Abstract:

The associations between SNPs in the porcine Toll-like receptors 6(TLR6) gene and growth traits of pigs were reported in this study. Polymorphism of a segment of TLR6 gene was detected in 405 pigs by PCR-RFLP. A Msp I RFLP was detected in the sequence and the polymorphic locus is common in all detected groups, which were Daweizi Pigs, Shaziling Pigs, Ningxian Pigs and Qianshao spotted Pigs. Alleles detected in the sequence were allele T and C with frequencies of 0.136 and 0.864, 0.189 and 0.811, 0.186 and 0.814, 0.281 and 0.719, respectively. This polymorphic locus of TLR6 gene was at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P＞0.05). The relationship between the founded Msp I RFLP in the sequence and birth weight, body weight at 45 days, body weight at 60 days, body weight at 4 months, body weight at 6 months, body length at 6 months, Withers height at 6 months and circumference at 6 months was analyzed by least square analysis. No significant different between Msp I RFLP and birth weight, body weight at 60 days and Withers height 6 months were founded in this study, but significant associations were found between TT genotype with body weight at 4 months (P<0.01) and body weight at 45 days, body weight at 6 months, body length at 6 months and circumference at 6 months(P<0.05), The animals with genotype TT showed 25.92% increase in body weight at 4 months (P < 0.01), 12.46%, 7.20%, 7.62% and 7.24% increase in body weight at 45 days, body weight at 6 months, body length at 6 months and circumference compared with genotype CC (P < 0.05), respectively. Therefore, it could be seen that porcine TLR6 genotypes had significant influence on growth traits, this SNP might be considered as a potential genetic marker for selection.