Molecular characterization and exclusion of porcine GUSB as a candidate gene for congenital hernia inguinalis/scrotalis.

Background: Inguinal hernias are usually caused by a congenital defect, which occurs as a weakness of the inguinal canal. Porcine beta-glucuronidase gene (GUSB) was chosen as functional candidate gene because of its involvement in degradation of hyaluronan within gubernacular tissue during descent of testes. Since a genome-wide linkage analysis approach has shown evidence that two regions on porcine chromosome 3 (SSC 3) are involved in the inheritance of hernia inguinalis/scrotalis in German pig breeds, GUSB also attained status as a positional candidate gene by its localization within a hernia-associated chromosomal region.