J. Anim Sci.
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Published online first on May 9, 2008
J. Anim Sci. 1910. doi:10.2527/jas.2007-0791
© 2008 American Society of Animal Science
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J. Anim Sci., doi: 10.2527/jas.2007-0791
©Copyright, 2008, The American Society of Animal Science

ARTICLE

The fibroblast growth factor 2 gene is associated with embryonic mortality in cattle

H. Khatib 1*, C. Maltecca 1, R. L. Monson 2, V. Schutzkus 1, X. Wang 3, J. J. Rutledge 2

1 Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
2 Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
3 Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA; College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: hkhatib{at}wisc.edu.


  Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the association of the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) gene with embryonic survival and fertilization rate in cattle. This gene was chosen because of its role in regulating trophectoderm expression of interferon-tau (IFNT), the maternal pregnancy recognition factor in ruminants. For the evaluation of the effect of FGF2 on fertility traits, we produced in vitro fertilized embryos from 281 Holstein cows and from 7 sires. A total of 4,542 in vitro fertilizations were performed, from which a total of 3,171 embryos were produced. Survival and fertilization rates were assessed at d 7 of embryonic development. Using the pooled DNA sequencing approach, 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified in FGF2, SNP11646, and SNP23. All sires and cows were genotyped for these SNP. For fertilization rate, no significant differences between genotypes were found for either SNP, whereas the effect on survival rate was significant for SNP11646. The survival rate of embryos produced from GG cows for this SNP was 37% vs. 28% and 29% for embryos produced from AG and AA cows, respectively. Although the molecular mechanisms that cause embryonic mortality have not yet been identified, this study provides the first evidence of association between FGF2 and embryonic mortality in cattle. Thus, we propose that FGF2 can be used in animal breeding strategies to test for improved reproductive performance.

Key Words: candidate pathway, fertilization rate, FGF2, survival rate






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Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Animal Science.