Abstract：As a member of Gli-Kruppel family, Gli3 can regulate the Sonic hedgehog target genes in the growth and development of animal, especially in the early time. In this study, polymorphisms of four loci(E4, E5, E6 and E7) at the coding region of the bovine Gli3 gene were detected in 187 Nanyang bovine by PCR-SSCP and sequencing method. The fragments showing different SSCP patterns were sequenced, and a total of three SNPs (T123600C, T123696C and A128688G) were found. The E5 locus of Gli3 gene was equilibrium at Hardy-Weinberg, while E4 locus of Gli3 gene was not disequilibrium at Hardy-Weinberg. The association analysis of different genotypes with growth traits showed that the individuals with genotype CC had a larger body weight, chest girth, hucklebone width, average daily gain than that of the individuals with genotypes TT(P<0.05) at six months in E4 locus. It suggests that E4 locus may be one of the marker-assisted selection used as growth traits in Nanyang bovine.
