Chromosomal assignment of the porcine NALP5 gene, a candidate gene for female reproductive traits.

NALP5, also known as MATER (maternal antigen that embryos require), is an oocyte-specific maternal effect gene required for early embryonic development. Because of the specificity of NALP5 expression, and its role in female fertility, NALP5 is an interesting candidate gene for economically important female reproductive traits. Here we describe the chromosomal assignment of the porcine NALP5 gene to the long arm of pig chromosome 6 (SSC6q21-22), a region known to harbour several reproduction quantitative trait loci.