【Objective】The litter size is an important economic index for breeding sows. The candidate genes related to the regulation of litter size traits in sows were explored, and the genetic mechanism of commercial pig fertility represented by binary hybrid sows was investigated, in order to lay a foundation for further application of molecular breeding. 【Method】 Comparative analysis was conducted on two groups of extremely high and extremely low yielding Large White - Landrace sows by using whole genome resequencing, and selection elimination analysis was used to obtain Fst and θπ signal intersection as a high selection region for gene annotation and candidate gene screening.【Result】A total of 8 040 367 SNPs were found in two groups of samples, 50.6% of which were located in the intergenic region, 45.2% in the intron region, and only 1.0%, 1.1%, and 0.6% in the exon region, non-coding region 3' end, and 5' end, respectively. Among the SNP located in the exon region of the genome, 28 879 were non-synonymous variants, accounting for 35.0%. Extracting SNP loci located in the exon region, intron region, and non-coding regions at the 3' and 5' ends for gene annotation, a total of 1 136 differentially expressed genes were screened between the two groups of samples. KEGG and GO enrichment analysis on differential genes were conducted, and a total of 10 candidate genes that may affect reproductive performance and litter size traits were screened out, including EPHA4, SMAD7, GLI2, LRP1B, WT1, BAX, BCAT2, IL1B and FAF1. The gene functions mainly involved embryonic development, cell apoptosis, and etc【Conclusion】The Large White - Landrace binary sows have experienced significant artificial selection on the litter size trait, and the candidate genes affecting the litter size trait of binary sows have been preliminarily excavated. These genes play a role in the physiological activities related to pig reproductive performance, and mainly in the period of apoptosis of sow egg cells and the beginning of pregnancy to particpate in regulation. |