Association of a new mobile element in predicted promoter region of ATP-binding cassette transporter 12 gene (ABCA12) with pig production traits

•ATP –binding cassette transporter 12 probably play an important role in lipid transport.•ATP –binding cassette transporter 12 is encoded by ABCA12 gene.•ABCA12 gene is located in a locus of SSC15 rich in QTLs associated with meat quality traits in pigs.•Present study tries to estimate an effect of ABCA12 gene on important pig traits.•An effect of ABCA12 gene was observed on fat content in carcass and on meat redness in pigs.

ABCA12 gene encodes the protein of ATP-binding cassette transporter 12, which is probably associated with transport of lipids through cell membrane. In human, the research reveals that a single nucleotide polymorphism of ABCA12 gene is associated with obesity. In turn in pigs, ABCA12 gene is located in the chromosome region that is rich in the quantity traits loci (QTLs) associated with meat quality. Therefore, in this study the regulatory part of ABCA12 gene in pigs was analyzed. In promoter region of the investigated gene a long insertion was discovered that recalled the retrotransposone mobile element terminated by long tandem repeats at 3׳ ends. The analysis of the effect of new polymorphism on the porcine traits was performed in four different breeds used in Polish breeding. It was observed, that a new mobile element in promoter region of ABCA12 gene had some impact on few growth and meat quality traits such as daily gain, feed:gain ratio or meat brightness. This would confirm the fact that in this region on chromosome 15 the QTLs associated with economically important pig traits were identified.