Polymorphisms in some candidate genes associated with egg yield and quality in five different white layer pure lines

This is the first comprehensive study aimed to determine polymorphisms in candidate genes (OCX32-exon4, OCX32-exon2, GHR-intron 2, GHR-intron 5, DRD1, DRD2, VIP-501, VIP-I2, VIPR-1, VIPR-2 and MR1C) reported to associated with egg yield and quality in white layer pure chicken lines (Black, Brown, Blue, Maroon and D-229) raised by Ankara Poultry Research Institute by using PCR-RFLP technique. A total of 11 gene regions were amplificated for 192 chickens and were then digested with specific restriction endonucleases to determine the genotypes. Although all chicken lines were monomorphic for VIPR-1/HhaI and VIP-501/VspI gene region, polymorphisms were detected in the rest of nine gene regions. The present study revealed that GHR-intron 2/HindIII and GHR-intron 5/NspI polymorphsims can be integrated with MAS studies to increase egg quality in white layer chicken lines (D-229 excluded) raised in Ankara Poultry Research Institute in the future. In addition, in order to increase egg yield DRD2 and MR1C gene may be used in MAS for all studied chicken lines, while VIP-I2/HinfI polymorphism can be used for Maroon line and VIPR-2/TaqI polymorphism for Brown and D-229.