Investigation of the oviductal glycoprotein 1 (OVGP1) gene associated with embryo survival and development in the rabbit

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 88; no. 5; pp. 1597 - 1602
• Main Authors: García, M.L, Peiró, R, Argente, M.J, Merchán, M, Folch, J.M, Blasco, A, Santacreu, M.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Champaign, IL American Society of Animal Science 01.05.2010
• Subjects: Alleles; Animal productions; animal proteins; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; embryo (animal); embryogenesis; Embryonic Development - physiology; embryonic mortality; exons; Female; food animals; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation - physiology; genetic variation; Genotype; glycoproteins; Glycoproteins - genetics; Glycoproteins - metabolism; homozygosity; Homozygote; Microsatellite Repeats; molecular sequence data; oviducts; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Pregnancy; promoter regions; Rabbits; single nucleotide polymorphism; temporal variation; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; Embryo; Farming animal; Glycoprotein; Rabbit; embryo survival and development; Lagomorpha; Survival; Vertebrata; Meat animals; Mammalia; Association; Gene; association study; Development; oviductal glycoprotein 1 (OVGP1)
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/jas.2009-2042

An association study was performed in rabbits between early embryo survival and development, and the nonconservative SNP 12944C>G located in exon 11 and the triallellic microsatellite [(GT)₁₅T(G)₅, (GT)₁₄T(G)₅, and (GT)₁₁T(G)₇)] located in the promoter region of the oviductal glycoprotein 1 (OVGP1) gene. We analyzed an F₂ cross of 2 lines of rabbits divergently selected for uterine capacity. A total of 172 and 159 females were slaughtered at 48 and 72 h of gestation, respectively, to determine whether OVGP1 influences ovulation rate, fertilization rate, early embryo survival, and embryonic stage of development. The results of the SNP indicated that all genotypes showed similar early embryo survival and a similar embryonic stage of development at 48 h of gestation. However, at 72 h of gestation, the GG genotype showed greater early embryo survival than the CC genotype (0.56 embryos) and their embryos presented less embryonic development. Analysis of the microsatellite was performed to ascertain the presence or absence of the allele (GT)₁₄T(G)₅. At both stages of gestation, the (GT)₁₄T(G)₅/(GT)₁₄T(G)₅ genotype showed greater early embryo survival (0.94 and 1.54 embryos at 48 and 72 h of gestation, respectively) and less embryonic development than the homozygous genotypes without the allele (GT)₁₄T(G)₅.