Abstract:Follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) is involved in follicle growth, development, differentiation and maturation, and is related to reproductive traits of animals, but the influence on genetic mechanism of reproductive traits in guizhou native goats is still unclear. To determine the correlation between polymorphism and mRNA expression levels of FSHR gene and reproductive traits in QianBei Ma goat (Ovis linnaeus), the high prolificacy breed QianBei Ma goat was selected as the candidate subject, and the low prolificacy breed Guizhou Black goat was selected as control, and polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and PCR direct sequencing were used to detect the polymorphism in exons 1 and 10 of FSHR gene. The results showed that the C126T and C1246A were identified in exon 1 and 10 of FSHR gene in two breeds. The litter size with genotype BB were significantly higher than genotype AA and AB of QianBei Ma goat (P<0.05). However, there were no significant difference among different genotypes at two mutation sites in Guizhou Black goat (P>0.05). Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of the FSHR gene in hypothalamus, pituitary, ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus tissues in dioestrus and estrus of QianBei Ma goat with AA and BB genotypes were investigated by qRT-PCR, and the expression of FSHR gene in each tissues of BB genotype were higher than that of AA genotype QianBei Ma goat. The expression of the FSHR mRNA of BB genotype in hypothalamus of dioestrus and the ovaries of estrus were extremely significantly higher than that of AA genotype (P<0.01). The significant differences of FSHR mRNA expression was also observed in uterus during estrus between two genotypes (P<0.05). The results indicated that FSHR gene might play an important role. The results indicated that FSHR gene might play an important role in regulation of litter size in QianBei Ma goat. The results provide basic data for exploring candidate gene effecting reproductive traits of QianBei Ma goat and constructing prolific nucleus group in Guizhou native goats.