Exploring copy number variation in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) genome by array comparative genome hybridization.
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is relevant in a large spectrum of fields: it is a livestock, a pet, a biomedical model and a biotechnology tool, a wild resource and a pest. The sequencing of the rabbit genome has opened new perspectives to study this lagomorph at the genome level. We herein investigated for the first time the O. cuniculus genome by array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) and established a first copy number variation (CNV) genome map in this species comprising 155 copy number variation regions (CNVRs; 95 gains, 59 losses, 1 with both gain and loss) covering ~0.3% of the OryCun2.0 version. About 50% of the 155 CNVRs identified spanned 139 different protein coding genes, 110 genes of which were annotated or partially annotated (including Major Histocompatibility Complex genes) with 277 different gene ontology terms. Many rabbit CNVRs might have a functional relevance that should be further investigated.
Department of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Sezione di Allevamenti Zootecnici, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy. luca.fontanesi@unibo.it
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Fontanesi
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Martelli
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Scotti
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Russo
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Rogel-Gaillard
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Casadio
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Vernesi
D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D011817:Rabbits