Detalle de: Polymorphisms of the porcine dopamine β ‐ hydroxylase gene and their relation to reproduction and piglet survivability in an Iberian × Meishan F 2 intercross

Summary The goals of this study were to sequence and physically map the porcine dopamine β ‐ hydroxylase ( DBH ) gene, as well as to perform an association study between polymorphisms of this gene and the reproductive performance and piglet survivability of F 2 pigs from an Iberian × Meishan cross. The porcine DBH gene was positioned by RH mapping near the telomere of chromosome 1q2.13, close to markers SSC10D08 and SW1301 . Sequencing of DBH cDNAs from 10 pigs revealed the existence of six nucleotide polymorphisms, two of which led to non‐synonymous amino acid substitutions within exon 3 at positions 463A>G and 616A>G that corresponded to Thr155Ala and Lys206Glu respectively. Three haplotypes segregated in an Iberian × Meishan population: DBH X (A 436 –A 616 ), DBH Y (A 436 –G 616 ) and DBH Z (G 436 –G 616 ). The DBH haplotypes significantly affected rectal temperatures 1 h after birth ( P = 0.002) and have a suggestive effect on the time to first colostrum intake ( P = 0.019) and on birth weight ( P = 0.019).