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Bìol. Tvarin. 2023; 25 (3): 8–12.
https://doi.org/10.15407/animbiol25.03.008
Received 12.05.2023 ▪ Revision 13.06.2023 ▪ Accepted 09.09.2023 ▪ Published online 02.10.2023

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Association of the AspP298Asn polymorphism in the MC4R gene with fattening productivity of immunologically castrated and uncastrated gilts

Y. Pocherniaieva, K. Pochernyayev, I. Bankovska

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Institute of Pig Breeding and Agro-Industrial Production NAAS, 1 Shvedska Mohyla str., Poltava, 36013, Ukraine

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The study was aimed at establishing the presence of MC4R (c.1426 A>G) gene polymorphism among the population of immunologically castrated and native gilts (Large White × Landrace) × Maxgro. Asp298Asn polymorphism affects the economic rate of growth and fattening productivity of commercial lines of pigs. Since the polymorphism of the MC4R gene correlates with the concentration of androstenone, skatole, and indole, the possible use of polymorphism as a molecular DNA marker MC4R for genetic selection in order to reduce the level of boar odor in gilts meat and fat. This will establish which alleles and genotypes in general will be determined as desirable in the marker dilution of hybrid pigs. With this in mind, the purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the MC4R genotype on fattening performance indicators and correlation with boar odor in hybrid gilts based on population-genetic variability. Genomic DNA was isolated from the ear hair follicle of native gilts (n=42) and epithelial tissue from the ear of immunologically castrated ones (n=52). Genotyping was performed using polymorphism of the lengths of restrictive fragments (RFLP). Genetic-correlation parameters for native and immunologically castrated gilts were evaluated by ADG/AGE30 and ADG/AGE100. However, the polymorphism of the c.1426 A>G gene did not significantly affect the ADG/AGE100 performance of hybrid gilts. The predominance of the frequency of allele A (0.55) is established above the frequency of the allele G (0.45). Analysis of the frequency distribution of genotypes showed the saturation of micropopulation with heterozygotes AG (0.51) with a small proportion of GG carriers (0.19). Immunologically castrated and uncastrated gilts with an MC4R^A allele are characterized by a sufficiently high ADG/AGE100 and are probably characterized by a high level of boar-specific odor compared to gilts with lower ADG/AGE100 with an MC4R^G allele. According to the data obtained, the desired genotype for an equilibrium of the concentration of boar odor without compromising physiological development, growth rate, and productivity formation is heterozygous offspring with the MC4R^AG genotype.

Key words: hybrid gilts, (Large White × Landrace) × Maxgro, native gilts, immunologically castrated gilts, polymorphism, MC4R, Asp298Asn, ADG, AGE30, AGE100, boar smell, genotype, allele, PCR-RFLP analysis

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