Growth and carcass trait association with variation in the somatostatin receptor 1 (SSTR1) gene in New Zealand Romney sheep

Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) are thought to regulate the growth inhibitory effect of somatostatin and play a role in regulating growth hormone secretion. In this study, polymerase chain reaction-single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis was used to screen for variation in the 3-untranslated region of the SSTR1 gene (SSTR1) in 941 New Zealand Romney sheep. Phenotypic data were available for birth weight, weaning weight, pre-weaning growth rate, hot carcass weight (HCW), subcutaneous fat depth [measured as VIAscan-GR (V-GR)], and leg, loin, shoulder and total lean meat yield. Weaning weight was correlated (r=0.854; P<.001) with pre-weaning growth rate; and leg, loin and shoulder lean meat yield were correlated with total lean meat yield (r=0.878, 0.835 and 0.739, respectively, all P<.001). Three PCR-SSCP banding patterns were detected and DNA sequencing revealed three different nucleotide sequences (A-C). The presence of A was found to be associated with a decrease in HCW, while the presence of C was found to be associated with an increase in V-GR and lower birth weights.