Genetic and phenotypic associations of mitochondrial DNA copy number, SNP, and haplogroups with growth and carcass traits in beef cattle


 Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA CN) is heritable and easily obtained from low-pass sequencing (LPS). This study investigated the genetic correlation of mtDNA CN with growth and carcass traits in a multi-breed and crossbred beef cattle population. Blood, leucocyte, and semen samples were obtained from 2,371 animals and subjected to LPS that resulted in nuclear DNA (nuDNA) and mtDNA sequence reads. Mitochondrial DNA CN was estimated as the ratio of mtDNA to nuDNA coverages. Variant calling was performed from mtDNA, and 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified in the population. Samples were classified in taurine haplogroups. Haplogroup and mtDNA type were further classified based on the 11 segregating SNP. Growth and carcass traits were available for between 7,249 and 60,989 individuals. Associations of mtDNA CN, mtDNA haplogroups, mtDNA types, and mtDNA SNP with growth and carcass traits were estimated with univariate animal models, and genetic correlations were estimated with a bivariate animal model based on pedigree. Mitochondrial DNA CN tended (P-value ≤ 0.08) to be associated with birth weight and weaning weight. There was no association (P-value > 0.10) between mtDNA SNP, haplogroups, or types with growth and carcass traits. Genetic correlation estimates of mtDNA CN were -0.30±0.16 with birth weight, -0.31±0.16 with weaning weight, -0.15±0.14 with post-weaning gain, -0.11±0.19 with average daily dry-matter intake, -0.04±0.22 with average daily gain, -0.29±0.13 with mature cow weight, -0.11±0.13 with slaughter weight, -0.14±0.13 with carcass weight, -0.07±0.14 with carcass backfat, 0.14±0.14 with carcass marbling, and -0.06±0.14 with ribeye area. In conclusion, mtDNA CN was negatively correlated with most traits investigated, and the genetic correlation was stronger with growth traits than with carcass traits.