Alleles of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK): trait association and interaction with mitochondrial PEPCK in a strain of White Leghorn chickens

Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada H9X 3V9.

White Leghorn chickens from a nonselected closed population were typed for two RFLP located in the 3' end of the gene coding for cytosolic phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C), a major control gene of gluconeogenesis. The two RFLP gave rise to three alleles (or haplotype classes), thus defining six genotypes. Feed efficiency (FE) and residual feed consumption (RFC) varied significantly among the genotypes and indicated that all three haplotypes differed from each other. FE is the ratio between feed consumption and egg mass produced, whereas RFC is the feed consumption after correcting for BW and egg production. There was significant interaction between PEPCK-C genotypes and mitochondrial PEPCK (PEPCK-M) genotypes defined by a single RFLP. The latter enzyme catalyzes the same reaction but is located in the matrix of the mitochondria and is encoded by a different nuclear gene. Interaction was evident from an analysis of the egg weight and egg specific gravity in the early phase of egg laying. It was such that the effect of the variation in one gene depended entirely on the genotype of the second gene. In addition, significant genotypic disequilibria were observed between two of the three alleles of PEPCK-C and between one of these alleles and the two RFLP alleles of PEPCK-M. This finding indicates variations of genes in the gluconeogenesis pathway may affect feed utilization and egg production traits, as well as reproductive fitness.