Know more

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) led by the BIGE team allowed the identification of five significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 6, 1, 7, 16 and 29

Annotation of these five QTL revealed two genes: sortilin-related VPS10-domain-containing receptor 3 (SORCS3) on chromosome 1, which is involved in protein trafficking, and solute carrier family 39 member 12 (SLC39A12) on chromosome 29, which is active in zinc transport and cell homeostasis. These two coding genes could be involved in neuronal tissues (central nervous system). The other QTL on chromosomes 6, 7 and 16 may be involved in the regulation of the gene expression through non-coding RNAs, CpG islands and transcription factor binding sites. On chromosome 6, a new candidate equine long non-coding RNA (KCNQ1OT1 ortholog) could be involved in the regulation of cardiac rhythm (mutations on KCNQ1 are known to slow down heart rate).

Our GWAS revealed that equine performance during endurance races is a complex polygenic trait, and is partially governed by at least five QTL: two coding genes involved in neuronal tissues and three other loci with many regulatory functions such as cardiac recovery.