Identifying selection signatures and runs of homozygosity for spine curvature in Chinese indigenous pigs

Abstract

In China there are approximately 100 pig breeds, which show great diversity in their appearance. However, information on genome selection signatures, such as spine curvature, is scarce. Therefore, we used the fixation index (F ST ) and crosspopulation extended haplotype homozygosity (XPEHH) methods to explore the genome selection signatures of spine curvature in six breeds of Chinese indigenous pig. We identified 396 and 389 single nucleotide polymorphisms using the F ST and XPEHH methods, respectively. We detected 19 selection signatures and 28 genes located in the selected regions. Five candidate genes (MAP3K7, CUX1, GRIN2B, ALPL and MACF1) were identified in the selection signatures. Additionally, 719 high-frequency runs of homozygosity regions, 17 unique runs of homozygosity regions, 78 genes and 27 pathways were identified in the runs of homozygosity analysis. The TGF-beta signaling pathway and eight genes related to the spine formation, spine defects and intervertebral disk degeneration were identified, comprising ACVR1, FMOD, ITGA4, MAPK8, PDGF, RPL3, SULF1 and UBE2D1. In summary, we identified 13 candidate genes related to spine curvature in Chinese indigenous pigs.

Genomic Selection for Live Weight in the 14th Month in Alpine Merino Sheep Combining GWAS Information

“…The knockout function of mouse models revealed that MACF1 is associated with skin integrity and bone formation [51]. This gene was identified as a candidate gene related to spine curvature in Chinese indigenous pigs [52]. The SYN3 gene has been implicated in the body length asymmetry of goats and in the extracellular matrix of neuroregulatory processes [53].…”