Available online 4 December 2023

Structural variants (SVs), such as deletions (DELs) and insertions (INSs), contribute substantially to pig genetic diversity and phenotypic variation. Using a library of SVs discovered from long-read (LR) primary assemblies and short-read (SR) sequenced genomes, we map pig genomic SVs with a graph-based method for re-genotyping SVs in 402 genomes. Our results demonstrate that those SVs harboring specific trait-associated genes may greatly shape pig domestication and local adaptation. Further characterization of SVs reveals that some population-stratified SVs may alter the transcription of genes by affecting regulatory elements. We identify that the genotypes of two DELs (296-bp DEL, chr7: 52,172,101-52,172,397; 278-bp DEL, chr18: 23,840,143-23,840,421) located in muscle-specific enhancers are associated with the expression of target genes related to meat quality (FSD2) and muscle fiber hypertrophy (LMOD2 and WASL) in pigs. Our results highlight the role of SVs in domestic porcine evolution, and the identified candidate functional genes and SVs are valuable resources for future genomic research and breeding programs in pigs.

Pigs

structural variation

selection signatures

regulatory elements

© 2023 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science Press.