Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (12): 6094-6103.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.12.014

• ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Genome-wide Association Study of Growth Traits in Large White Pigs

SHI Yanhuang1,2,3, ZHAO Zhenjian1,2,3, CHEN Dong1,2,3, CUI Shengdi1,2,3, WANG Junge1,2,3, CHEN Ziyang1,2,3, YU Shixin1,2,3, CHEN Jiamiao1,2,3, ZHOU Yaoxi1,2,3, HUANG Runjie1,2,3, TANG Guoqing1,2,3*   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
    3. Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
  • Received:2025-05-12 Published:2025-12-24

Abstract: This study aimed to analyze the genetic mechanism of key growth traits in Large White pigs through genome-wide association study (GWAS) and provide a theoretical basis for molecular marker-assisted breeding. A total of 5 701 Large White pigs were used in this study. Phenotypic data on age at 100 kg body weight (AGE), backfat thickness at 100 kg body weight (BF), and loin muscle area at 100 kg body weight (LMA) were collected. Combined with genotyping data from the Illumina 50K SNP chip, GWAS was performed using a mixed linear model to identify SNPs and candidate genes associated with pig growth traits. The heritability values of AGE, BF, and LMA were 0.50, 0.45, and 0.43, respectively, all of which were medium to high heritability traits. The genetic correlation coefficient between AGE and BF was -0.13, and the phenotypic correlation coefficient was -0.20; between AGE and LMA, the genetic correlation coefficient was -0.09, and the phenotypic correlation coefficient was -0.31; between BF and LMA, the genetic correlation coefficient was 0.22, and the phenotypic correlation coefficient was 0.06. A total of 13 significant SNPs were identified through GWAS, including 8 significant SNPs for AGE, which were associated with 11 candidate genes including PIK3CG; 3 significant SNPs for BF, which were associated with 6 candidate genes including IFN-ALPHA-15; and 2 significant SNPs for LMA, which were associated with ALDH6A1. This study identified 20 candidate genes related to growth traits in Large White pigs, including PIK3CG, ELOVL2, IFN-ALPHA-15, and ALDH6A1, through GWAS. The results provide an important reference for molecular marker-assisted selection in pig breeding.

Key words: Large White pig, genome-wide association study, growth traits, heritability, candidate genes

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