Genotyping of GPI and PGD in New Zealand Whiteand Rex Rabbits⁽¹⁾

Hsiu-Luan Chang⁽²⁾, Chiung-Tzy Huang⁽³⁾ and
Ming-Che Wu⁽⁴⁾

Genotyping for glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) of rabbits were identified with electrophoresis of blood samples collected from ear vein with syringe or filter paper. In Exp. 1, a total of 607 rabbits from breeding stocks consisting of 172 New Zealand White, 56 white Rex, 65 castor Rex, 266 chinchilla Rex and 48 opal Rex rabbits. The GPI genotypes of all rabbits were BB. The PGD genotypes of all rabbits from four coat color strains of Rex breeds were AA. Of 172 New Zealand White rabbits, the frequencies of PGD-AA, PGD-AB, and PGD-BB genotypes were 70.9%, 23.9% and 5.2%, respectively. In Exp. 2, a total of 627 young rabbits, eight weeks of age, was genotyped for PGD in the population of New Zealand White breed. The frequencies of PGD-AA, PGD-AB, and PGD-BB genotypes of young rabbits of New Zealand White breed were 78.0%, 20.1% and 1.9%, respectively. By rechecking PGD genotypes of their parents, no sires with the genotype of PGD-BB was found. When PGD-AB does sired by PGD-AA bucks, the frequencies of progeny with PGD-AA and PGD-AB genotypes were 61% and 39%, respectively. Frequencies of PGD-AA, PGD-AB, and PGD-BB genotypes from the parental mating type of AB x AB were 34%, 37% and 29% of the number of progeny, respectively. It implied that the allele B of PGD gene was difficult to transmit into the heterozygous offspring in New Zealand White rabbit.

Key words: Rabbit, Breed, Genotype, Glucose phosphate isomerase,

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase.

1. Contribution No. from Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI).
2. Department of Animal Breeding, TLRI, Hsinhua, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
3. Animal Farm, TLRI, Hsinhua, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
4. Department of Animal Physiology, TLRI, Hsinhua, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.