POPULATION GENOMIC ANALYSES DESCRIBE UNIQUE GENETIC FEATURES OF SEVERAL RABBIT BREEDS AND LINES

The rabbit is globally bred for various purposes, including meat, fiber, and fur production and many breeds have been developed, including fancy breeds. The aim of this study was to analyse high density SNP genotyping data from 14 rabbit breeds to detect signatures of selection in the rabbit genome, which could explain the genetic diversity of these genetic resources. Combining a single marker and haplotype-based approaches such as FST, XPEHH, and |iHS|, we identified signatures of selection that covered about half of the rabbit genome. Many regions consistently detected in several breeds and with the combination of more than one approach harbour genes associated with pigmentation processes and morphological traits, previously recognized in rabbits and other species (e.g., ASIP, MC1R, TYR, and LIPH). The results of this study contribute to a improve the knowledge on the genetic architecture of fancy and meat rabbit breeds and understand the genetic factors that contribute to the genetic diversity of these animal genetic resources.