Abstract: The objectives of the present study were firstly to detect polymorphisms in the follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene, which provide a scientific basis for marker assisted selection for high prolificacy in Wenchang chicken. In this study, the FSHR gene as the candidate gene of chicken’s reproductive trait was analysis on its regions which encode most of the extracellular domain by PCR-SSCP. The result showed that 4 SNPs sites were found at region 2, region 4, region 6, region 9, respectively. They are C-49→T-49 mutation before the CDS’ 5-flanking terminal of the exon2, T43→C43 mutation in the CDS of the exon4, A12→G12 mutation after the CDS’ 3-flanking terminal of the exon6, G38→T38 mutation after the CDS’ 3-flanking terminal of the exon8. The fitness test indicated the gene frequency were all in Hardy-Weinberg balanced state (P>0.05). In conclusions, the polymorphisms of theses sites lay a foundation for the further research on relationship between the polymorphisms of FSHR gene and the reproductive performance of Wenchang chicken.

Key words: Wenchang chicken; follicle stimulating hormone receptor gene（FSHR gene）; single nucleotide polymorphisms