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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2023, Vol. 22 Issue (10): 3159-3169    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.04.038
Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Genome-wide association study for numbers of vertebrae in Dezhou donkey population reveals new candidate genes

SUN Yan1*, LI Yu-hua2*, ZHAO Chang-heng1, TENG Jun1, WANG Yong-hui2 , WANG Tian-qi2, SHI Xiao-yuan2, LIU Zi-wen2, LI Hai-jing3, WANG Ji-jing4, WANG Wen-wen1, NING Chao1, WANG Chang-fa2#, ZHANG Qin1#

1 Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China
2 Liaocheng Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, P.R.China
3 National Engineering Research Center for Gelatin-Based Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dong-E E-Jiao Co. Ltd., Liaocheng 252200, P.R.China
4 Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P.R.China
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摘要  家畜脊椎数特别是胸腰椎数存在遗传变异,这些变异与家畜体长和产肉量有关。德州驴是我国著名的地方驴种之一,它的特点是体型大,适应性好,抗粗饲。德州驴群体中胸腰椎数也存在变异。【目的】本研究利用低深度重测序填充数据通过全基因组关联分析挖掘调控德州驴胸腰椎数性状相关的分子标记和候选基因,为未来多胸腰椎数驴的新品种培育奠定理论基础。【方法】对347头德州驴群体进行低深度的全基因组重测序,选用STITCH + Beagle的方法进行基因型的填充,对获得的SNPs进行质控后利用GEMMA软件的线性混合模型和GMMAT软件的logistic混合模型对胸腰椎数性状进行关联分析。SNPs数据进行了连锁不平衡过滤(=0.2)最终获得约35万个有效SNPs,用Bonferroni进行多重检验校正,设置了5%全基因组水平显著关联阈值线P ≤ 1.41×10-7= 0.05/353,672以及潜在显著关联的水平P ≤ 2.83×10-6= 1/353,672。最终对显著关联的SNPs进行候选基因的鉴定和单倍型分析。【结果】347头德州驴群体平均测序深度为,基因型填充后最终获得6,220,779 SNPs,利用18头高深度的德州驴群体对填充准确性进行评估,结果显示平均基因型相关系数是0.98。综合两个关联分析的模型,对于胸椎数性状,我们鉴定出38个全基因组水平显著关联的SNPs64个潜在显著关联的SNPs,涉及7个基因(NLGN1DCCSLC26A7TOXWNT7ALOC123286078LOC123280142)。对于腰椎数性状,我们鉴定了9个全基因组水平显著关联的SNPs38个潜在显著关联的SNPs,涉及8个基因(GABBR2FBXO4LOC123277146LOC123277359BMP7B3GAT1EML2LRP5)。其中多个显著关联SNPs存在紧密的连锁不平衡关系。【结论】本研究利用测序填充数据进行全基因组关联分析,鉴定了多个与胸腰椎数性状显著关联的SNPs和候选基因,其中WNT7A、BMP7LRP5已知的功能是通过Wnt信号通路和TGF-β信号通路在胚胎体节发育和骨形成过程中发挥作用,可能是驴差异胸腰椎数性状的关键候选基因。




Abstract  

Numbers of vertebrae is an important economic trait associated with body size and meat productivity in animals.  However, the genetic basis of vertebrae number in donkey remains to be well understood.  The aim of this study was to identify candidate genes affecting the number of thoracic (TVn) and the number of lumbar vertebrae (LVn) in Dezhou donkey.  A genome-wide association study was conducted using whole genome sequence data imputed from low-coverage genome sequencing.  For TVn, we identified 38 genome-wide significant and 64 suggestive SNPs, which relate to 7 genes (NLGN1, DCC, SLC26A7, TOX, WNT7A, LOC123286078, and LOC123280142).  For LVn, we identified 9 genome-wide significant and 38 suggestive SNPs, which relate to 8 genes (GABBR2, FBXO4, LOC123277146, LOC123277359, BMP7, B3GAT1, EML2, and LRP5).  The genes involve in the Wnt and TGF-β signaling pathways and may play an important role in embryonic development or bone formation and could be good candidate genes for TVn and LVn.

Keywords:  numbers of vertebrae        GWAS        genotype imputation        Dezhou donkey  
Received: 23 November 2022   Accepted: 22 March 2023
Fund: 

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (ZR2020MC168).  

About author:  SUN Yan, E-mail: sunyan881102@163.com; #Correspondence WANG Chang-fa, E-mail: wangcf1967@163.com; ZHANG Qin, E-mail: qzhang@sdau.edu.cn * These authors contributed equally to this study.

Cite this article: 

SUN Yan, LI Yu-hua, ZHAO Chang-heng, TENG Jun, WANG Yong-hui , WANG Tian-qi, SHI Xiao-yuan, LIU Zi-wen, LI Hai-jing, WANG Ji-jing, WANG Wen-wen, NING Chao, WANG Chang-fa, ZHANG Qin. 2023. Genome-wide association study for numbers of vertebrae in Dezhou donkey population reveals new candidate genes. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 22(10): 3159-3169.

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