Decoding the DNA of Anatolian Water Buffalo by Genome-Wide Discoveries for Body Size and Ultrasound Carcass Traits

Data consisted of wither height (WH), hip height (HH), body length (BL), chest width (CW), hip width (HW), chest circumference (CC), cannon-bone circumference (CBC), Musculus longissimus dorsi depth (MLDD), and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) records of 313 yearling buffaloes were used in the analysis. Genotyping was carried out by using the 90K Axiom Buffalo Genotyping array. Association analyses using genomic relationship matrix (GRM) were performed by WOMBAT software.

Results Twenty SNPs were found to be genome-wide significant according to the FDR thresholds controlled at p < 0.01. Genes previously associated with body size and fat-related traits, including TRPC7 , CEP290 , KITLG , TMTC3 , NELL2 , DBX2 , GLI2 , BRINP1 , TLR4 , NYAP2 , SORCS3 , PIK3C3 , LEP , RSPO2 , and GTPBP4 , were notably identified in this study. Conclusion The identification of novel and previously associated genes could enhance genetic improvement, contributing to the understanding of the genetic basis of body morphology in buffaloes.