A missense SNP in the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene is associated with growth traits in Awassi and Karakul sheep

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the association between proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene and growth traits in Awassi and Karakul sheep. PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method was utilized to assess the polymorphism of POMC PCR amplicons with body weight and length, wither and rump height, chest and abdominal circumference measured at birth, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months intervals. Only one missense SNP (rs424417456:C > A) was detected in exon-2, in which glycine was converted to cysteine in the 65th position in POMC (p.65Gly > Cys). rs424417456 SNP showed significant associations with all growth traits in the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth months. At the age of 3 months onward, lambs with CC genotype showed higher body weight, body length, wither and rump heights, and chest and abdominal circumferences than lambs with CA and AA genotypes, respectively. Prediction analyses indicated a deleterious effect of p.65Gly > Cys on POMC structure, function, and stability. Owing to the strong correlation between rs424417456:CC and better growth characteristics, this genotype is proposed as a promising marker to enhance growth traits in Awassi and Karakul sheep. The predicted damaging effects caused by rs424417456:CA and rs424417456:AA genotypes may entail a putative mechanism through which lambs with these genotypes exhibit lower growth traits.

Keywords:

• Awassi
• Karakul
• POMC
• damaging effect
• SNP

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the breeders of BAFAS Station, Al-Khafeel Co., Karbala, Iraq for their support and help throughout all the experimental procedures of this study.

Authors’ contributions

TRA: recorded growth traits, collected blood samples, extracted DNA, conducted PCR, performed PCR-SSCP genotyping, and performed statistical calculations. MBSA: designed PCR primers, analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. Both authors approved the final draft of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.