Association of Prolactin Gene with Egg Production in PMp Ducks

Abstract

A new strain of duck, namely PMp duck as broiler type, has been developed recently in Indonesia. PMp duck was the result of crossbreeding between Pekin and white Mojosari ducks and followed by inter-se mating for 4 generations. A selection program based on the production of eggs was conducted on this PMp duck to prepare it as female parental line that would be crossed with male Muscovies to produce mule ducks. Accuracy of selection can be improved if genes controlling the egg production are known. Although in exon 5 and 3’ anking region of prolactin gene has been known to play a role in egg production and egg weight of Peking duck, in PMp ducks have not yet been carried out. The study aim was to investigate the relationship between PRL genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and egg production of PMp ducks. Primer pairs of exon 5 of the prolactin gene were designed based on the duck genomic sequence database. Polymorphisms were detected by the direct sequencing technique. Two SNPs in the 3’ anking region of prolactin gene were identi ed, namely T6049- and T6052A. The result of the association analysis between SNPs and egg production showed no signi cant effect (P> 0.05). It can be concluded that there were SNPs in 3’ anking region of prolactin gene on PMp duck, but they cannot be used as marker genes for egg production, because all genotypes showed the same level of production. Further investigations on more duck populations with large sample sizes are needed to con rm this nding.