Correlation Analysis between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of Fatty Acid Synthase and Fatness Traits in Chickens

The F2 chicken population from China Agricultural University was selected to explore the correlation between single nucleotide polymorphism of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and fatness traits. The primers of FAS gene were designed according to the sequence of chicken fatty acid synthase gene (accession number: J02839). The PCR-SSCP was used for genotype analysis. The results showed that the insertion or deletion of the 41st intron (1418-1424 bp) in chicken FAS gene could result in AA, AB and BB genotypes. In addition, least square analysis revealed that the deletion or mutation insertion of the 41st intron (1418-1424 bp) in FAS gene could affect body weights, abdominal fat weights and abdominal fat ratios of chickens. Therefore, polymorphic loci can be used for marker-assisted selection breeding of chickens.