New Candidate Genes for a Chicken Pectoralis Muscle Weight QTL Identified by a Hypothesis-Free Integrative Genetic Approach.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: Identifying candidate genes underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL) in poultry has traditionally required labor-intensive positional cloning. Previous studies using an F₂ population derived from native Japanese Nagoya (NAG) and White Plymouth Rock (WPR) breeds revealed a major QTL on chromosome 2 affecting 3-week body weight and 4-week pectoralis muscle weight. This study aimed to identify candidate genes for this QTL using a hypothesis-free integrative genetic approach. Methods: We employed a multi-step analytical framework combining QTL remapping, transcriptome analysis, gene enrichment analysis, haplotype frequency comparison, and correlation analysis. QTL remapping was performed using individual traits and their first principal component

SUBMITTER: Furuta A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12841298 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature