Associations of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor (GnRHR) and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Genes' Polymorphisms with Egg-Laying Traits in Wenchang Chicken

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were selected to identify the genotypes of Wenchang (Chinese indigenous breed) chicken with restricton fragment length polymorphisms. The associations of the SNPs with the total egg production (NE), average days of continual laying (ADCL), and number of double-yolked eggs (DYE) traits were analyzed. The frequency of restriction enzyme A/a alleles in the population was for GnRHR 0.69 (Bpul102 I A) and 0.31 (Bpul102 I a) and for NPY 0.46 (Dra I B) and 0.54 (Dra I b). Trait data from a total of 120 hens, which were purebred introduced from Hainan Province, China from one generation were recorded. Two significant effects of genes' marker were found: for GnRHR and number of eggs (dominant; t=2.67, df= 116) and NPY and number of eggs (additive; t= 1.97, df= 116). The current research supports the effects of GnRHR and NPY genes on egg-laying traits of chickens.