Development regularity of wool fiber and expression characteristics of keratin associated proteins gene in three rabbit breeds

Sun Lu-Lu, Wu Tian-Wen, Wu Xin-Sheng, Shi Fu-Yue, Wan Xiao-Ying, Li Ting, Pan Yu-Lai

Abstract: This study measured the length of wool fiber of three rabbit breeds (including Fujian Yellow rabbit, German Angora rabbit and American Rex rabbit) in different growth period Respectively. We got 4 data sets of different positions, which were neck, back, buttock and abdominal. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR method was used to analyse the expression characteristics of KAP 3.1 and KAP 3.3 gene in back and buttock at the same time. The result of wool staple length indicated that the growth speed of wool fiber in Fujian Yellow rabbit and American Rex rabbit was higher than German Angora rabbit before 2 weeks old, but the wool length of American Rex rabbit was longer than the other two breeds after 4 weeks old. The result of RT-PCR showed that the expression of KAP3.1 gene had a high level in all breeds when it was newborn, and expression in Fujian Yellow rabbit and American Rex rabbit was higher than Angora rabbit. The expressions increased slowly in general, and the characteristics were similar between different sexes and positions. The expression of KAP3.1 gene in Fujian Yellow rabbit and American Rex rabbit reduced when it was 4 weeks and 12 weeks old, moreover, the reduction of back in American Rex rabbit was higher than Fujian Yellow rabbit. The expression characteristic of KAP3.3 gene was basically identical to KAP3.1 gene. We might predict that the development of wool fiber length was associated with KAP3.1 and KAP3.3 gene.

Keywords: Expression characteristics; KAP gene; Rabbit; RT-PCR; Skin; Wool fiber

Date published: 2019-02-20