Identification of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in the growth hormone (GH) gene in Anatolian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) populations in Turkey

This study was conducted to investigate the growth hormone (GH; somatotropin-like) gene polymorphisms in 150 water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) from different regions of Turkey. 404 bp long partial intron 4, exon 5, 3' UTR regions of the GH gene (also called GH/AluI locus) and 347 bp long exon-intron 3 and partial exon 4 regions of the GH gene (also called GH/MspI locus) were amplified, and their PCR products analyzed via DNA sequencing method. Seven genotypes due to twenty single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and one deletion/insertion were identified in a 347 bp long region of the GH/MspI locus. A missense mutation from glycine to glutamate amino acid and four silent mutations in the serine, threonine, and asparagine amino acids were determined in the exon 3 region of the GH gene. Four genotypes due to eight SNP were identified in a 404 bp long region of the GH/AluI locus. A missense mutation from lysine to arginine amino acid and six silent mutations in Leucine, aspartate, histidine, lysine, arginine, and cysteine amino acids were revealed in the exon 5 region of the GH gene. The partial DNA sequence of the GH gene in water buffalos was reported, and these sequences were deposited at the NCBI Genbank database with the accession numbers MN266903-MN266909 and MN530973-MN530976. These SNP may have an effect on economic (such as body composition) and carcass traits, reproduction, and milk yield and content in water buffalo populations and may prove to be useful for water buffalo breeding.