The combination between gene copy number variation and growth traits in Chinese cattle.

Copy number variation (CNV) has been used as an important source of phenotypic and genetic diversity in recent years. Nicastrin () gene is usually attached to human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and Acne inversa. However, there are no essays about the gene combining with cattle breeds. In our study, we discovered different distributions of gene copy number and associated it with phenotypic traits in four Chinese yellow cattle breeds (XN, PN, QC and YL). The result turned out that the CNV of the gene was associated with several growth traits, such as cannon circumference, chest girth and rump length ( < 0.05). In general, we revealed the eminence over CNV of gene and economic traits, suggesting that the CNV of the gene can be considered to be a promising molecular breeding marker of Chinese beef cattle.