[A genome-wide association study on body weight traits of Jinghai yellow chicken]

Body weight traits are important economic characters of broilers. This study was carried out to screen for molecular markers and candidate genes that can be used to improve the body weight traits. A herd of 400 female Jinghai yellow chickens were measured for body weights from 0 to 14 weeks of age. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology to detect SNPs associated with body weight traits of Jinghai yellow chicken. Finally, 100 SNPs that associated with body weight traits were detected. The results showed that effects of 15 SNPs reached 5% Bonferroni genome-wide significance and 85 SNPs reached potential genome-wide significance. Genes in the candidate regions with 1 Mb windows (SNP position±0.5 Mb) surrounding each significant SNP were screened. Finally, nine candidate genes were obtained, among which four genes of FAM124A (Family with sequence similarity 124A), QDPR (Quinoid dihydropteridine reductase), WDR1 (WD repeat domain 1) and SLC2A9 (Solute carrier family 2 (facilitated glucose transporter), member 9) might be important candidate genes influencing body weight traits of Jinghai yellow chicken. Furthermore, it was also found that most SNPs associated with mid and late growth and body weights were intensively located in the region of 75.6-80.7 Mb on chromosome 4. Our study thus provides a basis for genetic understanding of the Jinghai yellow chicken body weight traits.