Genetic structure of candidate genes for litter size in Italian Large White pigs.

The aim of this work was to verify whether polymorphisms in candidate genes for litter size segregate in Italian Large White (ITLW) pigs. We genotyped 120 sows that belonged to six different farms for 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 10 different genes. Polymorphisms in the chosen genes had already been associated with litter-size traits in other pig populations and were candidates for function and/or chromosomal location. The results indicated that the CLGN, pDAZL, and RFN4 SNPs were not segregating in the genotyped samples. The remaining seven markers were polymorphic with minor allele frequencies ranging from 0.10 (AFP) to 0.48 (RBP4). Because of the observed genetic variabilities in the investigated loci, the polymorphisms in the AFP, BMPR1B, CXCL10, ESR2, GNRHR, MAN2B2, and RBP4 genes can be considered suitable markers for association studies with litter-size traits in ITLW pigs.