ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (8): 1219-1228.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2013.08.007

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Cloning, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Bioinformatics Analysis of CART Gene in Yak

LIU Jian1,2, LIU Wen-bo1,2, WU Xiao-yun1,2, YAN Ping1,2*, LIANG Chun-nian1,2   

  1. 1. Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Yak BreedingEngineering, Lanzhou 730050, China
  • Received:2013-01-22 Online:2013-08-23 Published:2013-08-23

Abstract:

This study aimed to clone the complete length sequence of Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript gene (CART), analyze its structure, and reveal the distribution of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in different yak breeds. Possible impact of the SNPs on CART gene expression was also predicted by bioinformatics analysis. This study could provide some basic information for studying the function of yak CART gene in future. The blood samples of 243 Datong yak, 208 Tianzhu yak, 208 Gannan yak, and 53 Pali yak were used to isolate the genomic DNA. Then the full length of CART gene was cloned and sequenced. Genetic variations and the distribution of 4 SNPs in the 4 yak breeds were detected by the high-resolution melting system followed by genetic statistical analysis. In this study, 4 novel SNPs located in the yak CART gene were identified, and these SNPs were located in upstream, intron, and 3-UTR of the CART gene. Χ2 tests showed that besides the V-221 in Datong population and V1816 in Gannan population, all the other loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P0.05) in the 4 yak breeds. Through population genetics analysis, the results showed that V168 and V181 loci were at intermediate polymorphic status, but V-221 and V1791 loci were at low polymorphic status. The haplotype C was predominant. Bioinformatics analysis showed that different alleles of V1791 and V1816 might change the RNA secondary structure, which could influence CART gene’s expression. The nucleotide variation of V1791 and V1816 loci reduced RNA stability that might produce negative influence on CART gene expression.

CLC Number: