Identification of Novel Genetic Loci Involved in Testis Traits of the Jiangxi Local Breed Based on GWAS Analyses.

BACKGROUND

The testis, a critical reproductive organ in male animals, is responsible for sperm production and androgen secretion. Testis weight often correlates with reproductive performance, yet the genetic factors influencing testicular traits in chickens remain unclear.

METHODS

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified key genes affecting testicular traits in Kangle Yellow chickens, along with the associated regulatory pathways and Gene Ontology (GO) terms, through bioinformatic analyses. In this study, we utilized the existing literature, full-length transcriptome data, and proteome analyses to select key candidate genes.

RESULTS

We identified 13 associated markers for chicken testicular traits with 262 candidate genes. Nine candidate genes were found to regulate chicken testicular traits referred to integrated analysis, including CDH3, ZFPM1, CFAP52, ST6GAL1, IGF2BP2, SPG7, CDT1, NFAT5, and OPRK1. Physical interactions among these genes were also observed, implicating mechanisms such as cell adhesion molecules and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide a genetic basis for improving testicular traits in Chinese native chicken breeds.