Association of the melanocortin-3(MC3R) receptor gene with growth and reproductive traits in Mazandaran indigenous chicken

Melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R) plays an important role in the central control of energy homeostasis, and several functional polymorphisms of this gene have been detected. We have studied MC3R as a candidate gene responsible for variation in economically important traits in chicken. To determine the association between MC3R polymorphism and phenotypic variation, a total of 190 individuals from breeding station of Mazandaran indigenous chicken were genotyped using a modified PCR-RFLP method. The association of growth and reproductive traits was studied using a generalized linear model. The association analysis suggested a positive effect of genotype AA with average egg weight at age of 28 (EW28), 30 (EW30) and 32 (EW32) weeks compared with GG genotype (P< 0.05), and also positive effect of genotype AG with average egg weight at age of 30 (EW30) weeks compared with GG genotype (P