Genome wide associations study of single nucleotide polymorphisms with productivity parameters in Jalgin merino for identification of new candidate genes

• Published in: Gene reports Vol. 23; p. 101065
• Main Authors: Krivoruchko, Alexander, Sermyagin, Alexander, Saprikina, Tatyana, Golovanova, Natalia, Kvochko, Andrey, Yatsyk, Olesya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-06-2021
• Subjects: Candidate genes; Genome-wide association study; GWAS; Jalgin breed; Ovine; Sheep; SNP; GWAS; SNP; Genome-wide association study; Candidate genes; QTL; Sheep; Ovine; Jalgin breed
• ISSN: 2452-0144; 2452-0144
• DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2021.101065

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on the frequency of occurrence of individual SNPs using the Ovine Infinium HD BeadChip 600K in sheep of the Jalgin merino breed with different class evaluations according to the phenotype determining productive qualities. Twenty-three single nucleotide polymorphisms with high significant differences in occurrence between groups of examined animals were identified. Annotation of closely located genes to determine candidate genes for productivity showed that 10 substitutions were in the introns of the protein-coding genes, and three in the intron of one gene. Two polymorphisms were located next to the genes of long non-coding RNAs, one next to the microRNA gene, and two more to the spliceosomal RNA gene. The remaining substitutions related to intergenic variants. As a result of the study, we identified the following candidate genes: FOXN3, CNTN3, FTO, CFAP73, ARPP21, ADAMTS9, FRMPD4, RBM45, SHC4, ZFP36L1, ACTN1, ASTN1, RAB21. Most of these genes are regulatory, determining the intensity of growth and development of cells and tissues. The detected substitutions, significantly differing in frequency between the groups of animals examined, can be used as genetic markers of productivity in breeding work to improve the quality of Jalgin merino and other sheep breeds.
•Super-elite Jalgin merino sheep was selected for productivity of wool and meat.•According to GWAS, they differ from the elite group in frequency of 23 SNPs.•Next to the discovered SNPs, 13 new productivity candidate genes have been proposed.