Yue Qiaoxian, Johnsson Martin, Wilson Peter W, Andersson Björn, Schmutz Matthias, Benavides Cristina, Dominguez-Gasca Nazaret, Sanchez-Rodriguez Estefania, Rodriguez-Navarro Alejandro B, Dunn Ian C, de Koning Dirk-Jan
Shanxi Agricultural University, Shanxi 030801, China.
Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7023 750 07, Uppsala 756 51, Sweden.
Poult Sci. 2025 Jul;104(7):105246. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105246. Epub 2025 May 2.
Damage to the keel bone in commercial laying hens represent one of the greatest welfare issues in laying hens. This study aims to identify the DNA markers and candidate genes for bone strength and density traits in a Rhode Island Red laying hen population. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on bone quality traits using a sample of 925 Rhode Island Red laying hens genotyped with a genotyping array consisting of 60 000 DNA markers. With a univariate linear mixed model, we identified 52 suggestive genetic markers located within 28 candidate genes that are associated with the humerus, keel, and tibia strength and density. We also found overlaps between the GWAS results for medullary bone score and tibia strength and density with published quantitative trait loci (QTL) for eggshell effective layer thickness and abdominal fat weight, respectively. Heritability estimates for the humerus stiffness, tibia stiffness, medullary bone score and minor bone diameter ranged from 0.21 to 0.34. Annotation term enrichment analysis of genes within 2 Megabases of suggestive markers found that mTOR signalling pathway, tryptophan metabolism, TGF-β signalling pathway, and apoptosis were significantly enriched. These loci do not overlap previously published associations, and thus appear to be novel.
商业产蛋母鸡的龙骨损伤是产蛋母鸡最严重的福利问题之一。本研究旨在确定罗德岛红产蛋鸡群体中骨骼强度和密度性状的DNA标记和候选基因。我们使用925只罗德岛红产蛋鸡样本进行全基因组关联研究（GWAS），这些样本通过包含60000个DNA标记的基因分型阵列进行基因分型。通过单变量线性混合模型，我们确定了位于28个候选基因内的52个提示性遗传标记，这些标记与肱骨、龙骨和胫骨的强度及密度相关。我们还发现，髓质骨评分以及胫骨强度和密度的GWAS结果，分别与已发表的蛋壳有效层厚度和腹部脂肪重量的数量性状位点（QTL）存在重叠。肱骨硬度、胫骨硬度、髓质骨评分和小骨直径的遗传力估计值在0.21至0.34之间。对提示性标记2兆碱基范围内的基因进行注释术语富集分析发现，mTOR信号通路、色氨酸代谢、TGF-β信号通路和细胞凋亡显著富集。这些位点与先前发表的关联不重叠，因此似乎是新的。
