A pilot study of genome-wide association study on a hippocampal biomarker of stress experience in laying hens
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Exposure to environmental stressors has detrimental phenotypic impacts on poultry welfare, but individual birds tend to respond differently. The density of highly plastic neurons in the hippocampus can serve as a biomarker of the experience of environmental stress in poultry, however, limited research has explored individual variation in this marker. Identifying genomic regions associated with the biomarkers of poultry susceptible or resistant to the environmental stress could improve sustainable farming practices. A total of 42 H&N and Hy-Line Brown hens housed in a multi-tier free range and enriched cage system, respectively, were genotyped with a proprietary 200K SNP panel. Phenotypic data were collected from brain tissue sections stained using an antibody to doublecortin (DCX) to quantify densities of highly plastic neurons in the hippocampus. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 19 genomic regions across eight chromosomes explaining a high proportion of genetic variance in hippocampal biomarkers. From these regions, 39 different genes were found within 100 kb upstream or downstream, with biological functions related to cellular processes and genetic information processing. Specifically, PIK3R6, VPS37D, STX1A, BAZ1B, HGH1, MAPK15 , and PIT54 genes were associated with hippocampal biomarkers. These identified genes as potential candidate genes underlying the response to stress in poultry.
