Association of PROP1 Gene Polymorphism (g.1860C greater than T) with Growth Traits in Assam Hill Goats

Background: The PROP1 (Prophet of Pit-1) gene encodes a critical transcription factor involved in pituitary development and the regulation of growth-related pathways in livestock. Understanding the genetic variation in PROP1 and its association with phenotypic traits could support marker-assisted selection (MAS) strategies in goats. Methods: A total of 147 Assam Hill goats were phenotypically assessed and blood samples were collected for DNA extraction. The PROP1 gene (exon 2) was amplified and a g.1860C greater than T SNP was genotyped using PCR-RFLP with StuI. Genetic diversity was analyzed using PopGene and protein structure predictions were performed using SOPMA and SWISS-MODEL. Association analysis between genotypes and growth traits was conducted using GLM in SPSS v18. Result: Three genotypes (CC, CT, TT) were detected at the PROP1 g.1860C greater than T locus, with CT most common and C as the major allele. The SNP deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and showed moderate polymorphism (PIC=0.32). Growth traits differed significantly (p less than 0.05) among genotypes: CC goats had higher early-age body weight and measurements, TT showed better growth at later stages and CT showed intermediate performance. Structural modeling indicated no major protein changes and phylogenetic analysis showed close similarity to sheep PROP1 sequences.