The novel SNPs of the IGFBP3 gene and their associations with litter size and weight traits in goat (Brief report)

Abstract. The insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) gene is a structural gene responsible for the multiple effects of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) playing a key role in mammalian growth, development and reproduction (BALE et al., 1992; HASTIE et al., 2004). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been described in the bovine IGFBP3 gene which was associated with production traits, as well as in the buffalo (MACIULLA et al., 1997; PADMA et al., 2004). No polymorphism was detected in the sheep IGFBP3 gene (KUMAR et al., 2006). In present experiment most of the coding region and part of introns of IGFBP3 were scanned for SNPs in predominant goat breeds of China. Associations of SNPs of IGFBP3 with litter size and weight traits were analyzed.