Morteza Mokhtari

Camels are increasingly recognized for their potential to meet future nutritional and medical needs due to their unique qualities. This study aims to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of body size in dromedaries by employing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We used phenotypic data from 9 body measurements of 96 Iranian male camels to develop a latent variable model for body size. The CFA model demonstrated excellent fit (CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.02), confirming that the selected biometric traits effectively capture the body size latent variable. Subsequent GWAS, utilizing 14,522 SNPs, identified 13 significant SNPs associated with body size across several chromosomes. The candidate genes linked to these SNPs, including UBE3D, REPS1, SLC4A1AP, EFR3B, PRR11, and VMP1, were further examined through Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, revealing their involvement in crucial biological processes such as catabolic and metabolic activities, developmental processes, and protein and lipid transport. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms underpinning body size in dromedaries, offering a foundation for future research and potential applications in breeding and genetic improvement strategies.