Equine Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
J Anim Sci. 2024 Jan 3;102. doi: 10.1093/jas/skae217.
The Dezhou donkey is a famous local donkey breed in China. The aim of the present study was to identify the genes associated with the body size traits of the Dezhou donkey and facilitate the breeding activities of the donkeys. A total of 349 donkeys from 2 generations (113 individuals in F0 and 236 in F1) were analyzed with restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing. A genome-wide association study revealed that the region between 13.7 and 15.6 Mb of chromosome 13 is significantly associated with body sizes. Candidate genes related to body size development, including POLR2A, CHRNB1, FGF11, and ZBTB4, were identified. The results of GO and KEGG analysis indicated that the genes involved in many GO terms were related to metabolic processes and developmental processes. Additionally, a T>C mutation (Chr13:14312485) was found at intron 10 of the POLR2A gene. The association analysis showed significant differences among genotypes for the size traits. The body size of the individuals with the TT genotype was significantly higher than that with the CC genotype. The results showed that the polymorphism of POLR2A has the potential to be used as a marker in the breeding programs of the Dezhou donkeys.
德州驴是中国著名的地方驴品种。本研究旨在鉴定与德州驴体尺性状相关的基因，促进驴的选育活动。共分析了 2 代（F0 代 113 只，F1 代 236 只）的 349 只驴，采用了基于限制性位点相关 DNA 测序的全基因组关联研究。研究发现，第 13 号染色体的 13.7-15.6Mb 区域与体尺显著相关。确定了与体尺发育相关的候选基因，包括 POLR2A、CHRNB1、FGF11 和 ZBTB4。GO 和 KEGG 分析结果表明，涉及许多 GO 术语的基因与代谢过程和发育过程有关。此外，还发现了 POLR2A 基因第 10 内含子的 T>C 突变（Chr13:14312485）。关联分析表明，基因型在体型性状上存在显著差异。TT 基因型个体的体尺显著高于 CC 基因型个体。结果表明，POLR2A 多态性有可能作为德州驴选育计划中的一个标记。
