Cost-Effectively Dissecting the Genetic Architecture of Complex Wool Traits in Rabbits by Low-Coverage Sequencing
November 2022
in “
Genetics selection evolution
”
TLDR Low-coverage sequencing is a cost-effective way to find genetic factors affecting rabbit wool traits.
The research investigated the genetic factors influencing wool traits in 629 Angora rabbits using low-coverage sequencing (LCS) and genotype imputation. The study found that using BaseVar + STITCH at a sequencing depth of 1.0X with a sample size larger than 300 resulted in the highest genotyping accuracy. Six quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified that explained 0.4 to 7.5% of the phenotypic variation. The fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) gene was associated with fiber growth and diameter. The study concluded that LCS followed by imputation is a cost-effective method for assessing common genetic variants and identifying new QTL and candidate genes associated with quantitative traits.