Genome-wide association study identifies markers associated with carcass and meat quality traits in Italian Large White pigs

A GWAS was performed using the genotypes obtained by PorcineSNP60 v2 BeadChip and 11 phenotypic traits (carcass lean meat percentage; backfat thickness; Longissimus thoracis muscle thickness; lightness; backfat thickness measured with caliper at the midline; meat pH measured at about 1 h post mortem and 24 h post mortem; CIE L*, a* and b* color parameters; and water-holding capacity). Three markers were associated with three of the phenotypic traits considered: M1GA0009592 (SSC7) with backfat thickness and lean meat content, DIAS0002910 (SSC6) and ALGA0109856 (SSC6) with water-holding capacity. The marker M1GA0009592, associated with backfat thickness, lies in a QTL region near the gene JARID2, which is a transcription factor also involved in the regulation of adipose-derived stem cell pluripotency. The results seem to indicate a possible role of these genomic regions in the regulation of pig carcass fatness (i.e. backfat at last rib) and water-holding capacity.