Association Between InDel and CNV Variation in the FBLN1 Gene and Slaughter Traits in Cattle

The FBLN1 gene encodes the fibulin-1 protein, the first member of the ECM glycoprotein family, and is crucial for embryonic development and organ tissue formation in mammals. Our previous transcriptome analysis identified the FBLN1 gene and suggested its potential role in influencing slaughter traits by regulating ECM function. This study aims to uncover key genetic variants (InDel and CNV) within the FBLN1 gene and examine its relationship with slaughter traits in beef cattle. In this study, the beef cattle genetic resources population Gaoqing black cattle were selected (n = 641), leading to the identification of three polymorphic InDel loci (13 bp insertion, 28 bp insertion, and 24 bp insertion) and two CNVs. Association analysis revealed that InDel polymorphisms in Gaoqing black cattle were significantly correlated with certain slaughter traits (p < 0.05), such as left limb weight and right limb weight. In addition, the CNV loci were significantly correlated with traits such as skirt steak and round small intestine (p < 0.05), and reached extremely significant levels (p < 0.01) in certain traits such as chunky II and high rib. In summary, the identified InDel and CNV polymorphisms in the FBLN1 gene represent potential molecular markers associated with slaughter traits in Gaoqing black cattle. These findings provide valuable insights for marker-assisted selection to enhance genetic improvement in beef cattle breeding.