Screening Candidate Genes for Body Size Traits in Dongfeng Sika Deer Bucks Based on Genome-Wide Association Analysis

This study aimed to screen candidate genes related to body size traits in Dongfeng sika deer bucks by genome-wide association analysis. A total of 266 adult Dongfeng sika deer underwent 20× whole-genome resequencing. Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was performed using a mixed linear model (MLM), and gene annotation was conducted on SNP loci. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were subsequently conducted to identify biological functions and pathways associated with body size regulation. The GWAS results screened 774 SNP sites significantly associated with body size. Functional enrichment analysis further identified that four genes-<i>CDH4</i>, <i>TSHR</i>, <i>SLC23A2</i>, and <i>RIMS1</i>-were potentially associated with body size traits. This study provides a reference basis for subsequent functional exploration of candidate genes.