Abstract

BackgroundHaematological traits, which consist of mainly three components: leukocyte traits, erythrocyte traits and platelet traits, play extremely important role in animal immune function and disease resistance. But knowledge of the genetic background controlling variability of these traits is very limited, especially in swine.ResultsIn the present study, 18 haematological traits (7 leukocyte traits, 7 erythrocyte traits and 4 platelet traits) were measured in a pig resource population consisting of 368 purebred piglets of three breeds (Landrace, Large White and Songliao Black Pig), after inoculation with the swine fever vaccine when the pigs were 21 days old. A whole-genome scan of QTL for these traits was performed using 206 microsatellite markers covering all 18 autosomes and the X chromosome. Using variance component analysis based on a linear mixed model and the false discovery rate (FDR) test, 35 QTL with FDR < 0.10 were identified: 3 for the leukocyte traits, 28 for the erythrocyte traits, and 4 for the platelet traits. Of the 35 QTL, 25 were significant at FDR < 0.05 level, including 9 significant at FDR < 0.01 level.ConclusionsVery few QTL were previously identified for hematological traits of pigs and never in purebred populations. Most of the QTL detected here, in particular the QTL for the platelet traits, have not been reported before. Our results lay important foundation for identifying the causal genes underlying the hematological trait variations in pigs.

Highlights

  • Haematological traits, which consist of mainly three components: leukocyte traits, erythrocyte traits and platelet traits, play extremely important role in animal immune function and disease resistance

  • The resistance to some diseases is due to a single gene [5,6], but for most diseases it is due to multiple genes [7], among which a few genes (QTL or major genes) have relative large effects and play important role in disease resistance

  • Haematological traits, which consist of three components: leukocyte traits, erythrocyte traits, and platelet traits, are important indicators of immune capacity of animals [8,9,10]

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Summary

Introduction

Haematological traits, which consist of mainly three components: leukocyte traits, erythrocyte traits and platelet traits, play extremely important role in animal immune function and disease resistance. Knowledge of the genetic background controlling variability of these traits is very limited, especially in swine. Haematological traits, which consist of three components: leukocyte traits, erythrocyte traits, and platelet traits, are important indicators of immune capacity of animals [8,9,10]. Significant differences in a panel of haematological traits between Meishan and Large White pigs were observed by Clapperton et al [1], which may have implications in the resistance to infection by a broad range of pathogens and subsequent disease effects in these breeds. Knowledge of the genetic background controlling the variability of haematological traits, is very limited, especially in swine

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