The Joint Contribution of Host Genetics and Probiotics to Pig Growth Performance

Intestinal probiotics significantly regulate the growth performance of their host, with their composition being influenced by various factors. While many studies have explored how gut microbiota composition affects growth traits such as body weight and BMI, the research on probiotics influenced by host genetic factors, and their subsequent impact on host growth performance, remains limited. To address this research gap, we collected fecal and tissue samples, as well as phenotypic data, from 193 Yunong black pigs at 280 days of age. We then sequenced and genotyped all 193 subjects using the 50K SNP BeadChip, yielding a comprehensive dataset for genetic and microbiome analyses. We then employed microbiome-wide association studies (MWAS), a meta-analysis, and microbiome-wide genetic association studies (MGWASs) to examine the relationship between host genetics, gut microbiota, and growth performance. Four key microbial taxa, namely <i>Coprococcus</i>, <i>Blautia</i>, <i>Ruminococcaceae</i>, and <i>RF16</i>, were identified as being significantly associated with body weight and BMI. The MGWAS analysis revealed that both <i>Coprococcus</i> and <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> were significantly associated with host genomic variations. A total of four important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were mapped to two chromosomal regions, corresponding to three candidate genes. Among them, the candidate genes <i>INPP4B</i>, <i>SCOC</i>, and <i>PABPC4L</i> were identified as being related to the abundance of key microbes. This study provides new insights into the joint contributions of host genetics and probiotics to host growth traits, offering theoretical guidance and data support for the development of efficient and targeted breeding strategies.