Abstract :
In this study, polymorphisms in the goat GnRHR gene exon 1 were detected by PCR-SSCP
and DNA sequencing methods in 786 individuals from two different goat breeds. Two
haplotypes (A and B), two observed genotypes (AA and AB), and two single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected, which resulted in five amino acid substitutions. The
frequencies of haplotypes A and B in the two goat breeds were 0.78–0.83 and 0.17–0.22,
respectively. The SNP locus was in Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium in the two goat breeds
(P < 0.05). Polymorphisms of the GnRHR gene were shown to be associated with litter size
in the two goat breeds. The SNPs in the goat GnRHR gene had significant effects on litter
size (P < 0.05). Therefore, these results suggest that the GnRHR gene is a strong candidate
gene that affects litter size in goat.
