Molecular characterization, expression patterns and polymorphism analysis of porcine Six1 gene

Area of Science:

• Animal Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Livestock Science

Background:

• The Six1 gene, a member of the Six gene family, is known to be involved in myogenesis.
• The specific molecular characteristics and role of Six1 in pigs remained uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize the porcine Six1 gene, including its cDNA, genomic DNA, and promoter sequence.
• To investigate the expression patterns of Six1 in different developmental stages and muscle types in pigs.
• To identify Six1 polymorphisms and assess their association with economic traits in pigs.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and characterization of porcine Six1 full-length cDNA, genomic DNA, and proximal promoter.
• Semi-quantitative and real-time quantitative RT-PCR for expression analysis.
• PCR-HindII-RFLP for detecting C/T and A/G polymorphisms in the promoter and intron.
• Association analysis of polymorphisms with economic traits in a Meishan × Yorkshire F2 family.

Main Results:

• Porcine Six1 exhibited high expression in skeletal muscle, particularly in embryonic stages.
• Six1 expression increased significantly from 3 to 180 days in Yorkshire pigs, indicating developmental regulation.
• Six1 was identified as a high-expression gene in fast-twitch muscles.
• Two Six1 polymorphisms (C/T in promoter, A/G in intron) were detected and found to be significantly associated with meat quality traits (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Porcine Six1 plays a crucial role in skeletal muscle development and growth.
• Six1 gene polymorphisms are valuable genetic markers for enhancing meat quality in pigs.