Animal Molecular Breeding 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 36-44 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 41 3.2 Specific effects of genetic factors on egg production performance There are various ways in which genetic factors identified by GWAS affect poultry egg production performance, including regulating ovarian development, affecting hormone levels, and altering eggshell formation. For example, a genetic variation may indirectly affect the maturation of follicles in the ovaries by affecting the synthesis and secretion of estrogen, thereby affecting the egg laying cycle and egg size (Ou et al., 2021). These discovered genetic factors provide new strategies for poultry breeding. By using these genetic markers as selection indicators, breeders can more accurately select individuals with excellent egg production performance for breeding, thereby improving the egg production performance of the entire population. This also provides the possibility of using gene editing technology to directly improve the genetic traits of poultry. 3.3 Limitations and challenges of research Although GWAS provides powerful tools to identify genetic factors that affect poultry egg production performance, this method also has limitations. Due to genetic linkage phenomena, GWAS may mark genetic markers that are only physically close to the genes that truly affect the trait, rather than direct genetic variations. The complex interactions between environmental factors and genotypes may also be overlooked. To overcome these challenges, researchers are adopting more comprehensive methods for analysis, such as combining GWAS results with functional genomics data (such as transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.) to validate the biological functions of genetic markers. By conducting repeated studies under different environmental conditions, it is possible to better understand the impact of environmental factors on egg production performance. The GWAS research on poultry egg production performance is a constantly evolving field that has made significant progress. Despite the challenges and limitations, scientists are gradually revealing the complex genetic networks that affect poultry egg production performance by continuously optimizing research designs and methods, and integrating multiple bioinformatics tools. These studies not only provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of poultry production traits, but also open up new avenues for future poultry breeding and genetic improvement. 4 Technological Progress in Genetic Research on Egg Production Performance 4.1 Application of high-throughput sequencing technology in genetic research of poultry High throughput sequencing technology, the next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, has completely changed the face of poultry genetic research. These technologies can quickly and accurately sequence the entire genome of poultry, providing unprecedented depth and breadth for studying genetic variations in poultry (Xu et al., 2020). Compared with traditional sequencing techniques, high-throughput sequencing greatly reduces costs, making it possible to perform whole genome analysis on a wider sample set. This is crucial for identifying complex genetic factors that affect poultry egg production performance. The application of high-throughput sequencing technology has greatly promoted the study of genetic diversity in poultry, including the identification of genetic variations and genes related to egg production performance. For example, by conducting whole genome sequencing on high-yielding and low yielding egg varieties, researchers can identify specific genetic markers significantly associated with egg production performance, which is of great significance for breeding and genetic improvement. 4.2 The role of functional genomics methods in explaining GWAS results Functional genomics methods, such as transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenetic analysis, play an important role in explaining how genetic variations discovered in GWAS results affect poultry egg production performance. These methods can reveal how specific genetic variations affect gene expression, protein function, and cellular metabolic pathways, thereby affecting egg production performance. Through transcriptome analysis, researchers can compare the differences in gene expression levels among poultry populations with different egg production performance, thereby identifying key genes and regulatory networks related to egg production performance. These pieces of information help to understand the biological mechanisms behind the genetic markers discovered by GWAS, providing targets for genetic improvement.
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