Whole genome SNP discovery and analysis of genetic diversity in Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Muhammad L Aslam, John WM Bastiaansen, Martin G Elferink, Hendrik-Jan Megens, Richard PMA Crooijmans, Le Ann Blomberg, Robert C Fleischer, Curtis P Van Tassell, Tad S Sonstegard, Steven G Schroeder, Martien AM Groenen, Julie A Long

The turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is an important agricultural species and the second largest contributor to the world's poultry meat production. Genetic improvement is attributed largely to selective breeding programs that rely on highly heritable phenotypic traits, such as body size and breast muscle development. Commercial breeding with small effective population sizes and epistasis can result in loss of genetic diversity, which in turn can lead to reduced individual fitness and reduced response to selection. The presence of genomic diversity in domestic livestock species therefore, is of great importance and a prerequisite for rapid and accurate genetic improvement of selected breeds in various environments, as well as to facilitate rapid adaptation to potential changes in breeding goals. Genomic selection requires a large number of genetic markers such as e.g. single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) the most abundant source of genetic variation within the genome.