Copy Number Variations of KLF6 Modulate Gene Transcription and Growth Traits in Chinese Datong Yak (Bos Grunniens)

Associating copy number variations (CNVs) with growth and gene expression are a powerful approach for identifying genomic characteristics that contribute to phenotypic and genotypic variation. A previous study using next-generation sequencing illustrated that the KLF6 gene resides within CNV regions (CNVRs) of yak populations that overlap with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of meat quality and growth. As a result, this research aimed to assess the prevalence of KLF6 CNVs in five Chinese domestic yak breeds and to determine their association with growth and gene expression level. These results confirmed the significant function of KLF6 CNVRs in determining the mRNA expression levels of this gene in Bos grunniens skeletal muscles and the expression of this gene affects quantitative growth traits in yak populations through the negative relationship between DNA copy numbers and gene expression. This work provides the first observation of the biological role of KLF6 CNVs in Chinese Datong yak breeds and might therefore provide a novel opportunity to utilize data on CNVs in designing molecular markers for the selection of animal breeding programs for larger populations of various yak breeds