关键词: 长毛兔, Hoxa4基因, 产毛量, 单核苷酸多态性, 关联分析

Abstract: [Objective] This study was to investigate the polymorphisms of homeobox A4(Hoxa4) gene and its association with economic traits in Cangxi Angora rabbit. And to evaluate it as a candidate molecular marker association with performance traits which provides the reference for selective breeding. [Method] The single nucleotide polymorphisms in exon 2 of Hoxa4 were detected by direct sequencing in 208 Cangxi Angora rabbit, the association between SNP locus and performance traits were analyzed by software SAS 8.1. [Result] Only one SNP(c.298 T>C) was detected in exon 2 of Hoxa4 gene, which caused an amino acid change from Ser to Pro(TCC-CCC), which formed three genotypes(TT, TC, CC) with genotype TC was the dominate one(0.596 2) and allele T was the dominate one(0.562 9). The genetic diversity analysis indicated the heterozygosity was 0.494 4, effective number of alleles was 1.977 9, and polymorphic information content(0.372 2) was in moderate polymorphism, indicating Hoxa4 gene has a high genetic variability and has a potential to achieve on the genetic improvement of the rabbit group. The association analysis showed individuals with genotype CC have a significantly higher performance than TC(P<0.05) at 73 days and significantly higher(P<0.05) than CC and significantly higher(P<0.01) than TC at 146 days. [Couclusion] SNP on exon 2 of Hoxa4 gene could be used as a molecular genetic markers to improve performance traits in Cangxi Angora rabbits.

Key words: Angora rabbits, Hoxa4 gene, performance traits, SNP, association analysis