Cytogenetic and molecular studies in conservation breeding of Pulawska breed pigs

Abstract

The paper presents the genetic characteristics of Pulawska breed pigs carried out on the basis of cytogenetic and molecular studies. Among chromosome markers, polymorphic variants of specific chromosome structures such as centromeric heterochromatin areas (C bands) and nucleolar organizing regions (NOR bands) were taken into account. The described breed-specific tendencies concerning size polymorphism of these structures are the source of chromosome markers that are useful for identifying the linkage with genes controlling important production traits. On the other hand, molecular studies presented in this work included DNA markers of the STR and SNP type (with particular consideration of the PRL, FST, MC4R, TNNT3, MTTP and DIO3 genes), which are useful in determining the genetic background of functional traits, as well as the characteristics of the breeds for terms of genetic variation, especially conservative breeds, where it is appropriate to maintain the existing genetic diversity and intra-breed variability.