Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42124546›Full record

ArticleJournal of animal science2026

Identifying pleiotropic genes for backfat thickness and semen traits in pigs using GWAS summary data.

Yifan Yang, Xiaodian Cai, Wenzhe Ning, Jiajian Chen, Hongyuan Zhang, Wenjing Zhang, Jinyan Teng, Yahui Gao

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of animal science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yifan YangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Xiaodian CaiState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Wenzhe NingState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Jiajian ChenState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Hongyuan ZhangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Wenjing ZhangState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
Jinyan TengState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.ORCID 0000-0002-3046-1452
Yahui GaoState Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0602-4823

Funding

Guangdong Pearl River Talent 2024QN11N413Guangxi science and Technology JB23023003Guangzhou Science and Technology Planning 2024A04J3806National Agricultural Science and Technology MajorSpecific university discipline 2023B10564001Specific university discipline 2023B10564003Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China 32402714
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Backfat thickness is a key carcass trait reflecting fat deposition in pigs, while semen quality represents a critical measure of boar reproductive performance in artificial insemination systems. Despite their economic importance, the genetic relationship between these traits remains largely unexplored. In this study, we applied the PLACO method under the composite null hypothesis to identify genes affecting adjusted backfat thickness at 100 kg (BFT_100), semen volume (SEMVOL), and sperm motility (SPMOT). The consistency and heterogeneity of pleiotropic gene effects were evaluated using Pearson correlation and Cochran's Q test, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed based on the STRING database. Generalized summary-data-based Mendelian Randomization (GSMR) was employed to investigate potential genetic associations between BFT_100 and semen traits. We identified 99 significant pleiotropic genes (FDR < 0.05), including seven genes (PACSIN1, TTC26, PSMD13, PKHD1, VARS2, MDFI, MRPS10) associated with all three traits. Approximately 57.5% of genes exhibited positive correlations between traits, while 42.5% showed negative correlations. PPI analysis revealed that these genes formed interconnected networks enriched in energy metabolism and immune-related pathways. GSMR indicated a significant positive genetic effect of BFT_100 on SEMVOL (β = 19.09, P = 1.545 × 10-7) but a negative effect on SPMOT (β = -0.0051, P = 0.0138). These results reveal the complex genetic links between fat deposition and semen traits, highlight key pleiotropic genes, and suggest mechanisms by which adiposity may influence reproductive performance, providing valuable insights for molecular breeding and genetic improvement in pigs.

Indexed as

Adipose TissueAdiposityGenetic PleiotropyGenome-Wide Association StudySemenSemen AnalysisSus scrofaAnimalsMalePolymorphism, Single NucleotideSperm MotilitySwinebackfat thicknesspigpleiotropic genesemen quality

Identifiers

PMID42124546
PMCPMC13221723

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.