Sequence variants associated with resilient responses in growing pigs.

Area of Science:

• Animal Genetics
• Livestock Breeding
• Immunogenetics

Background:

• Resilience indicators in pigs, body weight deviation (ΔBW) and haptoglobin increase (ΔHP) post-vaccination, were previously established.
• High ΔBW and low ΔHP signify resilience, while low ΔBW and high ΔHP indicate susceptibility.
• Selective breeding for resilience requires understanding its genetic underpinnings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with resilience in pigs.
• To analyze the genetic basis of resilience using pigs classified as resilient or susceptible based on ΔBW and ΔHP.
• To investigate the relationship between resilience, immune response, and growth pathways.

Main Methods:

• A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using whole-genome sequence data from 80 pigs (40 resilient, 40 susceptible).
• The analysis considered 7,760,720 genetic variants to identify associations with resilience classification.
• Candidate genes within associated regions were examined for potential functional mutations impacting resilience.

Main Results:

• Eleven genomic regions significantly associated with pig resilience were identified.
• These regions contain candidate genes involved in immune response (pro- and anti-inflammatory) and growth pathways.
• Forty-one potential functional mutations were found in candidate genes within the associated regions.

Conclusions:

• Pig resilience is a polygenic trait influenced by multiple genes.
• Genomic regions associated with resilience are linked to crucial immune and growth mechanisms.
• This research provides valuable genetic insights for improving pig resilience through selective breeding programs.