A missense mutation of the WNK1 gene affects cold tolerance in Chinese domestic cattle

Abstract

Inclement weather conditions, especially cold stress, have threatened the cattle industry. Cattle exposed to cold environments for a longer time suffer developmental delay, immunity decline, and eventually death. WNK1 is a member of With-no-lysine kinases (WNKs), widely expressed in animal organs and tissues. WNK1 and WNK4 are expressed in adipose tissue, and WNK4 promotes adipogenesis. WNK1 does not directly affect adipogenesis but has been shown to promote WNK4 expression in several tissues or organs. One missense mutation NC_037346.1:g.107692244, A > G, rs208265410 in the WNK1 gene was detected from the database of bovine genomic variation (BGVD). Here, we collected 328 individuals of 17 breeds representing four groups of Chinese cattle, northern group cattle, southern group cattle, central group cattle, and special group cattle (Tibetan cattle). We also collected the temperature and humidity data records from their relative locations. The frequencies of the G allele in Chinese breeds increased from northern China to southern China, and the frequencies of the A allele showed an opposite trend. Our results indicate that the WNK1 gene might be a candidate gene marker associated with cold tolerance.

Keywords:

• Chinese domestic cattle
• cold tolerance
• with-no-lysine kinases 1 (WNK1)
• single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)

Author contributions

B.H. and C.L. designed and supervised the project; X.L., J.C., and X.X. performed experiments and analyzed the data; J.L., J.Z., B.Z. and H.C. contributed to sample collection and made figures in the paper; X.L. drafted manuscript; B.H., Z.A. and C.L. reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-37); the Yunling cattle special program of the Yunnan Joint Laboratory of the seeds and seeding industry [202205AR070001]; construction of the Yunling Cattle Technology Innovation Center and Industrialization of Achievements [2019ZG007].