Evaluation of ACE, SP17, and FSHB as candidates for stallion fertility in Hanoverian warmblood horses.
Abstract: The research of fertility in humans and other mammals has strongly advanced in the recent years. The examination of molecular mechanisms influencing horse fertility is relatively recent. We chose the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), the sperm autoantigenic protein 17 (SP17) and the follicle stimulating hormone (FSHB) as candidates for determining stallion fertility and to analyze associations of intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), flanking microsatellites and candidate-gene linked haplotypes with the pregnancy rate per oestrus (PRO) in 179 Hanoverian stallions. Fertility traits analyzed were the least square means of PRO for stallions (LSMs) and the paternal and embryonic component of breeding values for PRO (BVs). We detected nine SNPs and two flanking microsatellites in ACE, eight SNPs and two flanking microsatellites in SP17 and four SNPs and one flanking microsatellite in FSHB. Three SP17-associated SNPs and the two flanking microsatellites showed significant association with the embryonic component of BVs and one SP17-associated microsatellite was also significantly associated with the paternal component of BVs. Two ACE-associated SNPs were significantly associated with the embryonic component of BVs. Significantly associated haplotypes were shown for all three candidate genes and the tested fertility parameters. The final regression analysis model indicated that haplotypes of all three candidate genes significantly contributed to the paternal and embryonic fertility components of PRO. This is the first report of associations of ACE, SP17 and FSHB with fertility traits of stallions.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2011-05-24 PubMed ID: 21676563DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2011.05.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research focuses on analyzing the roles of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), the sperm autoantigenic protein 17 (SP17) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSHB) in determining the fertility rates of Hanoverian stallions, a breed of warmblood horses. This is the first investigation that shows significant associations of ACE, SP17 and FSHB in influencing stallion fertility.
Selection of Candidate Genes
- The researchers chose three genes- the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), the sperm autoantigenic protein 17 (SP17) and the follicle stimulating hormone (FSHB) as potential determinants of stallion fertility.
- These genes were chosen due to their known roles in fertility in other species, thereby making them suitable candidates for this study.
Research Methodology
- A group of 179 Hanoverian stallions were chosen for the research.
- The study analyzed associations of intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and flanking microsatellites in the selected genes with the pregnancy rate per oestrus (PRO) in these stallions.
- Fertility traits analyzed were the least square means of PRO for stallions (LSMs) and the paternal and embryonic component of breeding values for PRO (BVs).
Findings and Associations
- Various SNPs and flanking microsatellites were detected in ACE, SP17 and FSHB.
- Three SP17-related SNPs and two flanking microsatellites showed significant association with the embryonic component of BVs, while one SP17-related microsatellite was also linked significantly with the paternal component of BVs.
- Two ACE-related SNPs showed significant association with the embryonic component of BVs.
- Significant associations were found for all three genes with the tested fertility parameters.
Conclusions and Significance of the Study
- The concluding regression analysis indicated that haplotypes of all three candidate genes significantly contributed to the paternal and embryonic fertility components of PRO.
- This research presents the first report of associations of ACE, SP17 and FSHB with fertility traits of stallions, opening new avenues for understanding and potentially improving equine reproduction and fertility.
Cite This Article
APA
Giesecke K, Hamann H, Stock KF, Klewitz J, Martinsson G, Distl O, Sieme H.
(2011).
Evaluation of ACE, SP17, and FSHB as candidates for stallion fertility in Hanoverian warmblood horses.
Anim Reprod Sci, 126(3-4), 200-206.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2011.05.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bünteweg 17p, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Fertility / genetics
- Fertility / physiology
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone / genetics
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone / physiology
- Genetic Markers
- Haplotypes
- Horses / genetics
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Microsatellite Repeats / genetics
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / genetics
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / physiology
- Phenotype
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics
- Spermatozoa / metabolism
- Spermatozoa / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Ullah A, Chen W, Shi L, Wang M, Geng M, Na J, Akhtar MF, Khan MZ, Wang C. Challenges and Enhancing Strategies of Equine Semen Preservation: Nutritional and Genetic Perspectives. Vet Sci 2025 Aug 25;12(9).
- Khan MZ, Chen W, Naz S, Liu X, Liang H, Chen Y, Kou X, Liu Y, Ashraf I, Han Y, Peng Y, Wang C, Zahoor M. Determinant genetic markers of semen quality in livestock. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024;15:1456305.
- Gonzalez-Castro RA, Carnevale EM. Phospholipase C Zeta 1 (PLCZ1): The Function and Potential for Fertility Assessment and In Vitro Embryo Production in Cattle and Horses. Vet Sci 2023 Dec 11;10(12).
- Gmel AI, Burger D, Neuditschko M. A Novel QTL and a Candidate Gene Are Associated with the Progressive Motility of Franches-Montagnes Stallion Spermatozoa after Thaw. Genes (Basel) 2021 Sep 25;12(10).
- Laseca N, Anaya G, Peña Z, Pirosanto Y, Molina A, Demyda Peyrás S. Impaired Reproductive Function in Equines: From Genetics to Genomics. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 3;11(2).
- Schrimpf R, Gottschalk M, Metzger J, Martinsson G, Sieme H, Distl O. Screening of whole genome sequences identified high-impact variants for stallion fertility. BMC Genomics 2016 Apr 14;17:288.
- Schrimpf R, Dierks C, Martinsson G, Sieme H, Distl O. Genome-wide association study identifies phospholipase C zeta 1 (PLCz1) as a stallion fertility locus in Hanoverian warmblood horses. PLoS One 2014;9(10):e109675.
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