Abstract：α-1,2-fucosyltransferase gene (FUT1) is the important candidate gene of piglets' resistance to Escherichia coli F18. This study aimed to probe into the structures and important mutation loci of FUT1 gene. Based on the previous detection results which implied the transcription activity of FUT1 gene upstream sequence by dual-luciferase reporter, we screened the -1150 to 50 bp CpG islands, the promoter and the transcription factor binding sites of the FUT1 gene upstream sequence which showed promoter activity. Then, in this study, FUT1 gene upstream sequence was analyzed by cloning and bioinformatics, and the polymorphism in wild boar and 11 different pig breeds were investigated by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). The results showed that there were 3 CpG islands which located at -1104~-886 bp, -796 ~-619 bp and -316~-130 bp; the analysis of characteristics of the promoter and transcription factor binding sites showed there were Sp1, NRF-2, c-ETS and GATA-1 existing; the results of PCR-SSCP analysis showed that there existed only a T(-726)C point mutation and AA, AB and BB genotypes were detected. Difference of genotype distribution between domestic pigs and foreign was significant. Genotype AA was undetectable in the Chinese native pig breeds such as Erhualian pigs, Fengjing pigs, Huai pigs and Xiang pigs,, and frequency of genotype AA was low in other Chinese native pig breeds (0.012~0.058), genotype BB was dominant in wild boar and Chinese native pig breeds except Xiang pigs; but the frequency of genotype AA was higher in 3 western commercial breeds (Duroc, Yorkshire and Landrace) and 50% Duroc descent Sutai pigs and genotype BB barely existed (0.021~0.112). This study further confirmed that the genetic basis which resistance to E. coli F18 was significant differences between Chinese native pig breeds and western pig breeds, which might be related to the T(-726)C point mutation in FUT1 gene promoter. This result provides a theoretical foundation for screening and determining stable genetic marker, as well as conducting the analysis of regulatory mechanism of swine FUT1 gene.
