Expression pattern and polymorphism of three microsatellite markers in the porcine <it>CA3 </it>gene

• Main Authors: Zheng Rong, Zuo Bo, Jiang Siwen, Li Fenge, Lei Minggang, Xiong Yuanzhu, Zhou Donghai, Deng Changyan, Wu Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: BMC 2008-03-01
• Series: Genetics Selection Evolution
• Subjects: pig; carbonic anhydrase III; expression pattern; microsatellite polymorphism
• Online Access: http://www.gsejournal.org/content/40/2/227

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Carbonic anhydrase III (CA3) is an abundant muscle protein characteristic of adult type-1, slow-twitch, muscle fibres. In order to further understand the functions of the porcine CA3 protein in muscle, the temporal and spatial distributions of its gene product were analysed and the association between the presence of specific polymorphisms and carcass traits in the pig was also examined. Real-time PCR revealed that the <it>CA3 </it>mRNA expression showed no differences with age in skeletal muscles from Yorkshire pigs at postnatal day-1, month-2, and month-4. We provide the first evidence that <it>CA3 </it>is differentially expressed in the skeletal muscle of Yorkshire and Meishan pig breeds. In addition, the whole pig genomic DNA sequence of <it>CA3 </it>was investigated and shown to contain seven exons and six introns. Comparative sequencing of the gene from three pig breeds revealed the existence of microsatellite <it>SJ</it>160 in intron 5 and microsatellite <it>SJ</it>158 and a novel microsatellite marker that includes a tandem repeat of (TC)_nin intron 4. We also determined the allele number and frequencies of the three loci in seven pig breeds and found that they are low polymorphic microsatellite markers. Statistical analysis showed that the <it>CA3 </it>microsatellite polymorphism was associated with dressing percentage, internal fat rate, carcass length, rib number and backfat thickness in the pig.</p>