Comparison of markers predicting litter size in different pig breeds

Abstract

To overcome the limitations of conventional analysis of male fertility in animals and humans, proteomic studies have been performed to develop fertility-related biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis of male fertility. However, the studies were focused on specific species or breeds. Therefore, a study is required to validate whether fertility-related markers would apply to other breeds in pigs. In this study, previously developed fertility-related biomarkers from Landrace were validated to use for prognosis of male fertility in commercially available breeds. Expression level of eight biomarkers in non-capacitated and capacitated (C) spermatozoa from Yorkshire and Duroc boars was analyzed. And then, to explore the validity of these markers for prognosis of male fertility, i.e. litter size, artificial insemination was performed. Among them, RAB2A (NC) and UQCRC1 (NC) turned out to be highest efficient markers for Yorkshire. RAB2A (C) was most efficient marker for Duroc. Average litter size has increased as much as 1.41 live born after prediction using eight fertility-related biomarkers in Yorkshire. In addition, average 2.52 litter size was increased after prediction using eight fertility-related biomarkers in Duroc. Average litter sizes were especially highly increased after prediction of fertility using RAB2A (NC) in Yorkshire (1.57 piglets) and TPI (NC) in Duroc (3.14 piglets), respectively. As a result, all biomarkers were significantly correlated with litter size. However, overall accuracy to predict litter size in three breeds was different in response with each marker. Average litter size after artificial insemination was also significantly affected by marker selection. Therefore, this study suggests that developed fertility-related markers may be used for prognosis and diagnosis of male fertility irrespective of breed. However, selection of efficient markers for breeds should be considered to obtain more accurate and efficient outcomes.

New technique of sex preselection for increasing female ratio in boar sperm model

“…Then, the viability of X and Y spermatozoa was evaluated via the hypo‐osmotic swelling (HOS) test and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Also, to examine the effect of storage at different pH for varying durations on sperm fertility, fertility was indirectly determined by fertility‐related protein marker of cytochrome b‐c1 complex subunit 1 (UQCRC1) protein and fertility‐related transcriptomic marker of sperm solute carrier family 9 regulator 1 (SLC9A3R1) which were closely correlated with boar sperm fertility (litter size) in our previous study (Kim et al., 2019; Kwon et al., 2017). Finally, we determined farrowing rate and litter size to evaluate whether the optimized pH condition of BTS can be altered sex ratio at birth without fertility effect.…”

Peroxiredoxin 4 as potential fertility marker in boars

“…Yorkshire boar (range = 13 to 25 months) semen was collected using the gloved-hand technique twice per week. Collected semen was transferred onto ice from the Grand-Grandparents Farm (Sunjin Co., Danyang, Korea) to the laboratory within 2 h (22). This experiment was performed in two stages.…”

“…We randomly selected 20 Yorkshire boars with unknown fertility from the Grand-Grandparents Farm to evaluate the correlation between litter size and sperm parameters or PRDX expression levels in individual samples. Selected semen was diluted to 30 × 10 6 sperm cells/100 mL with Beltsville Thawing Solution for AI (22,23). Diluted boar semen samples were inseminated by an experienced artificial inseminator into sows (n = 568).…”

Differences in gene expression and variable splicing events of ovaries between large and small litter size in Chinese Xiang pigs

“…Reproductive traits are extremely intricate and influenced by multifactors originating from heredity and environment especially in litter size of pigs [2][3][4][5]. Lots of genes have functions on the reproduction capability [5,6].…”

“…Previous reports focus on the quantitative trait loci (QTL) together with intrinsic genes related with litter size of pigs, and the relationship between genes and the traits [10][11][12] is explored based on recent technology progress at molecular level [4,[13][14][15]. Series of genes connected with the fecundity of pig have been found, including FSH-β, ESR, OPN, MTNR1A, PRLR, GDF9 and BMPs members [16,17].…”