Selecting animals for parentally imprinted traits

Abstract

Described are methods for selecting a domestic animal having desired genotypic properties, the methods comprising testing the animal for the presence of a parentally imprinted quantitative trait locus (QTL). The invention further relates to the use of an isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid comprising a QTL or functional fragment derived therefrom to select a breeding animal or animal destined for slaughter having desired genotypic or potential phenotypic properties. In particular, the properties are related to muscle mass, fat deposition, sow prolificacy, and/or sow longevity.

1 . A method for selecting a domestic animal for having desired genotypic properties, the method comprising:
 testing the domestic animal for the presence of a parentally imprinted quantitative trait locus (QTL).   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 testing a nucleic acid sample from the domestic animal for the presence of QTL.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the domestic animal is a pig and the QTL is located at chromosome 2. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the QTL is mapping at around position 2p1.7. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the QTL is related to the potential muscle mass and/or fat deposition of the domestic animal. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the QTL comprises at least a part of an insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) gene. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein in the pig the QTL comprises a marker characterized as nt241(G-A) or as Swc9, as identified in  FIG. 4 . 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a paternal allele of the QTL is predominantly expressed in the domestic animal. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a maternal allele of the QTL is predominantly expressed in the domestic animal. 
     
     
         10 . An isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a parentally imprinted quantitative trait locus (QTL) or functional fragment derived thereof. 
     
     
         11 . An isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a synthetic parentally imprinted quantitative trait locus (QTL) derived from at least one chromosome or functional fragment derived therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 10 , at least partly derived from a Sus scrofa chromosome. 
     
     
         13 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 12 , wherein the isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence is at least partly derived from a Sus scrofa chromosome 2. 
     
     
         14 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 10 , wherein the QTL is related to the potential muscle mass and/or fat deposition of the animal. 
     
     
         15 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 10 , wherein the QTL comprises at least a part of a insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) gene. 
     
     
         16 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 10 , wherein a paternal allele of the QTL is capable of being predominantly expressed. 
     
     
         17 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 10 , wherein a maternal allele of the QTL is capable of being predominantly expressed. 
     
     
         18 . A method for selecting a domestic animal for having desired genotypic properties, the method comprising:
 testing the domestic animal for the presence of a parentally imprinted quantitative trait locus (QTL) with an isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising a QTL or functional fragment derived therefrom.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , to select a non-human animal having desired genotypic or potential phenotypic properties. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the desired genotypic or potential phenotypic properties are related to muscle mass, fat deposition, lean meat, lean back fat, sow prolificacy and/or sow longevity. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein desired the genotypic or potential phenotypic properties include sow prolificacy including phenotypic expressions selected from the group consisting of teat number, number of piglets born alive, litter size, number of total born, number of weaned piglets, and combinations of any thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein desired the genotypic or potential phenotypic properties include sow longevity includes phenotypic expressions selected from the group consisting of parity, average number of cycles per sow, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . A non-human animal selected by the method according to  claim 18 . 
     
     
         24 . The non-human animal of  claim 23 , wherein the non-human animal is homozygous for an allele at a paternally imprinted QTL. 
     
     
         25 . The non-human animal of  claim 23 , wherein the QTL is related to the potential muscle mass and/or fat deposition of the pig and/or wherein the QTL comprises at least a part of a insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) allele. 
     
     
         26 . A non-human animal, which is transgenic, the non-human animal comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         27 . The non-human animal of  claim 23 , which is a male. 
     
     
         28 . The non-human animal of  claim 23 , which is a female. 
     
     
         29 . A sperm or an embryo from the non-human animal of  claim 23 . 
     
     
         30 . In a method of breeding animals destined for slaughter, the improvement comprising:
 utilizing the sperm or embryo of  claim 29  to breed the animals.   
     
     
         31 . The isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence of  claim 13 , wherein the isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid sequence is at least partly derived from a Sus scrofa chromosome 2 from a region mapping at around position 2p1.7.