Vet World   Vol.18   January-2025  Article - 4 

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(1): 29-39

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.29-39

Polymorphism of the prolactin gene and its association with reproductive traits in F2 local crossed chickens

Ega Rosalinda1, Heru Sasongko2, and Dyah Maharani1
1. Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
2. Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Background and Aim: Reproductive traits are crucial for genetic improvement in chickens. Prolactin (PRL) is a gene involved in a complex hormonal network that regulates reproduction in chickens. In this study, three local chicken breeds were crossed and had been produce a second filial (F2) generation, referred to as the F2 local crossed chicken. This study aimed to evaluate reproductive traits, identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and assess genetic variation in the PRL gene of F2 local crossed chickens.

Materials and Methods: Data on reproductive traits, including body weight (BW) at first egg laying, total egg production (EP) at 90 days of age, egg weight (EW), egg length (EL), and egg width (EWd), and blood samples from 60 hens of F2 local crossed chicken (Merawang × Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan [KUB], n= 30; Murung Panggang × KUB [MP × KUB], n= 30) were collected. SNPs within PRL gene were identified using BioEdit version 7.0. Genetic diversity was calculated using Popgen 1.32. Statistical analysis of reproductive traits and its association with genotypes were assessed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions version 20.

Results: Crossing patterns had no significant effect on reproductive traits (p > 0.05), except for EWd (p < 0.05). Five polymorphic SNPs were identified in exon 5 of the PRL gene: 8052T>C, 8113G>C, 8187C>T, 8188G>A, and 8321C>T. Observed and expected heterozygosity range from 0.15–0.52 and 0.14–0.38, respectively. All SNPs were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium based on Chi-square test (χ2 <3.841), except for SNP 8052T>C in F2 crossing of MP × KUB. SNP 8052T>C was significantly associated with BW (p < 0.05), with TT genotype chickens showing higher BW. SNP 8187C>T was associated with EW and EL (p < 0.05), with CT genotype chickens having higher values for both traits.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the significant role of the PRL gene in influencing reproductive traits in F2 local crossed chickens. While crossing patterns showed limited impact, specific SNPs in exon 5 of the PRL gene were associated with BW, EW, and EL. The findings highlight PRL gene polymorphisms as valuable markers for improving reproductive traits in poultry breeding programs.

Keywords: local crossed chickens, polymorphism, prolactin gene, reproductive traits, single-nucleotide polymorphisms


How to cite this article: Rosalinda E, Sasongko H, and Maharani D (2025) Polymorphism of the prolactin gene and its association with reproductive traits in F2 local crossed chickens, Veterinary World, 18(1): 29-39.

Received: 2024-08-02    Accepted: 2024-12-04    Published online: 2025-01-09

Corresponding author: Dyah Maharani    E-mail: d.maharani@ugm.ac.id

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.29-39

Copyright: Rosalinda, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.