Single-variant genome-wide association study and regional heritability mapping of protein efficiency and performance traits in Large White pigs

Combining GWAS and RHM allowed us to identify genomic regions that may influence PE and production traits. Our apparent difficulty in detecting significant regions for these traits probably reflects the relatively small sample size, differences in genetic architecture across study designs and experimental conditions, and that polymorphisms explaining large proportions of the trait variation may not segregate in this population. Nevertheless, we identified plausible functional candidate genes in the highlighted regions, including those involved in nutrient sensing, the urea cycle, and metabolic pathways, in particular IGF1-insulin, and that have previously been reported to be associated with nitrogen metabolism in cattle and with muscle and adipose tissue metabolism and feed intake in pigs. We also highlighted a range of noncoding RNAs. Their targets and roles in gene regulation should be further investigated in this context.