An SNP in Exon 11 of Chicken 5′-AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Gamma 3 Subunit Gene was Associated with Meat Water Holding Capacity

The 5′-Adenosine-monophosphate -activated protein kinase plays a key role in regulating cellular energy homeostasis, and it was reported that nucleotide variants in the genes coding the protein were associated with meat quality. In the present study, genetic variations in the exons of gamma non-catalytic subunit genes of the protein kinase were screened among 284 White Plymouth Rock chickens from 7 families with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and their meat quality traits including drip loss and cooked meat rate which reflect water holding capacity and serum biochemical indices were also measured, and the association between the genotypes and the traits was analyzed with a SAS GLM procedure. Our results showed that there were three G/A nucleotide variants including one in exon 6 of the gamma subunit 2 gene and two in exon 11 of the gamma subunit 3 gene, which resulted in amino acid substitutions V150I, V315 M, and A337 T, respectively. And locus V315 M was associated with water holding capacity significantly (P < 0.05). The studied polymorphic locus has the potential to be used as a genetic marker for poultry breeding work.