A genome scan for quantitative trait loci associated with body weight at different developmental stages in chickens.
A genome scan to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting body weight in chickens was conducted on 238 F(2) chickens from a reciprocal cross of Silky Fowl and White Plymouth Rock using 125 microsatellite markers covering 23 autosomes and the Z chromosome. Two types of QTL were considered: static QTL (SQ) and developmental QTL (DQ). Static QTL affected the body weight from hatch to time t, and DQ affected the body weight from time t-1 to time t. Six SQ and nine DQ were detected. Of these QTL, four reached a genome-wide significance of 5% or better, with SQ1 and DQ1 being the most significant QTL. Static QTL1 was on chromosome 1 between GCT0006 and MCW0106 and explained 4.05-9.80% of the phenotypic variation in body weights from 3 to 12 weeks of age. At 9, 10 and 11 weeks, the genome-wide significance thresholds of SQ1 were <1%. Developmental QTL1 was located on chromosome 1 between MCW0168 and GCT0006, and explained 2.75% of the phenotypic variation for body weight from week 7 to 8 with a genome-wide significance level <1%. The results suggest that body weight from hatch to time t and developmental growth from time t-1 to time t may involve two different sets of genes or gene actions.
Gao
Y
Y
State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Hu
X X
XX
Du
Z Q
ZQ
Deng
X M
XM
Huang
Y H
YH
Fei
J
J
Feng
J D
JD
Liu
Z L
ZL
Da
Y
Y
Li
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D001947:Breeding; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002875:Chromosomes; D023281:Genomics; D005838:Genotype; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA