# One Copy Number Variation within the Angiopoietin-1 Gene Is Associated with Leizhou Black Goat Meat Quality

## TL;DR

A specific copy number variation in the ANGPT1 gene is linked to better meat quality and growth traits in Leizhou black goats.

## Contribution

Identifies a specific ANGPT1 CNV (ARS1_chr14:24950001-24953600) associated with improved meat quality and growth traits in Leizhou black goats.

## Key findings

- Higher copy number (≥3) of CNV-1 correlates with increased ANGPT1 mRNA expression in muscle tissue.
- CNV-1 gain-of-copies genotype is significantly associated with improved carcass weight and muscle quality traits.
- The CNV-1 genotype shows potential as a marker for targeted breeding to enhance meat quality.

## Abstract

The ANGPT1 gene is crucial for angiogenesis and muscle growth. This study analyzed three ANGPT1 copy number variations (CNVs) in 417 Leizhou black goats using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Specifically, CNV-1 (ARS1_chr14:24950001-24953600), which overlaps with protein-coding regions, showed that a higher copy number (≥3) was significantly associated with increased ANGPT1 mRNA expression in muscle and improved traits such as carcass weight and muscle quality. These results suggest CNV-1’s gain-of-copies genotype could be an effective marker for enhancing growth and meat quality in targeted breeding programs.

The ANGPT1 gene plays a crucial role in the regulation of angiogenesis and muscle growth, with previous studies identifying copy number variations (CNVs) within this gene among Leizhou black goats. In this study, we investigated three ANGPT1 CNVs in 417 individuals of LZBG using quantitative PCR (qPCR), examining the impact of different CNV types on the ANGPT1 gene expression and their associations with growth and meat quality traits. Notably, the ANGPT1 CNV-1 (ARS1_chr14:24950001-24953600) overlaps with protein-coding regions and conserved domains; its gain-of-copies genotype (copies ≥ 3) was significantly correlated with ANGPT1 mRNA expression in muscle tissue (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the gain-of-copies genotype of CNV-1 demonstrated significant correlations with various phenotypic traits, including carcass weight, body weight, shear stress, chest circumference, and cross-sectional area of longissimus dorsi muscle. These findings indicate that the CNV-1 gain-of-copies genotype in the ANGPT1 gene may serve as a valuable marker for selecting Leizhou black goats exhibiting enhanced growth and muscular development characteristics, thereby holding potential applications in targeted breeding programs aimed at improving meat quality.