A retrospective analysis of allele frequency changes of major genes during 20 years of selection in the Italian Large White pig breed. (1st March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fontanesi, L.; Schiavo, G.; Scotti, E.; Galimberti, G.; Calò, D.G.; Samorè, A.B.; Gallo, M.; Russo, V.; Buttazzoni, L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal breeding and genetics. Volume 132:Number 3(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 246
• Publication Date: 2015-03-01
• Subjects: Livestock -- Breeding -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Genetics -- Periodicals; 636.0820
• DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2668

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jbg12127-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>In this study, we investigated whether a selection programme based on boar genetic evaluation obtained with a classical BLUP animal model can change allele frequencies in a pig population. All Italian Large White boars born from 1992 to 2012 with estimated breeding value reliability >0.85 (n = 200) were selected among all boars of this breed. Boars were genotyped with markers in major genes (<italic>IGF2</italic> intron3‐g.3072G>A, <italic><italic>MC4R</italic></italic> p.D298N, <italic> VRTN</italic> PRE1 insertion, <italic>PRKAG3</italic> p.I199V and <italic>FTO</italic> g.276T>G). Genotyping data were analysed grouping boars in eight classes according to their year of birth. To evaluate the influence of time on allele frequencies of the genotyped markers, multinomial logistic regression models were computed. Four of five polymorphic sites (<italic><italic>IGF2</italic>, <italic>MC4R</italic></italic>, <italic> VRTN</italic> and <italic>FTO</italic>) showed significant (p < 0.01) changes in allele frequencies over time due to a progressive and continuous increase of one allele (associated with higher lean meat content, higher average daily gain and favourable feed: gain ratio) and, consequently, decrease of the other one, following the directional selection of the selection programme of this pig breed. The retrospective analysis that was carried out in Italian Large White boars suggests that selection based on methodologies assuming the infinitesimal model is able to modify in a quite short period of time allele frequencies in major genes, increasing the frequency of alleles explaining a relevant (non‐infinitesimal) fraction of the overall genetic variability for production traits.</p> </abstract>