International Journal of Molecular Zoology 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 265-272 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmz 266 2 Genomic Selection in Livestock 2.1 Definition and principles of genomic selection Genomic selection (GS) is a form of marker-assisted selection that utilizes genetic markers covering the entire genome to predict the breeding values of individuals. Unlike traditional marker-assisted selection, which focuses on a few significant markers, GS assumes that all markers might be linked to genes affecting the trait and estimates their effects collectively. This approach allows for the inclusion of thousands of genes with small effects on the phenotype, which are often ignored in traditional methods due to their statistical insignificance (Meuwissen et al., 2016). 2.2 Advances in genomic technologies The widespread adoption of GS in livestock breeding has been facilitated by several technological advancements. The development of high-throughput genotyping technologies has made it possible to genotype animals for hundreds of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) cost-effectively (Moravčíková et al., 2019). Additionally, the availability of whole-genome sequence data has further enhanced the accuracy of genomic predictions (Nadri and Bagheri, 2022). These advancements have enabled the implementation of GS in various livestock species, including dairy and beef cattle, pigs, and poultry (Wiggans et al., 2017). 2.3 Comparison of genomic selection vs. traditional breeding methods Genomic selection offers several advantages over traditional breeding methods. Traditional methods rely heavily on phenotypic selection and pedigree information, which can be less accurate and slower due to longer generation intervals. In contrast, GS increases the accuracy of selection by incorporating genomic information, which allows for the prediction of breeding values at an early age (Figure 1). This results in shorter generation intervals and faster genetic progress (García-Ruiz et al., 2016; Randhawa et al., 2016). Figure 1 Brief historical evolution of genomics. Origins of classic genetic knowledge are undoubtedly based on Mendel’s discoveries on the inheritance of characters in plants in the XIX century. During the early XX century concepts of genes and chromosome theory became consolidated. Later, during the XX century advances on the chemical basis of inheritance, the breaking of the genetic code and gene regulation discoveries marked the development of genomics and the development of genomic tools in animal science. An impacting development in genomics was the sequencing of the whole human genome in the early XXI century, followed by the ultimate application of this knowledge, the discovery of the gene-editing tools. This led to the awarding of the Nobel Prize to women researchers Charpentier and Doudna in 2020 (Adopted from Gutierrez-Reinoso et al., 2021)
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