Research
| Title： | Genomic selection and genome-wide association study for temperature-induced sex reversal trait in a combined common carp population |
|---|---|
| First author： | Zhang, Jinxin; Wei, Yulai; Song, Hailiang; Rong, Yi; Hu, Wei; Chen, Ji; Hu, Hongxia |
| Journal： | AQUACULTURE |
| Years： | 2025 |
| DOI： | 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.743274 |
| Abstract： | High temperature-induced female-to-male sex reversal is a novel and promising method for obtaining pseudo-male fish to develop all-female populations in common carp (Cyprinus carpio), a species exhibiting significant sexual dimorphism in growth. However, sex reversal rates vary among common carp populations, suggesting a largely unknown genetic basis. We performed the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS) to determine the genetic architecture of this trait. A total of 215 individuals from three carp families were exposed to high-temperature treatment followed by histological analysis to quantify gonadal sex reversal as a continuous phenotype. GWAS identified five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with sex reversal and 16 candidate genes including eif3c and ppp4cb, involved in sex differentiation and development. To enhance the prediction accuracy, we used a genomic feature best linear unbiased prediction (GFBLUP) model incorporating FST-based SNP stratification. Compared to conventional Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP), GFBLUP improved prediction accuracy by 2-4 % across multiple SNP subsets and reduced prediction bias. These results demonstrate the polygenic nature of thermal sex reversal andunderscore the critical influence of genetic background on environmental responsiveness. This study provides novel insights into the genetic basis of sex control in aquaculture species and illustrates the potential of combining GS with population differentiation metrics to optimize precision breeding strategies. Our results support the GS of common carp with a high propensity for temperature-induced sex reversal. |
