Genome-wide detection of CNV regions and their potential association with growth and fatness traits in Duroc pigs

Abstract Background In the process of pig breeding, average daily gain (ADG), days to 100 kg (AGE), and backfat thickness (BFT) are directly related growth rate fatness. However, genetic mechanisms involved not well understood. Copy number variation (CNV), an important source diversity, can affect a variety complex traits diseases has gradually been thrust into limelight. this study, we reported genome-wide CNVs Duroc pigs using SNP genotyping data from 6627 animals. We also performed copy region (CNVR)-based association studies (GWAS) for fatness in two populations. Results Our study identified 953 nonredundant CNVRs U.S. Canadian pigs, covering 246.89 Mb (~ 10.90%) autosomal genome. Of these, 802 were with 499 indicating 348 shared by Experimentally, 77.8% nine randomly selected validated through quantitative PCR (qPCR). 35 significant CNVR-based GWAS. Ten these associated both ADG AGE pigs. Notably, four showed associations ADG, AGE, BFT, that may play pleiotropic role regulating fat deposition. significantly traits. Further bioinformatic analysis subset potential candidate genes, including PDGFA , GPER1 PNPLA2 BSCL2 . Conclusions The present provides necessary supplement CNV map genome large-scale population genotyping. addition, GWAS results provide meaningful way elucidate underlying be used as molecular markers improvement molecular-guided breeding modern commercial