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A novel 31-bp indel in the paired box 7 (PAX7) gene is associated with chicken performance traits |
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| Authors: | S Zhang RL Han ZY Gao SK Zhu YD Tian GR Sun |
| Institution: | Henan Innovative Engineering Research Center of Poultry Germplasm Resource, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Henan Innovative Engineering Research Center of Poultry Germplasm Resource, Zhengzhou 450002, P.R. China |
| Abstract: | 1. A novel 31-bp indel polymorphism in intron 3 of the chicken paired box 7 (PAX7) gene was identified and genotyped in an F2 resource population of Gushi chicken crossed with Anka broiler to analyse its associations with chicken growth, carcass and meat quality traits. 2. Results showed that the 31-bp indel was significantly associated with body weight at 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks of age and body size indices including shank length, shank girth, body slanting length at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Significant associations were found for carcass weight, semi-evisceration weight, evisceration weight, breast muscle fibre diameter, leg muscle fibre diameter, breast muscle fibre density, while no significant association with leg muscle fibre density was observed. 3. It was concluded that the 31-bp indel in intron 3 of the PAX7 gene was associated with chicken growth, carcass and meat quality traits where the 31-bp deletion had a negative effect on chicken growth and carcass traits and positive effect on meat quality traits. |
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