Variations in the Promoter Region, the First Exon and Part of the First Intron of Bovine Growth Hormone Gene

Variations in the promoter region, the first exon and part of the first intron of bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene were identified from five indigenous Chinese bovine species. Cloned and sequenced amplified fragments revealed two different bands (450bp and 453bp) compared with the GenBank bGH sequence M57764. Two new SNPs in Leiqiong cattle and one SNP in Gayal were identified in the promoter region. Four new SNPs were identified in Leiqiong cattle and one both from Mongolian cattle and Bazhou yak at the same position within the first intron. Regulatory elements of TATA box, CRE, NRE3, dPit1 and pPit1 were also identified in the promoter region of GH in five bovine species, suggesting to be strictly conservative during the course of evolution.