Fu Yujiao, Yu Yuanyuan, Yan Xinjia, Lan Daoliang, Wang Jiabo
Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education and Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025 May 12;47(5):350. doi: 10.3390/cimb47050350.
The yak (), the only large domesticated species endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is a vital resource for local livelihoods and regional economic sustainability. However, yak breeding faces significant challenges, including limited understanding of the genetic architecture underlying quantitative traits, inadequate advanced breeding strategies, and the sterility of hybrid offspring from yak-cattle crosses. These constraints have hindered genetic progress in key production traits. To address these issues, integrating modern genomic tools into yak breeding programs is imperative. This review explores the application and potential of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic prediction (GP) in yak genetic improvement. We systematically evaluate critical components of genomic breeding pipelines, including: (1) phenotypic trait assessment, (2) sample collection strategies, (3) reference population design, (4) high-throughput genotyping (via genome sequencing and SNP arrays), (5) predictive model development, and (6) heritability estimation. By synthesizing current advances and methodologies, this work aims to provide a framework for leveraging genomic technologies to enhance breeding efficiency, preserve genetic diversity, and accelerate genetic gains in yak populations.
牦牛是青藏高原特有的唯一大型家养物种，是当地民生和区域经济可持续发展的重要资源。然而，牦牛养殖面临重大挑战，包括对数量性状遗传结构的了解有限、先进育种策略不足以及牦牛与牛杂交后代的不育问题。这些限制阻碍了关键生产性状的遗传进展。为解决这些问题，将现代基因组工具整合到牦牛育种计划中势在必行。本综述探讨了分子标记辅助选择（MAS）和基因组预测（GP）在牦牛遗传改良中的应用和潜力。我们系统评估了基因组育种流程的关键组成部分，包括：（1）表型性状评估，（2）样本采集策略，（3）参考群体设计，（4）高通量基因分型（通过基因组测序和SNP阵列），（5）预测模型开发，以及（6）遗传力估计。通过综合当前的进展和方法，本研究旨在提供一个框架，利用基因组技术提高育种效率、保护遗传多样性并加速牦牛群体的遗传进展。
