wang and Wenxin Zheng: revised the manuscript. Dan Xu: wrote the manuscript. Jiangbo Cheng, Liming Zhao, Jianghui Wang, Xiaobin Yang and Changchun Lin: participated in RNA and DNA extraction. Deyin Zhang, Xiaolong Li, Yukun Zhang, Yuan Zhao: contributed to the feeding experiment and sample collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China [2021YFD1300901], the National for Joint Research on Improved Breeds of Livestock and Poultry [19210365], the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Key Research and Development Programs of Gansu Province [20YF3NA012], Discipline Team Project of Gansu Agricultural University [GAU-XKTD-2022-20].