Polymorphism analysis and expression patterns of the gene in the Shitou goose.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 () is one of the endocrine hormones that plays an important role in regulating growth and development of animals. In this study, polymorphism in the 5 UTR and 3 UTR coding region and of the gene was detected by DNA sequencing technology, and the abundance of mRNA in various tissues at three growth stages of the Shitou goose was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, the differential expression of in various tissues between the Shitou goose and Wuzong goose was revealed. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the exon3 region of in the Shitou goose. mRNA was extensively expressed in various tissues of Shitou geese with high abundant expression in the liver, breast muscle and leg muscle at three growth stages. mRNA expression showed a trend of first increase and then decrease in the pituitary, liver, subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat tissues, but it decreased in the breast muscle and leg muscle of a Shitou goose with growing age. Expression of in the liver, leg muscle and pituitary tissues of the Shitou goose was significantly higher than that of the Wuzong goose. This provides a foundation for further study of regulatory mechanisms of in the growth and development of geese.