| This research chooses the Mongolian horse, one of the world's oldest breeds of horses, as the research object through the use of questionnaires and physiological testing methods to test the main characteristics of their behavior. At the same time, it applies technical means of PCR-SSCP and PCR-RFLP to analyze single nucleotide polymorphisms markers of candidate genes such as BDNF, COMT, SLC6A4 and MAOB. This research focuses on the linkage between the main temperament behavioral characteristics of Mongolian horses and the candidate genes in order to find molecular markers concerning Mongolian horses'behavior traits; thus theoretical foundation could be laid for Mongolian horses'behavior traits, mainly related to the molecular markers as well as to the assisted selection methods. The following conclusions have been made through the joint study:(1) It is an effective questionnaires survey conducted to test a horse's characteristics of their behavior. The answers among the evaluators show obvious consistency.(2) The characteristics of mare behavior are different from others, and a less-than 3-year-old horse has a strong learning ability, and is suitable for training.(3) By applying the factor analysis method, the behavioral acts indicators in the horse characteristics shown in questionnaires survey are classified into five factors. The behavioral variables contained among the first, second and third main factors are highly correlated. Factor analysis results reflect the behavior patterns and behavior characteristics of the Mongolian horse.(4) In this study, the experiment was taken in a room with yellow balloons hanging in the middle, and on the walls there waere pasted red and yellow banners. The vast majority of physiological indicators of horses showed a sudden increase in the beginning of the experiment in such a strange environment, which indicated that the evaluation system has been tested, and it is reasonable to evaluate the horse's state of anxiety.(5) The statistical analysis in the questionnaires shows that the first factor, that is, the state of anxiety is significantly correlated with the horse's heart rate during the physiological test, theâ–³heart rate and the number of defecography.(6) The changes in heart rate are relevant to gender, for the mare's heart rate is far faster than that of the castrated horses and the stallions.(7) In this study, the analysis results of the Mongolian horse's characteristic candidate genes by means of PCR-SSCP and PCR-RFLP show that genetic fragments such as DBH1, DBH2, MAOB are moderately polymorphic with appropriate information,while other genetic fragments are low-grade polymorphism with very little information. Genetic fragments of DBH1, DBH2, and MAOB are considered as better ideal genetic markers, making the linkage analysis not only feasible, but also effective.(8)Calculation results of the value of X2 in the variation of gene fragments locus show that the polymorphic loci of SLC6A4(1), SLC6A4(2), SLC6A4(3) are in a state of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and the genotype of these sites will be inherited stably in the future evolution.(9) Correlation analysis showed that the BDNF genes as C222T and G261C have a significant impact on the Mongolian horse's biting behavior; DBH1 gene as G758A has a significant effect on endurance in Mongolian horses and on other horse-friendly behavior; at the same time the DBH1 gene has remarkable influence on such acts as comprehension ability, sand bath, crossing the river and swimming, the ability to recognize roads and live in groups; COMT gene as G217A has a greatly significant impact on the competitiveness of the Mongolian horse; SLC6A4(1) gene as T1362C has a significant impact on nervousness, panic, timid, and the behavior such as the reaction to harness, the degree of the learning ability of the Mongolian horse. The gene significantly affects the independence acts of the horse; SLC6A4(3) gene as AT1615-1616GC has significant impact on the mood of the Mongolian horse.(10) BDNF gene as C222T and G261C, and SLC6A4(1) gene as T1362C of the Mongolian horse mainly affects the first principal factor in the questionnaire survey analysis, that is, anxiety levels; DBH1 gene as G758A and COMT and G217A gene of the Mongolian horse mainly affect the second principal factor in the questionnaire survey analysis, that is, the training capacity traits; SLC6A4(3) gene as AT1615-1616GC and SLC6A4(1) gene as T1362C of the Mongolian horse impact the third main factor in the analysis of the questionnaire survey, that is, affinity traits.
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