Genetic analyses involving microsatellite ETH10 genotypes on bovine chromosome 5 and performance trait measures in Angus- and Brahman-influenced cattle

ETH10 is a dinucleotide microsatellite within the promoter of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) gene on bovine chromosome 5. ETH10 is included in the panel of genetic markers used in parentage testing procedures of cattle breed associations. Allelic sizes of ETH10 PCR amplicons range from 199 to 225 bp. Objectives of this study were to use microsatellite data from beef cattle breed associations to investigate genetic distance and population stratification among Angus- and Brahman-influenced cattle and to use ETH10 genotypes and growth and ultrasound carcass data to investigate their statistical relationships. Three series of genotype to phenotype association analyses were conducted with 1) Angus data (n = 5,094), 2) Brangus data (3/8 Brahman x 5/8 Angus; n = 2,296), and 3) multibreed data (n = 4,426) of Angus and Brangus cattle. Thirteen alleles and 38 genotypes were observed, but frequencies varied among breed groups. Tests of genetic identity and distance among 6 breed composition groups increasing in Brahman influence from 0 to 75% revealed that as Brahman-influence increased to >= 50%, genetic distance from Angus ranged from 18.3 to 43.5%. This was accomplished with 10 microsatellite loci. A mixed effects model involving genotype as a fixed effect and sire as a random source of variation suggested that Angus cattle with the 217/219 genotype tended to have 2.1% heavier (P = 0.07) 205-d BW than other genotypes. In Brangus cattle, allele combinations were classified as small (<= 215 bp) or large (>= 217 bp). Brangus cattle with the small/large genotype had 2.0% heavier (P < 0.05) birth weight, yet cattle with the large/large genotype had approximately 5.1% greater (P < 0.05) percentage of fat within LM and more LM per BW than cattle with small/large or small/small genotypes. Genotype-to-phenotype relationships were not detected in multibreed analyses. The ETH10 locus appears to be associated with growth and carcass traits in Angus and Brangus cattle. Results from this study provide support for STAT6 as one of the candidate genes underlying cattle growth QTL on chromosome 5.