Skip to main content
Dryad

Duck pan-genome reveals two transposon-derived structural variations caused bodyweight enlarging and white plumage phenotype formation during evolution

Data files

Nov 13, 2023 version files 380.71 MB

Abstract

Structural variations (SVs) are a major source of domestication and improvement traits. We present the first duck pan-genome constructed using five genome assemblies capturing ~40.98 Mb new sequences. This pan-genome together with high-depth sequencing data (>46.5X) identified 101,041 SVs, of which substantial proportions were derived from transposable element (TE) activity. Many TE-derived SVs anchored in a gene body or regulatory region are linked to domestication and improvement. By combining quantitative genetics with molecular experiments, we dissect how TE-derived SVs change gene expression of IGF2BP1 and generate novel transcripts of MITF, shaping body weight and plumage color. In the IGF2BP1 locus, the TE-derived SV explains the largest effect on body weight among avian species (27.61% of phenotypic variation). Our findings highlight the importance of using a pan-genome as a reference in genomics studies and explore the roles of TE-derived SVs in trait formation and in livestock breeding.