SNP variation landscape of BMP15 gene from 75 global sheep breeds and their genetic effect on lambing traits

作者：Peiyao Liu, Chunna Cao, X. Wang, Kepiao Li, Ebadu Areb, Ran Li, Qingfeng Zhang, Chuanying Pan, Xianyong Lan · 发表于：Frontiers in Veterinary Science · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fvets.2025.1612263 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Animal Genetics and Reproduction、Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock、Reproductive Biology and Fertility

Introduction Bone morphogenetic protein 15 ( BMP15 ) is a pivotal regulator of reproductive performance. This study aimed to investigate genetic variations in the sheep BMP15 gene and their role in lambing traits. Methods Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 2,409 individuals from 75 global sheep breeds to identify functional variations in BMP15 . Variant annotation, protein structure prediction, haplotype analysis, and association studies with lambing traits were conducted. Results 139 SNPs were detected, including 10 exonic variants (6 missense, 2 synonymous, 2 premature stop codons), 9 of which were novel. The high-frequency missense mutation g.54284258A>G (L251P) showed predicted localized conformational changes. Low-frequency stop-gain mutations (e.g., g.54284551C>T) were rare (<0.005%) in domestic breeds. Haplotype H6 (AAAA) predominated in domestic breeds (48.4%), diverging significantly from the wild ancestral H1 (AAGA), indicating artificial selection. The g.54284258A>G variant was significantly associated with live lamb number at first ( p < 0.01) and second parity ( p < 0.05). AG genotypes had more live lambs than AA (1.29 vs. 1.12; p < 0.01). No significant associations were found with total lambing number, lamb survival rate, stillbirth count, or stillbirth rate. Discussion BMP15 exhibits substantial genetic variability shaped by selection. The g.54284258A>G variant significantly influences live lamb num...