Polymorphism of chicken myocyte-specific enhancer-binding factor 2A gene and its association with chicken carcass traits

Myocyte-specific enhancer-binding factor 2A (MEF2A) gene is a member of the myocyte-specific enhancer-binding factor 2 (MEF2) protein family which involved in vertebrate skeletal muscle development and differentiation. The aim of the current study is to investigate the potential associations between MEF2A gene SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and the carcass traits in 471 chicken samples from four populations. Three new SNPs (T46023C, A72626G, and T89232G) were detected in the chicken MEF2A gene. The T46023C genotypes were associated with live body weight (BW), carcass weight (CW), eviscerated weight, semi-eviscerated weight (SEW), and leg muscle weight (LMW) (P < 0.05); the A72626G genotypes were associated with BW, CW, LMW (P < 0.01) and breast muscle weight (BMW), leg muscle percentage (LMP) (P < 0.05); whereas the T89232G genotypes were associated with carcass percentage (CP) and semi-eviscerated percentage (SEP) (P < 0.05). The haplotypes constructed on the three SNPs were associated with BW, CW, LMW (P < 0.01), SEW, BMW, CP (P < 0.05). Significantly and suggestive dominant effects of diplotype H1H2 were observed for BW, CW, SEW, BMW and CP, whereas diplotype H5H5 had a negative effect on BW, CW, SEW, BMW and LMW. Our results suggest that the MEF2A gene may be a potential marker affecting the muscle trait of chickens.