Fine mapping of a QTL on bovine chromosome 6 using imputed full sequence data suggests a key role for the group-specific component (GC) gene in clinical mastitis and milk production

摘要: Clinical mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland and causes significant costs to dairy production. It unfavourably genetically correlated milk production, and, thus, knowledge mechanisms that underlie these traits would be valuable improve both them simultaneously through breeding. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) affects clinical production has recently been fine-mapped around 89 Mb on bovine chromosome 6 (BTA6), but identification gene underlies this QTL was not possible due strong linkage disequilibrium between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within region. Our aim identify if possible, causal polymorphism(s) responsible for association analysis high-density SNPs imputed full sequence data in combination with analyses transcript protein levels identified candidate gene. Associations studied were strongest located immediately upstream group-specific component (GC) This encodes vitamin D-binding (DBP) multiple roles immune defense 12-kb duplication downstream covered its last exon segregated allele associated increased susceptibility However, GC mRNA available samples revealed no differences expression animals having or lacking duplication. Moreover, we detected concentrations DBP ligand D different genotypes study. results suggest as since only healthy sampled transcription analyses, could draw any final conclusion absence genotypes. Future studies should investigate RNA cows during infection.