{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,4]],"date-time":"2026-03-04T11:20:40Z","timestamp":1772623240374,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":80,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751500800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005969","name":"Universit\u00e0 di Bologna","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RFO2024"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RFO2024"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005969","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Animal Genetics"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>Early genetic studies have suggested that body size in rabbits can be considered a quantitative trait. Several rabbit breeds can be distinguished based on body size, including a few dwarf breeds differentiated by other morphological characteristics. While a large deletion in the <jats:italic>HMGA2<\/jats:italic> gene is a major locus associated with dwarfism in Netherland Dwarf rabbits, it may not fully explain the reduced body size in this breed or other dwarf breeds. In this study, we compared the genomes of two dwarf rabbit breeds (Dwarf Lop and Netherland Dwarf) with those of non\u2010dwarf rabbits by analysing whole\u2010genome sequencing data obtained using a DNA\u2010pool sequencing approach. We applied the fixation index (<jats:italic>F<\/jats:italic><jats:sub>ST<\/jats:sub>) and pooled heterozygosity (<jats:italic>H<\/jats:italic><jats:sub>P<\/jats:sub>) statistics to identify signatures of selection related to small body size by contrasting dwarf with non\u2010dwarf breeds and comparing dwarf breeds. We identified several genomic regions that contain genes previously linked to body dimensions in various species, including <jats:italic>LCORL<\/jats:italic>\u2010<jats:italic>NCAPG<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>COL2A1<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>GHRHR<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>CENPE<\/jats:italic>. Functional enrichment analysis of genes within the top differentiated regions revealed biological terms related to skeletal development, further supporting the biological relevance of these loci. Additionally, the use of the latest version of the reference rabbit genome enabled the identification of a genomic region containing <jats:italic>FGFR3<\/jats:italic>, a gene linked to achondroplasia. Some genomic regions showed differentiation between the two dwarf breeds, suggesting that their small body size may, in part, arise through different genetic mechanisms. Overall, these findings support a polygenic architecture underlying small size in rabbits, influenced by a few major loci.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/age.70025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T07:28:42Z","timestamp":1751527722000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Signatures of selection detected from whole\u2010genome sequencing indicate that the small body size in dwarf rabbit breeds is caused by polygenic effects with a few major loci"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"56","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5712-8211","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuele","family":"Bovo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9882-7775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Miguel","family":"Carneiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO  Vair\u00e3o Portugal"},{"name":"CIBIO, Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen\u00e9ticos, InBIO Laborat\u00f3rio Associado Universidade do Porto  Vair\u00e3o Portugal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6778-1938","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anisa","family":"Ribani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4985-0191","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matteo","family":"Bolner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5349-1606","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valeria","family":"Taurisano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3497-1337","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppina","family":"Schiavo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9367-3823","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michele","family":"Schiavitto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associazione Nazionale Coniglicoltori Italiani (ANCI) Contrada Giancola Snc  Volturara Appula Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4181-3895","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesca","family":"Bertolini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7050-3760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luca","family":"Fontanesi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Food Genomics Group, Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Bologna  Bologna Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12711-015-0142-4"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/gpbjnl\/qzaf025"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/genetics\/iyae031"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jbg.12818"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12711-022-00696-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2052.2005.01398.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1079\/9781780643342.0002"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12711-020-00553-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/age.13109"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.1000451"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1084\/jem.82.4.241"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/nar\/gky1120"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jcp.30990"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1534\/genetics.116.196667"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1253714"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_17_1","first-page":"51","article-title":"Nature of size factors as indicated by a study of correlation","volume":"196","author":"Castle W.E.","year":"1914","journal-title":"Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_18_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Genetic studies of rabbits and rats","volume":"320","author":"Castle W.E.","year":"1922","journal-title":"Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jez.1400530306"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.27.11.519"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2007-1219"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2105-14-128"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/humu.23847"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ng.3034"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mrrev.2016.02.003"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/hmg\/ddu004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-72446-9_4"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/app11010373"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1079\/9781780643342.0008"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1079\/9781780643342.0001"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ajmg.a.32047"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/ajpendo.00268.2004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ng0793-227"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1084\/jem.71.6.839"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.79.2056.487"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/age.12735"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/cge.13799"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M114.611665"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ng.814"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ng.2007.10"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00438-015-1110-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1096-8628(20000515)92:2<95::AID-AJMG3>3.0.CO;2-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.1091230106"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.1091230406"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.901030307"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ar.1091460202"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bioinformatics\/btp324"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2022.102303"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_49_1","first-page":"7","article-title":"Size inheritance in rabbits","volume":"196","author":"MacDowell E.C.","year":"1914","journal-title":"Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jez.1400160202"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0039929"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature21039"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13059-016-0974-4"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2174\/1389203715666140221115135"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_55_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00439-014-1443-3"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_56_1","first-page":"25","article-title":"Erbpathologie des Kaninchens","volume":"4","author":"Nachtsheim H.","year":"1937","journal-title":"Erbarzt"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ansa.202300050"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_58_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17219\/acem\/24111"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_59_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02983144"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_60_1","first-page":"D845","article-title":"The DisGeNET knowledge platform for disease genomics: 2019 update","volume":"48","author":"Pi\u00f1ero J.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nucleic Acids Research"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_61_1","article-title":"Scaling accurate genetic variant discovery to tens of thousands of samples","author":"Poplin R.","year":"2017","journal-title":"bioRxiv"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_62_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1534\/genetics.110.123943"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_63_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02983477"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_64_1","volume-title":"R: a language and environment for statistical computing","author":"R Core Team","year":"2018"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_65_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/pr.2018.17"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_66_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/gr.157339.113"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_67_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1217149109"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_68_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature08832"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_69_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12863-015-0202-3"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_10_70_1","first-page":"917","article-title":"Familial dwarfism due to a novel mutation of the growth hormone\u2010releasing hormone receptor gene","volume":"84","author":"Salvatori R.","year":"1999","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_71_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0092-8674(94)90302-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_72_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.12417"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_73_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/age.12031"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_74_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/genetics\/iyad031"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_75_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/nar\/gkae1010"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_76_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ng0196-88"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_77_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12864-024-10185-6"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_78_1","volume-title":"Domestic rabbits and their histories: breeds of the world","author":"Whitman B.D.","year":"2004"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_79_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/genetics\/3.4.367"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_80_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/eva.13183"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_81_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-022-05275-y"}],"container-title":["Animal Genetics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/age.70025","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,20]],"date-time":"2025-08-20T04:31:49Z","timestamp":1755664309000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/age.70025"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]]},"references-count":80,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/age.70025"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/age.70025","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0268-9146","1365-2052"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0268-9146","type":"print"},{"value":"1365-2052","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-03-28","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-06-19","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-07-03","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e70025"}}