Genome-wide Association Study Identifies Loci for the Polled Phenotype in Yak

PLoS One. 2016 Jul 7;11(7):e0158642. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158642. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The absence of horns, known as the polled phenotype, is an economically important trait in modern yak husbandry, but the genomic structure and genetic basis of this phenotype have yet to be discovered. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study with a panel of 10 horned and 10 polled yaks using whole genome sequencing. We mapped the POLLED locus to a 200-kb interval, which comprises three protein-coding genes. Further characterization of the candidate region showed recent artificial selection signals resulting from the breeding process. We suggest that expressional variations rather than structural variations in protein probably contribute to the polled phenotype. Our results not only represent the first and important step in establishing the genomic structure of the polled region in yak, but also add to our understanding of the polled trait in bovid species.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breeding
  • Cattle / genetics*
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Genetic Association Studies*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genome
  • Genotype
  • Haplotypes
  • Horns*
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants from the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (www.caas.cn/en/research/research_program/index.shtml; CAAS-ASTIP-2014-LIHPS-01; P.Y.), National Beef Cattle Industry Technology & System (www.beefsys.com/; CARS-38; Q.Q.), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (www.most.gov.cn/eng/programmes1/;2013AA102505 3-2; Q.Q.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (www.nsfc.gov.cn/; 31322052; Q.Q.), the Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation (www.hydef.edu.cn; 151105; Q.Q.) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (www.moe.edu.cn; lzujbky-2016-k04; Q.Q.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.