Genetic Markers of Twinning Births of Local Beef Cattle and Its Crossbreds in Indonesia

Abstract

Genetic polymorphisms of Insuline Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) gene and Osteopontin (OPN or SPP1) gene were studied in Indonesian local beef cattle and its crossbreds. In regarding to twinning trait, the IGF1 gene is associated to ovulation rates, while the OPN gene is related to maintain fetal growth and pregnancy. Blood samples of local Ongole Grade (OG) cattle of historical twin (T) and non twin (NT) were collected from the Provinces of South Kalimantan (T=17 and NT=3) and East Java (T=28 and NT=12); and for its crossbreds from Central Java (T=28 and NT=9). Genotyping was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) Method, using restriction enzymes of SnaB1 (the IGF1 gene) and Bsr1 (the OPN gene). Genotyping at the intron1 IGF1 gene for all observed cattles was monomorphic, resulting entirely the BB genotype, with a DNA fragment of 249 bp. Genotyping at the intron4 OPN gene was polymorphic, resulting three genotypes, i.e. CC (200 and 90 bp), CT (290, 200, 90 bp) and TT (290 bp). The OG twin cattle was dominated by the TT genotype (97%) than the CT genotype (3%). By contrast, twin crossbreds had almost similar the TT and the CT genotypes. Instead of the monomor c intron1 IGF1| SnaB1 gene, the intron4 OPN|Bsr1 gene could be considered as a genetic marker in exploring twinning traits in beef catlle observed.