Identification of key candidate genes for wing length-related traits by whole-genome resequencing in 772 geese

1. A total of 772, 420-day-old Xingguo grey geese (XGG) were sequenced using a low-depth (~1 x) whole-genome resequencing strategy to reveal the genetic mechanism of wing length-related traits by genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). 2. The results showed that 119 SNPs had genome-wide significance for wing length in five regions of chromosome 4, of which the most significant locus (P = 7.95E-11) was located upstream of <i>RBM47</i> and explained 7.3% of the phenotypic variation. 3. A total of 219 SNPs located on chromosome 4 were associated with 2-joint-wing length, of which four SNPs reached the genome-wide significant level. However, for the length of 1-joint-wing and primary feather, we did not detect any associated locus. 4. Six promising candidate genes, <i>RBM47, SLAIN2, GRXCR1, SLC10A4, APBB2</i> and <i>NSUN7</i> on chromosome 4, may play an important role in the growth and development of feathers, muscles and bones.