# Association of Variants in CDC10 (Septin 7) Gene with Growth-Related Traits in Qinchuan Cattle

## TL;DR

This study identifies two genetic variants in the CDC10 gene that are linked to growth traits in Qinchuan cattle, offering potential markers for improving their growth rate.

## Contribution

The study discovers novel SNPs in the CDC10 gene significantly associated with growth-related traits in Qinchuan cattle.

## Key findings

- The g.61303052G>C and c.225A>G SNPs in the CDC10 gene are significantly associated with growth-related traits in Qinchuan cattle.
- The c.225A>G SNP alters the secondary structure of the CDC10 protein.
- High expression of the CDC10 gene is observed in Qinchuan cattle with high carcass weight.

## Abstract

The growth-related traits of beef cattle are core indicators for measuring their production performance and economic value. The CDC10 (Septin 7) gene is an important component of the Septin family and is involved in various cellular life activities. In recent years, the CDC10 gene has been repeatedly mapped to quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting growth-related traits in many cattle breeds. This study revealed that both the g.61303052G>C (ss9673029750) SNP in the promoter region and the c.225A>G (ss9673029758) SNP in exon 4 of the CDC10 gene are significantly associated with growth-related traits in Qinchuan cattle through association analysis. This research provides effective molecular markers for improving the growth rate of Qinchuan cattle.

As one of the five major indigenous yellow cattle breeds in China, Qinchuan cattle are characterized by stable genetic performance and desirable meat quality. However, compared with imported commercial breeds, Qinchuan cattle have a relatively slow growth rate. Therefore, improving the growth rate of Qinchuan cattle has become a top priority in Qinchuan cattle breeding. The CDC10 (Septin 7) gene, an important member of the Septin family, participates in various cellular physiological processes including intracellular substance transport, cell division, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. Studies have repeatedly mapped the CDC10 gene to quantitative trait loci influencing growth-related traits, such as body weight and carcass weight in many beef cattle breeds. Previous study has also demonstrated the high expression of CDC10 in JB cattle with high performance for carcass weight, however, the association between CDC10 and growth-related traits in Qinchuan cattle remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we selected five individuals each from Chinese Simmental, Mongolian cattle, Luxi cattle, and Qinchuan cattle for direct sequencing, aiming to identify mutations within the CDC10 gene of native Chinese yellow cattle. Subsequently, we performed genotyping of 367 Qinchuan cattle using the MassARRAY technology, followed by genetic diversity analysis of the identified mutations and association analysis between these sites and growth-related traits of Qinchuan cattle. This study demonstrated high expression of the CDC10 gene in Qinchuan cattle with high performance for carcass weight. Furthermore, we identified the g.61303052G>C and c.225A>G SNPs in the promoter and exon regions, respectively, as being significantly associated with multiple growth-related traits in Qinchuan cattle. The c.225A>G SNP was also found to alter the secondary structure of the CDC10 protein. These findings provide reliable molecular markers for enhancing the growth rate of Qinchuan cattle and establish a solid theoretical foundation for the development of the beef cattle industry.