Gene function & annotation

Investigation of the expression of candidate genes associated with a twinning rate QTL located on bovine chromosome 11

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Abstract

Twin births in dairy cattle present challenges for producers, leading to health issues for both cows and calves which impact profitability. GWAS analyses of twinning rate in Holstein cattle have reported the most significant genomic association with twinning rate in a region containing two strong candidate genes, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and luteinizing hormone chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR). Genetic variants in the coding sequence of these genes were not associated with twinning rate, leading to the hypothesis that one of the two genes is differentially expressed in association with twinning rate. Granulosa cells were collected from 30 Holstein cows undergoing estrus synchronization using the double-ovsynch protocol. Cows were chosen to provide equal representation of genotypes for the twinning rate QTL based on the most significantly associated SNP. Five days following timed artificial insemination cows received a 100 µg dose of gonadotropin releasing hormone to initiate a new follicular wave, and seven days later granulosa cells were aspirated from the largest follicle. RNA was extracted from granulosa cells, and gene expression was assessed by real‑time quantitative PCR using the ΔΔCt method. Quantification was performed with a TaqMan assay (Applied Biosystems), which provides probe‑based specificity for target detection. Association of gene expression with QTL genotype was tested by simple linear regression of linear-transformed delta Ct values on count of the SNP G allele associated with increased twinning rate. QTL genotype was significantly associated (pFSHR. Increased FSHR expression was associated with increasing copy number of the G allele and thus increased twinning rate.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Bakherad, M., Nascimento Andrade, J., Moghbeli, S., Gille, J., Duarte, J., Wiltbank, M. & Kirkpatrick, B., (2026) “Investigation of the expression of candidate genes associated with a twinning rate QTL located on bovine chromosome 11”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2295180. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.24333

Rights: 1