DIAGNOSTICATION OF MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA IN SWINE

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) causes neurological, liver, and kidney damage and death in humans and major economic losses in the swine industry. A single point mutation in the gene for the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (Ryrl) was found to be correlated with MH in major breeds of swine. This mutation generates the production of an abnormal protein which alters the structure and function of the Ca2+ release channel of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (ryanodine receptor). Because the mutation destroys the recognition site for the restriction endonuclease HhaI, it was possible to develop a PCR-RFLP method for MH diagnostication in all swine breeds. Our objective was to identify the normal homozygous, heterozygous carriers and affected homozygous swine for MH trait, using this method. Results suggest that the genetic test will be useful in identifying heterozygous pigs for the MH trait