Single nucleotide polymorphisms of Kit gene in Chinese indigenous horses

Kit gene is a genetic determinant of horse white coat color which has been a highly valued trait in horses for at least 2,000 years. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Kit are of importance due to their strong associations with melanoblast survival during embryonic development. In this study, a mutation analysis of all 21 Kit exons in 14 Chinese domestic horse breeds revealed six SNPs (g.91214T>G, g.143245T>G, g.164297C>T, g.170189C>T, g.171356C>G, and g.171471G>A), which located in 5'-UTR region, intron 6, exon 15, exon 20, intron 20, and exon 21 of the equine Kit gene, respectively. Subsequently, these six SNPs loci were genotyped in 632 Chinese horses by PCR-RFLP or direct sequencing. The six SNPs together defined 18 haplotypes, demonstrating abundant haplotype diversities in Chinese horses. All the mutant alleles and haplotypes were shared among different breeds. But fewer mutations were detected in horses from China than that from abroad, indicating that Chinese horses belong to a more ancient genetic pool. This study will provide fundamental genetic information for evaluating the genetic diversity of Kit gene in Chinese indigenous horse breeds.