Genetic Polymorphism and mRNA Expression Studies Reveal IL6R and LEPR Gene Associations with Reproductive Traits in Chinese Holsteins

Hailiang Zhang, Abdul Sammad, Rui Shi, Yixin Dong, Shanjiang Zhao, Lin Liu, Gang Guo, Qing Xu, Aoxing Liu () and Yachun Wang ()
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Hailiang Zhang: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Abdul Sammad: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Rui Shi: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yixin Dong: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Shanjiang Zhao: Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Lin Liu: Beijing Dairy Cattle Center, Beijing 100192, China
Gang Guo: Beijing Sunlon Livestock Development Co., Ltd., Beijing 100176, China
Qing Xu: Institute of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Aoxing Liu: Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
Yachun Wang: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Genetic selection of milk yield traits alters the energy distribution of high producing cows, resulting in gene-induced negative energy balance, and consequently, poor body condition scores and reduced reproductive performances. Here, we investigated two metabolic-syndrome pathway genes, IL6R (Interleukin 6 receptor) and LEPR (Leptin receptor), for their polymorphism effects on reproductive performance in dairy cows, by applying polymorphism association analyses in 1588 Chinese Holstein cows (at population level) and gene expression analyses in granulosa cells isolated from eight cows (at cell level). Among the six single nucleotide polymorphisms we examined (two SNPs for IL6R and four SNPs for LEPR ), five were significantly associated with at least one reproductive trait, including female fertility traits covering both the ability to recycle after calving and the ability to conceive and keep pregnancy when inseminated properly, as well as calving traits. Notably, the identified variant SNP g.80143337A/C in LEPR is a missense variant. The role of IL6R and LEPR in cattle reproduction were further confirmed by observed differences in relative gene expression levels amongst granulosa cells with different developmental stages. Collectively, the functional validation of IL6R and LEPR performed in this study improved our understanding of cattle reproduction while providing important molecular markers for genetic selection of reproductive traits in high-yielding dairy cattle.

Keywords: Holstein cattle; fertility; gene expression; ovarian follicle; haplotype (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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