Comparative genome-wide association study on body weight in Chinese native ducks using four models

Area of Science:

• Animal Genomics
• Quantitative Genetics
• Poultry Science

Background:

• The Jinling White duck is a valuable breed with rapid growth and high meat quality.
• Understanding the genetic factors behind its body weight is crucial for further development.
• Current knowledge on the genetic architecture of body weight in this breed is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify candidate genes associated with body weight traits in Jinling White ducks.
• To analyze the genetic diversity within the Jinling White duck population.
• To provide a genomic resource for selective breeding programs.

Main Methods:

• Whole-genome resequencing of 201 Jinling White male ducks.
• Population genomic analyses to assess genetic diversity.
• Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for body weight at multiple ages (birth to 7 weeks).
• Comparison of four statistical models, with a focus on the factored spectrally transformed linear mixed models (FaST-LMM).

Main Results:

• Rich genetic diversity was observed in the Jinling White duck population.
• FaST-LMM proved to be the most efficient statistical model for GWAS, minimizing false positives.
• Several candidate genes were identified for different body weight stages: PUS7, FBXO11, FOXN2, MSH6, SLC4A4 (birth); RAG2, TMEFF2 (1 week); STARD13, Klotho, ZAR1L (3 and 5 weeks); PLXNC1, ATP1A1, CD58, FRYL, OCIAD1, OCIAD2 (7 weeks).

Conclusions:

• This study provides a comprehensive genetic resource for Jinling White ducks.
• Identified candidate genes offer targets for marker-assisted selection to enhance growth traits.
• The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of duck growth and development genetics.