Structural variations in livestock genomes and their associations with phenotypic traits: a review.
Authors: Chen Yinghui, Khan Muhammad Zahoor, Wang Xinrui, Liang Huili, Ren Wei, Kou Xiyan, Liu Xiaotong, Chen Wenting, Peng Yongdong, Wang Changfa
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Structural variations—large-scale genomic rearrangements including insertions, deletions, duplications, inversions, and translocations—occur naturally across livestock populations and substantially influence production traits, disease susceptibility, and breed characteristics in ways that point mutations alone cannot explain. This comprehensive review synthesises current understanding of how these variations arise, how they are detected using contemporary molecular methods, and their documented effects on phenotype across cattle, buffalo, equines, sheep, and goats. Rather than presenting new empirical data, the authors consolidate evidence demonstrating that structural variants shape adaptive capacity, athletic potential, metabolic efficiency, and disease resistance—making them fundamental to interpreting the genetic basis of individual variation between horses and within breeds. For equine professionals, this means that genomic screening protocols should account for structural variation alongside single nucleotide polymorphisms when evaluating breeding stock, investigating hereditary lameness or performance limitations, or considering nutritional or training interventions tailored to genetic predisposition. Understanding these larger chromosomal rearrangements provides a more complete picture of how genetic architecture influences the horses in your care, ultimately supporting more informed decisions about breeding, veterinary investigation of inherited conditions, and management strategies aligned with individual genetic profiles.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding structural genomic variations provides a foundation for identifying genetic bases of performance traits and disease susceptibility in breeding programs
- •SV research enables better characterization of breed differences and adaptive mechanisms, supporting informed genetic selection decisions
- •Detection and mapping of structural variations contributes to understanding hereditary disease mechanisms, potentially enabling earlier intervention or selective breeding strategies
Key Findings
- •Structural variations (insertions, deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations) are widely distributed across livestock genomes and significantly impact genetic characteristics and production performance
- •Genomic structural variations play a crucial role in understanding breed diversity, biological evolution, and disease correlation mechanisms
- •SVs contribute to enhanced understanding of chromosome function and hereditary disease mechanisms across cattle, buffalo, equine, sheep, and goats