The chromosomal localization, expression pattern and polymorphism analysis of porcine FSCN1 gene differently expressed from LongSAGE library.

Fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) has established roles in cell adhesion, motility, and cell-cell interactions. Our LongSAGE analysis suggested that FSCN1 was potentially differentially expressed in prenatal pig skeletal muscle. We have cloned the genomic DNA and mRNA sequence of FSCN1 gene and mapped it to SSC3p16-p17. The FSCN1 gene was differently expressed during prenatal skeletal muscle development and exhibited different expression pattern between Tongcheng and Landrace pigs. In Tongcheng pigs, FSCN1 expression was similar at 33 and 65 days post conception (dpc), and then sharply increased to a peak at 90 dpc. In Landrace pigs, however, expression increased between 33 and 65 dpc, peaked at 65 dpc, and was down-regulated thereafter. Significantly different expression levels between Tongcheng and Landrace were observed at 65 and 90 dpc. In postnatal pigs, it was strongly expressed only in the brain, but weakly in skeletal muscle and other tissues. We initially identified 32 SNPs through genomic DNA of FSCN1 gene. Association analysis suggested that the 6840(C/T) mutation was significantly associated with the age at market weight (AGE) (p = 0.0004), average day gain from birth to market (ADG1) (p = 0.0002), and average day gain at testing period (ADG2) (p < 0.0001). Our study suggested that FSCN1 gene plays an in prenatal skeletal muscle development and was a candidate gene for meat production trait.