The fear gene stathmin alleles generated heterosis on feed efficiency parameters in Peking ducks

Stathmin is an inhibitor of microtubule formation, as highly expressed in the lateral nucleus (LA) of the amygdala as well as in the thalamic and cortical structures that send information to the LA about the learned and innate fear. So we assume that STMN1 genetic variation may also affect the physical activity so as to influence the Residual Feed Intake (RFI) of duck. The Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in duck Stathmin gene were screened by sequencing and genotyped by restriction endonuclease Msp I, EcoR I, Xho I, Taq I, EcoR II. A total of five SNPs (c.187 -15G > A, c.187 -110T > C, c.379 -95G > A, c.379 -318C > T, c.426 C > T) were detected in duck STMN1 gene. The c.187 -15G > A is near the 3' splice site of intron 2, which has a putative effect on the STMN1 pre-mRNA secondary structures. The c.187 -15G > A genotypes had significant effect on RFI of Peking drakes (P < 0.01). Individuals with heterozygous genotypes were more productive than that with homozygous genotypes, which suggested a molecular heterosis in c.187 -15 alleles on RFI. The current study is the first step to confirm the relationship between STMN1 gene polymorphisms and RFI. Supplemental material is available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Animal Biotechnology for a figure of linkage disequilibrium between SNPs and table about frequencies of haploype.