Relationship between polymorphisms of leptin gene with growth, fertility and milk production traits in Sahiwal cows

Abstract

The present study investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in leptin gene with various economic traits (body weight at different age, first lactation reproduction and production traits) in Sahiwal cows. In order to detect genetic variants in intron 2 (422 bp), exon 2 (94 bp) and two regions of exon 3 (331 and 317 bp) of leptin, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used and revealed two transitions at positions T93262901C of intron 2 and C93263979T of exon 3. General linear model (GLM) analysis revealed significant association of T93262901C SNP with weight at first service (WFS), weight at first calving (WFC), first service period (FSP), first calving interval (FCI) and FL305DMY while SNP C93263979T was found to be significantly associated with birth weight (wt), 30 months wt, AFS and AFC. The investigation indicated that heterozygous genotype had a trend for better production with optimum growth and reproduction as compared to homozygote. The present study supports that SNP in leptin gene can be used as an aid to selection for improving different economic traits in Sahiwal cows.