Whole-genome resequencing of domestic chickens reveals loci under selection during domestication. Researchers analyzed the genomes of 8 chicken populations and red jungle fowl to identify genetic changes associated with domestication. They found over 7 million SNPs, 1,300 deletions, and several putative selective sweeps. One of the most significant sweeps was at the TSHR locus, involved in metabolic regulation and reproduction. Other sweeps overlapped genes related to growth, appetite, and metabolism. The study found little evidence of loss-of-function mutations driving domestication, but two deletions in coding sequences were functionally important. The domestic chicken is a valuable model for biomedical research and animal breeding. The study highlights the genetic basis of domestication and has implications for understanding rapid evolutionary adaptations in other species. The research used SOLiD sequencing and identified candidate mutations, including a Gly558Arg substitution in TSHR, which may be a causal mutation for the sweep. The study also identified a deletion in the SH3RF2 gene associated with growth differences between high and low growth lines. The findings contribute to understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying domestication and have applications in animal breeding and biomedical research.Whole-genome resequencing of domestic chickens reveals loci under selection during domestication. Researchers analyzed the genomes of 8 chicken populations and red jungle fowl to identify genetic changes associated with domestication. They found over 7 million SNPs, 1,300 deletions, and several putative selective sweeps. One of the most significant sweeps was at the TSHR locus, involved in metabolic regulation and reproduction. Other sweeps overlapped genes related to growth, appetite, and metabolism. The study found little evidence of loss-of-function mutations driving domestication, but two deletions in coding sequences were functionally important. The domestic chicken is a valuable model for biomedical research and animal breeding. The study highlights the genetic basis of domestication and has implications for understanding rapid evolutionary adaptations in other species. The research used SOLiD sequencing and identified candidate mutations, including a Gly558Arg substitution in TSHR, which may be a causal mutation for the sweep. The study also identified a deletion in the SH3RF2 gene associated with growth differences between high and low growth lines. The findings contribute to understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying domestication and have applications in animal breeding and biomedical research.