Genetic and genomic analyses for economically important traits and their applications in molecular breeding of cultured fish

Abstract

The traits of cultured fish must continually be genetically improved to supply high-quality animal protein for human consumption. Economically important fish traits are controlled by multiple gene quantitative trait loci (QTL), most of which have minor effects, but a few genes may have major effects useful for molecular breeding. In this review, we chose relevant studies on some of the most intensively cultured fish and concisely summarize progress on identifying and verifying QTLs for such traits as growth, disease and stress resistance and sex in recent decades. The potential applications of these major-effect genes and their associated markers in marker-assisted selection and molecular breeding, as well as future research directions are also discussed. These genetic and genomic analyses will be valuable for elucidating the mechanisms modulating economically important traits and to establish more effective molecular breeding techniques in fish.aquaculture fish, economic traits, QTL, major genes, molecular markers, molecular breeding Citation:Tong JG, Sun XW. Genetic and genomic analyses for economically important traits and their applications in molecular breeding of cultured fish. Sci

QTL fine mapping and identification of candidate genes for growth-related traits in bighead carp ( Hypophthalmichehys nobilis )

“…QTL mapping has been proved to be an efficient approach to identify quantitative trait-associated markers or candidate genes, and has been successfully applied in some aquaculture species (Tong and Sun, 2015;Yue, 2014), such as Atlantic salmon (Baranski et al, 2010;Moen et al, 2015), rainbow trout (Reid et al, 2005) and tilapia (Cnaani et al, 2003), Arctic charr (Kuttner et al, 2011), Asian seabass (Wang et al, 2015b) and Japanese flounder (Song et al, 2012a). In this study, three significant and 8 suggestive QTL located at three QTL intervals with a PVE range of 18.6%-25.5%, indicating that some of these QTLs may have major effects and others may have minor effects on growth in bighead carp.…”

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“…The bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) is one of the most important aquaculture species in China (Tong & Sun, 2015). Furthermore, it is also distributed in Asia, Europe and America (Kolar, Chapman, Courtenay, Williams, & Jennings, 2005).…”

Construction of a high-density linkage map and mapping of sex determination and growth-related loci in the mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi)

“…Commercial fish species [8], such as the Atlantic halibut ( Hippoglossus hippoglossus ) [9], turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus L.) [10], Japanese flounder ( Paralichthys olivaceus ) [11], tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.) [12, 13], Salmonidae ( Salmo salar ) [14], and half-smooth tongue sole ( Cynoglossus semilaevis ) [15], display significant variations in size and growth rates between female and male individuals, substantially affecting their commercial value. The females of mandarin fish also display better growth performance (by 10–20% for body weight) than the males.…”