Copy Number Variation of the PIGY Gene in Sheep and Its Association Analysis with Growth Traits

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 4; p. 688
• Main Authors: Feng, Ziting, Li, Xinyu, Cheng, Jie, Jiang, Rui, Huang, Ruolan, Wang, Dingchuan, Huang, Yongzhen, Pi, Li, Hu, Linyong, Chen, Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15.04.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Biological research; Biology, Experimental; copy number variation (CNV); Copy number variations; Genetic aspects; growth traits; PIGY gene; Quantitative genetics; Sheep; China; copy number variation (CNV); growth traits; sheep; PIGY gene
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani10040688

Copy number variation (CNV) is a type of genomic variation with an important effect on animal phenotype. We found that the gene contains a 3600 bp copy number variation (CNV) region located in chromosome 6 of sheep (Oar_v4.0 36,121,601-36,125,200 bp). This region overlaps with multiple quantitative trait loci related to phenotypes like muscle density and carcass weight. Therefore, in this study, the copy number variation of the gene was screened in three Chinese sheep breeds, namely, Chaka sheep (CKS, May of 2018, Wulan County, Qinghai Province, China), Hu sheep (HS, May of 2015, Mengjin County, Henan Province, China), and small-tailed Han sheep (STHS, May of 2016, Yongjing, Gansu Province, China). Association analyses were performed on the presence of CNV and sheep body size traits. We used real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) to detect the CNV for association analysis. According to the results, the loss-type CNV was more common than other types in the three breeds (global average: loss = 61.5%, normal = 17.5%, and gain = 21.0%). The association analysis also showed significant effects of the gene CNV on body weight, chest circumference, and circumference of the cannon bone of sheep. Sheep with gain-type CNV had better growth traits than those with other types. The results indicate a clear relationship between the gene CNV and growth traits of sheep, suggesting the use of CNV as a new molecular breeding marker.