基因组选择(genomic selection, GS)是利用覆盖基因组的分子标记预测动物个体的估计育种值,可以提高选择的准确度和选择强度,缩短世代间隔,做到早选、准选,使动物育种发生了巨大变革。过去的10多年间,基因组选择技术应用于奶牛等动物的育种中,使种用动物的选择更为准确,遗传进展得到大幅提高。但基因组选择通常重视目标性状的遗传进展,而忽略了配种亲本个体间的遗传关系,因此也没有考虑到后代群体中近交程度的增加、遗传多样性的降低以及有害基因的纯合等问题,因此难以维持长期的遗传进展。2016年,一种具有可持续性的遗传选择方法被正式提出,称为基因组选配(genomic mating, GM)。该方法利用待选种用个体的基因组信息实施优化的选种和选配,可以控制群体近交的增长速率,实现长期且可持续的遗传进展。因此基因组选配方法比基因组选择的方法更适合于现代动物育种,尤其适用于地方品种的保护和遗传改良。本文综述了基因组选配的基本概念、方法和应用,并通过模拟的方法比较了6种选配方案的选择效果,旨在为动物育种方法的应用提供参考。

Genomic selection (GS) is a powerful tool which can be used to estimate the breeding value of individual animals by using the molecular markers of the animal’s entire genome. GS improves the accuracy and intensity of selection, reduces the interval of generation, and realizes the effects of early accuracy selection contributing to a significant evolution in animal breeding. In the past decade, GS was successfully applied in the genetic improvement of dairy animals with improved selection accuracy and genetic gain of breeding animals. However, GS focuses on the genetic gain of target traits while it ignores the genetic relationship between mating pairs such that it ignores long term genetic merits such as an increase in inbreeding coefficient of offspring population, a decrease of genetic diversity and the homozygous presentation of harmful genes. In 2016, genomic mating (GM) was proposed as a sustainable genetic selection method using genomic information of the breeding candidate individuals to optimize selection and mating with resultant control of the growth rate of population inbreeding coefficient and achieving long-term and sustainable genetic progress. Therefore, GM is more suitable for modern animal breeding than GS, especially for the genetic improvement of indigenous species. In this review, we summarize the basic concepts, methods, and applications of GM, and then present examples comparing the effects of six simulated mating schemes. This review serves as a valuable reference for the applications of animal breeding methods.