Genetic linkage and expression analysis of SREBP and lipogenic genes in fat and lean chicken

To identify the genes directly responsible, through DNA polymorphism, for the difference in fatness observed between a lean and a fat chicken line, we studied five genes (ACL, ACC, FAS, ME, SCD1) encoding key enzymes involved in liver fatty acid synthesis and secretion. Genetic linkage was tested between polymorphic sites in the genes and the fatness trait segregating in an F2 design obtained by inter-crossing the two fat and lean lines. Despite a confirmation of a higher mRNA level in the fat birds, no genetic linkage of the gene alleles with the phenotype could be found. As a test of the implication of upstream regulatory transcription factors, SREPB genes were also studied. The lack of genetic linkage of SREBP genes with fatness shows that these genes are not directly responsible through polymorphism for fatness variability in our model. Moreover, the similar SREBP mRNA levels observed between the two lines led us to exclude also transcriptional factors regulating the two SREBP genes as being directly responsible for fatness variability. However, the genes involved in post-translational modifications of SREBPs remain candidates to investigate. These results emphasised the interest to perform expression and genetic linkage studies jointly, to progress in identifying the genetic origin of variability of a quantitative trait. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.